Tips part 1

There have been many crimes happened when people taking public transportation. Either that on the bus, train, mikrolet, busway, taxi up to personal cars that being used as illegal public transportation.

If you asked me how to avoid crime on public transportation, well to be honest I don't think I can give any special tips. Considering that I once were mugged also while on the bus, meeting a sleazy driver while taking mikrolet and annoying taxi driver.

What I can do to help is to remind all of us how to avoid the crime as all these have been heard so many times.




1. Stay focus
When we are about to go somewhere out of the ordinary, we are going to be clueless about our whereabouts. And it will be shown in our face completely. Just try to act cool although you are panicking inside. Where the heck I am right now? Because we are too busy thinking about that, and what to do next, we finally loose our focus on our surrounding.
If we are on the bus, train, mikrolet, the pickpocket will take advantage on that situation. While you are on a taxi, the driver will take you on a tour across the country (okay, I am a bit exaggerating here) before finally reach the destination.
Worry that we might get lost is natural. Either we worry for going to be late or worry for spending money too much if we take a taxi. Stay focus on your surrounding and don't let other people take advantage on us when we are not focus enough.


2. Information
If we don't want to look clueless, then try to get some information about the place.
For example, if you are taking public transportation like bus, train, busway, mikrolet then ask the name of the bus stop where you should be getting off. If we are taking busway or train, USUALLY there is announcement from the speaker about the names of all their stops. So, you have to know the name of the bus stop or station before you getting off. And the name of the bus stop or station where you should be getting off.
IF you are taking taxi, try to have information about which street you should take or better...the complete route. Often the taxi driver have no idea how to get to the destination. And not to mention those who PRETEND not knowing the route.
Other way, perhaps you could ask someone to write down about the route in Indonesian. You also need to realize that not all drivers know how to speak English. And you need to read this post about list of so many taxis company here in Jakarta for your reference.

We will continue about this later on...