Women on the Bus

Women, God’s creation that need to be protected as they are not strong enough to face the world..

SAID WHO?

In reality, women are fearless and tougher than men, especially on rare occasion.

Don’t believe me?

Anyway, I wrote this post with no intention of being disrespect towards women since I am one myself. Just want to share that women on the bus can be nasty towards other passengers both men and women.

So, one day like any other day when I got cramped inside heavily packed busway. And though the busway already full with so many people, there was this pregnant lady managed to get inside. The officer in charge saw her condition and here I quoted their conversation:

Seat Separation

A few months ago, there was new establishment on busway. Women and met sit separately. Women sit in the front area of busway while men sit in the back area. This separation applied due to so many reports on sexual harassment. At first many people complained about this new set up. But eventually, people start to just go with it. Rules are rules, the maker don't really care if the user like it or not. Just go with it and everything will be just fine.


There are officials in charge to warn passengers to follow the rule. Especially during rush hour where people just want to get in so they can go to their destination. Which is raise a question. Do the passengers just follow the rule? Well, not exactly.

Sometimes; like the one in this picture; there was a guy maybe two who ignore the rule and just take a seat in where ever empty seats they can find. Sometimes they are with family or lover or just being alone and find an empty seat regardless the area. Plus, the official in charge didn't notice that. But then, sometimes me and lots of other women also take a seat in area for men. Especially during rush hour.

Weekend Blues

Up to now I still have no idea why oh why streets in Jakarta always hit by heavy traffic jam every Friday or when there are long weekend due to National Public Holiday.

Like this weekend, most people have 4 days off including Saturday and Sunday due to celebration of Islamic New Year. Already around 3 PM street full with cars that only God know come from where on this planet. Eventually, people who have to use public transportation like bus must wait patiently. Well, in a perfect world the passenger will wait patiently. Then again, in a perfect world...we probably won't have any problem with public transportation.

Pay the fare, please

Usually, I wrote about my daily rants about myself while taking public transportation. Well, this time is the other way around though I might have written about this previously. Now, I am going to write the story that I heard from mikrolet's driver


Mikrolet is not the same with bus related to the fare. For buses, the fare is the same for short and long destination. Some people doesn't like to pay full when they feel they only have been in the bus for short time. Or we can say that they actually can walk to their destination but perhaps too lazy. Mikrolet has different fares, depends on how long the passengers destination. The shorter your destination then the cheaper is the fare. And even so, passenger still trying not to pay in full for the fare. And guess what... Yes, female passengers are the most naughty passenger who always try to avoid paying in full. Can't really blame them as they are the financial adviser at home. Things that need to be cut, they will do so without hesitation.

But one day, I saw a male passenger with two kids paid the fare for himself only. That made other passenger asked the driver why on earth that guy only paid for one person while he also taking 2 kids? The driver, calmly said that the guy wasn't the only one. There were others just like him, but he was not really keen to pressure them in order to paid full.

Wow, this kind of driver is very rare. When the driver pissed off over one lousy passenger, he can be moody all day long. Several of them probably ranting about that passenger, saying nasty things. The driver probably think that his income will be lesser than usual. He was angry to that passenger and know nothing else to lash out his anger but to speed up his car. So, the passenger who paid less fare have nothing to fear about his or her life. They have moved on thinking ah, I am able to cut my expenses. But his or her action leaves other passengers scare to death. Why? Because the driver speeding up his car and God knows what will happen next. The driver probably just told all other passengers to get out and move to another public transportation. Or he could grumbling all day long and being nasty to other passengers.


Come to think of if, when the driver is nice then there is always at least one lousy passenger who probably paid less or doing something to annoy others.

So, do we really need to meet bad drivers to make up our mind and paid the fare as it should be?

Unwritten laws

Before I start storytelling I just want to let you know that all the pictures that I have taken and uploading here are not representing areas that I describe here in this posting :) Just so we clear ^__^

Remembering the street singer talked about manner between singing on the bus it remind me few unwritten laws between drivers of motorcycle taxi and mikrolet who both waiting for passengers...

Everybody well aware that Mikrolet's fare are a lot cheaper than motorcycle taxi. Since mikrolet's route as not as unhampered as motorcycle taxi that could go anywhere on demands... Naturally within fare agreed by both of the driver and passenger.

For short routes people prefer to use Mikrolet rather than motorcycle taxi...especially if there is a mikrolet devotedly standing by forever to find passengers. Therefore to avoid any nasty social jealousy between drivers of mikrolet and motorcycle taxi...seems they have agreed on this unwriten law (well...of course it was unwritten... Should it be a national law or something to be written?) This if from an observation that I notice from area near my home. Where usually drivers both of motorcycle taxis and mikrolets standing by at the exact same area. Sort of like their home base.

 Starting from 09.00 PM any mikrolet must be vanished from the face of the earth and do not even think to pick up a passenger even if the passenger have already histerically calling out for the mikrolet. Overkill... But that was happening whenever I arrived at that particular area past 9.00 PM and all those mikrolet's drivers seems have gone deaf and refuse us the passengers. I have no other choice but to use motorcycle taxi. One of the drivers told me about their unwritten law. That starting from 09.00 PM they will get their turn to look for passengers. I nodded start to understand. Then obviously starting from that time I tried so hard avoiding to be there around 09.00 PM. Which is kinda hard whenever I have to do over time in the office.

While in another area near my home, mikrolet's driver who look for passengers CAN NOT park their vehicle near the home base of motorcycle taxi drivers. In the beginning I was confuse to see that all mikrolet's driver seems pretending not to hear me calling them. What's wrong? Does they have different unwritten law here? But it is not 09.00 Pm yet! Then when I was in the middle of my walk, an empty mikrolet stop and offer me to get in. After I get in I started to asked the driver about why no mikrolet stop when I called them in that area? Then the driver explained to me that once all motorcycle taxi's driver almost gang up on a mikrolet's driver only because that driver took a passenger near their area (place where motorcycle taxi's driver all use as their home base while waiting for passengers). So on this one I am not so sure whether there has been an agreement or anything like that. Obviously that accident enough to make mikrolet's driver avoiding that area while picking up passengers. Unless they wish to be beaten by an overwhelming numbers of angry motorcycle taxi's drivers.

Yeah, life is a definately hard so there has to be some kind of allocation in earning money...

Now push back!

How to get back to people who push you around on the bus…

Hahahahah…. No, no, no… It is not my intention to teach you how to get enemy on the bus or hurt someone else that makes them end up in a hospital…

But you know what… Some people really need to be hit in the head … SOMETIMES…

One thing that you have to realize and know: this is a public place and not some private place belonging to you.
You will meet people who do not hesitate to push people around so she or he could make ways to get into the first line. If you try to be angry with this people, trust me… YOU WILL ONLY DEGRADE yourself. People would not mind to push, step on other people but get furious when other people did the same thing to them.

Once a girl pushed me from behind because she probably thought she was the only one who wants to get on the bus. So, I waited my chance and I pushed her back but keep my face straight. As if I did not realize what I has done to her. You know what, she got angry and told her mates that she was being pushed by me. She keep pointing, whispering and even try to glare just to catch my attention. I suppose she was so ready to drop everything with her and said,”BRING IT ON!” But I keep a straight face and pretending I did not listen. And after a while her trash mouth probably tired and she just stop. Do not mess up with a 37 year old tired lady…

There was a time I was not in the mood and when I did not want to move myself to the back of the bus (why should I? I was about to get off within minutes) there was a girl got angry and said something unpleasant. When I retorted back she fired back… I back off because to be honest…I was embarrassed. I should be able to control my emotion. Am I afraid to get into cat fight on the bus? Hell, yeah! What if everyone on the bus took out their cellphone and started to record everything then upload it to internet? It would be a humiliation. So, I just stay quiet and when I was about to get off I throw her a dirty look.

When people refused to slightly move over from where they are standing then it means they are about to get off at the nearest bus stop or simply not want to. Relax… Don’t get angry. Just remember when you are late entering classes or courses. The best seat already taken. In this case the best place to sit (usually near the door so it would be easier to get off the bus) already being occupied by someone else earlier than you. Suck it up. If not, then go ahead try to push that person as he or she will not just give in.

If someone step on you well try to think positive as she or he might not doing that on purpose. They just stumble upon something and you get to be stepped over. But if they push you then I can assure you they do it INTENTIONLY. They wants you to just move aside and give them the way. ARE THEY NUTS? Nope. It is just what happens daily on the bus. People loose their common sense.
Sometimes, they push other people due for being pushed by people standing behind them. A woman once scolded me because I sort of push her aside. I ignored her because if she did not move and I have to stand behind her obediently then someone will take my place and make ways to the bus… Sighed.

Anyway, just remember… If other passenger pushes you, don’t get mad. Just get it over with. Let it go if you want to practice healthy living. But if not, then go ahead… Do the same thing. But make sure you did not glare to that person and make a face saying,”HAH! You push me then I push you too!”… Just keep a straight face and look ahead. And please, please…do not push them to the ground… You will feel sorry afterwards!

Oh and by the way, just think this…if other people push you…then perhaps they just return the favor… (LOL)