Rush Hour

A few days ago I saw a bunch of tourists from Thailand at busway stop Central Harmoni. I couldn't help but wonder, why their tour guide is crazy enough to bring all of them during rush hour. Yes. It was around 4 PM where many people already finish their job and all rushing try to get home as soon as possible. Traffic jam will hit the street around 5 PM until around 8 PM. Which is why the goverment urge our people to use public transportation. Unfortunately, this is what you get by using public transportation. Long queuing and you have to bear many impolite people (me including...well, sometimes).

I think is great when you travel to another country and want to try the experience first hand on how was it if I use this public transportation? Will it be difficult? Is there something that I need to buy, like in this case e-ticket. And how much further you will want in that experience. Would you like to try how crazy people can be when all they can think of is home. As Soon As Possible. One minute this person can be nice to you, showing direction. But when the bus come he or she (usually is ...she).will brutally push you aside so you won't be in the way.

Pictures Talking

In the year 2011, when I was one of many bus terminals in Jakarta, I saw many people rush to go to their home town to celebrate Idul Fitri. And along the way, not only people went home by bus but also their motorcycle. Probably to be given to their family back home or to be used during the festive day.

At first nothing happened

Before Idul Fitri Holiday

I know I haven't been in this blog for ages and tell you the truth I was sort of out of ideas what to write. I mean, everyday I face the same thing over again and again. Crowded angry passengers, few buses only that it seems only the driver and God knows exactly about their schedule. I was afraid you might get bored with it because there is nothing new rather than my daily experiences. But anyway, let me try to write a summary what happened to me from January until recently, near Idul Fitri holiday.

E-Ticket Recommended

I am using busway on daily basis, so there is no surprise when I finally decided to use e-ticket. You may look at this posting if you wish to know a bit about e-ticket.

The most practical e-ticket to be used is this one: JakCard and card from mini market : Indomaret. If your JakCard have no balance then you can have it top up at the busway stop. But note, not all busway stop able to top up the card.

Please Give Me Your Seat. Or Not.

Chair. Seat. Bench. Whatever. It's the thing that allows us to sit. I will never ever get tired to talk about it. Seats on public transportation always successfully give me inspiration to write. Plus it gives me a chance to see how cruel or good people can be as fellow passenger.

For the sake of getting a seat, we can be selfish, uncaring, vicious all at once. Yeah. I admit. Been there. Done that. I have been in the lowest level already.

Anyway, a few days ago I was lucky to enter a totally empty busway. Just me and another lady inside it. And of course with one official in charge and the driver, mind you. We both felt so relieved that during rush hour there were still empty seats.

Let the Pictures Do The Talking

Right now I just want to post several photos that I have taken when I was walking on the street or sitting inside public transportation.

Here are those photos:

Broke Down Buses

There is nothing that can drive me histerical whenever public transportation broke down while I was still in the middle of my journey.

Last Monday I was about to go somewhere using busway. As usual, there were so many people queuing, pushing each other to get to the foor. But, thanksfully we didn't have to wait too long for busway. Everything was going on smoothly until it ALMOST reached the bus stop. So the bus has not reached the bus stop when it suddenly just stop. I was like..., oh no... The bus broke down...here? The bus stop only a few meters away and the bus choose to break down now? The official in charge requested us to be patient while waiting for the next busway. So, they were starting to move passengers to other busway. Naturally, there was a passenger not patient enough and decided to crawl from the door. Well, we are not all athletics so if she decided to just jump from the window I am
pretty sure she would break her neck. I probably would do the same if I were late and don't want to waste any time. It is ironic sometimes that in trying desperately not to be late we always forget our own safety.

And then a few days later I have a different episode. After I get off on transit bus stop, I started to walk from one bus stop to another. Then I noticed a busway just stuck there near the entrance door to bus stop. I asked the official in charge what happened? It turn out, the busway broke down and therefore if I wish to continue my journey I have to take another busway going backwards first. I was like...what? It is like when you take a wrong turn then you have to double back before finally find the right way. It means I have to spend more time for the waiting moment and I don't think so. So, I just walked out from the bus stop and continue my journey with another public transportation. True, I have to spend more money but I don't think I can spend another half an hour (or probably more) for waiting another bus.

FOr me, a busway broke down on my way home is more preferable (though I would rather not) compare when I was about to go somewhere urgent. But that's life.

We can't expect things will just go smoothly in this life. So, we need to prepare to deal with annoying things like public transportation break down early in

the morning...

Cheer up!

No other option

A week ago there was this news about elimination of several routes of regular buses.

If you wish to know which one, you may go to this website

From what I read, it said that nobody protesting about the elimination of those routes. SURE?

First of all, I myself not protesting because I hardly passing thouse routes. But if I do, well then obviously I am going to be upset and yeah probably will protest about it.

Why? Well, are there enough busways to provide the service? And the most annoying fact that I have to walk miles away from one bus stop to another if I need to transit. I suppose I am over weight as walking those long corridor really tiring, for transit only. Plus, the bus stop probably nowhere near where I suppose to reach.

Currently, when NOT ALL entire citizen willing to leave their motorcycle and car and regular biasa...will there be enough busway to cover all those passengers who is now using busway? Reading that some have to queue for two hours then I would say that rather I use regular buses than busway. At the least, we as passengers have options like when we are not in the mood to take busway we will then use regular bus. And the other way around...

But when it comes the time that there is no other choice and busway will be the only public transportation... Hmmm, perhaps this is the time for me to learn how to drive so I can avoid using public transportation.

Cheap fare transportation..., really?

Why people really want to put themselves in the gutter just to use public transportation? Well, obviously because the fare is much cheaper compare if we took a taxi.

But come to think of it, if we have to use from one public transportation to another then the fare is not going to be cheap. First you probably have to pay IDR 2,000 for the mikrolet, then continue with busway amounting IDR 3,500 if you took it after 07.00 AM. After that you still need to use motorcycle taxi with fare IDR 5,000... If you add them all, then what's so cheap about it? Just double the fare to cover from the moment you left the house up to go home again.

If we read people who use busway complaining about how they have to wait for 2 hours before the busway finally available. They did that to save some money for the fare. Otherwise, once they saw how long the line is then it would be better to just walk out from the bus stop for busway. Then try to find any kind of buses that goes to our destination. And that would mean we are loosing extra money for the fare for the possibility arriving at home earlier. Well, if the regular buswasy is there in front of you within 10 minutes of waiting then we better get on with it. Even though the bus already packed with lots of people. Rather than waiting for 2 hours at the bus stop, not including the time duration to be taken before reaching home.

So, what's so cheap about from those public transportation? Or is it our own fault in choosing wrong house's location?

Annoying drivers

A friend of mine told me about her ridiculous encounter with taxi driver. So, the taxi that she took stop at the very near railway. If a train with full speed passing that railway the taxi will surely get drag successfully. Seeing that the train is not able to be seen yet though the siren has been wailing she then told the driver to step on it. It is a lot better than just be a sitting duck waiting for the train. And to that, the driver simply gave response,”Oh, so we should just step on it? Well, I do not want to put my passenger in any danger…”
Dear driver, it is a good thing that you do not wish to endangered your passenger. However if you decided to stop your vehicle in a dangerous position then that will be the same you invite that danger to you and your passenger as well.

I told I had it worst. My worst experience was when I have to keep on polite conversation to a very harassing mikrolet’s driver. I was sitting near him and at first the driver just start with a simple conversation probably just to pass the time. But soon enough, his manner changed and he became rude and it really drove me crazy. But, since I was being super stingy instead getting off from the mikrolet I decided to keep on stay there. Then we have to pass this railway and he keep on with his engine even if the siren has been wailing to alert all of us. I asked him to just wait until the train passed us by. You know what he said to me?
“Why? Afraid of dying are you? You are a sinner? Well, I am not… That’s why I am not afraid of dying…”

Please… If you are so into dying on the spot, then you go right ahead and don’t take us with you… What an annoying driver!