Why People Fight For A Seat

You probably wonder...why oh why seat on public transportation like buses or commuter line is so damn important.

Well, perhaps these pictures may give you an idea

Harmoni Bus Stop This Morning

Rain pouring down heavily since last night and this is the look of the river taken from Harmoni Bus stop on 29th January 2014.

Here are news about TransJakarta :

Bigger TransJakarta (hopefully soon)

New buses for TransJakarta (when? where? which? What? Really?)

NOWHERE SAFE (especially for female passengers)

Rules Are Made To Be Broken

Around 1 November, there would be Rp. 500.000,- fine for those entering busway lane. But then, rule is just being rule. Without someone to watch, people tends to broken it. The following pictures tells it all...

Rain = Flood = NO BUSWAY

The year 2013 has passed and now we are in the middle of January 2014, back to our routines. Holiday is so over. And it means we are back to the usual head to head, body to body, cramped together on the bus or any other public transportation.

Happy New Year 2014

Dear readers,
Thanks for keep coming here to read my blog. I'm sorry for not updating this blog regularly. Hope I will be able to write more next year. My sincere apology if my writing offends any of you.
Have a wonderful new year ahead ;)

Photos Around The Bus

Again, I think picture can do more talking than I am so here goes

Why?

I will never ever going to take a bus,” said one of my acquaintances for about twenty years ago. “My God! So crowded with people.

Talking Photos

It has been a while since I posted photos so now here goes. I took them during my (totally) spare time on the bus. The first photo was taken early in the morning. I was hoping to catch Super Moon. But, this is the result.

Seat Separation (Again)

Recently I often read about male passengers complaining about seat separation on busway via online media. They were upset about female passengers who ignore about seat separation and keep on finding empty seat in male's area. For all of you who have no idea about busway and everything that's going on inside, let me give you a bit of explanation.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DAY

Well, well, well... It turn out today is Public Transportation Day. I totally unaware and forget about it. Which is sort of embarassing for me as I am a regular user of public transportation. Not because I enjoy using them but simply because I have no choice.

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:

Handphone forbidden? Think Again!

Okay, I know I have spent so many times grumbling about how handphone should be forbidden on public transportation. It turn out I was totally wrong, dear readers.

Yesterday as usual, me and dozen other passenger trying to get into busway. But then, I have this feeling that there would be another empty busway behind. So, why I should even try to go inside this over load crowded busway? So, I started to be nicer, let other people rushing in to the already crowded busway. Then, a young mother and her son try to get pass me to go inside busway. I was a bit annoyed and tell her to watch out for her son and their steps. The officer in charge; seeing the busway already full decided to close the door. The young mom told the officer that her relative was already inside the busway. The officer didn't care and simply tell her to meet her relative at their destination.

ANd within minutes, the next empty busway approached and we all rushing inside try to get a nice seat. Then all passengers started their own things, like sleeping, daydreaming, eating whatever hidden in her bag and one agitated. Yeap, the young mom unable to sit still all the way. At the first bus stop, she stand up, her eyes darting from left to right, as if she wish to find someone inside. Then she back to her seat until reaching another bus stop, she did it again. Finally her acitivity attract the driver and other passengers.

And here are the conversations:

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:

Photos Sharing

I haven't been blogging about buses for a while due to hectic situation. So, now I want to share candid photos that I have taken while I was on the bus.

1. Oh dear sweet lady, you sleep so peacefully. Hopefully your head not falling down to someone else sitting beside you. Or you sleep all the way far from your destination. 

Christmas greetings

Dear all, I'm wishing you to have a wonderful Christmas :-)

Seat Reservation

Are you taking a bus or an airplane? Seriously? Seat Reservation? Is it travel car between cities? Nope, just local transportation. And yet, you need to have a seat reservation?

It isn't unsual for people here have a reserved seat for their friends. You can find them during lunch time at the food court or coffee shops. But rarely on public transportation. Then again, this is Jakarta where any absurd things can happen.

Once I went with a friend of mine to watch a live show from one major television station here in Indonesia. When we were about to take a seat. a mother with her daughter told us not to sit there. They said there are people going to sit there. Yup. There were several empty seats but we coudn't sit there. So, while grumbling we took another spot and sat there. That's when we saw many people just arrived and take the reserved seats. They probably have many seats reserved for the whole neighborhood. Goodness!




Why I suddenly talk about this? On dailynews Kompas dated 14 october 2012 there was a story about a guy try to have a seat reserved for his friend. From his conversation through handphone, his friend was waiting in another busway stop. So, when he got two empty seats he quickly put the backpack on the empty seat. He then take another near empty seat. Then another passanger entered the busway. The new passenger was about to take a seat when this guy stop him. He said the seat has been taken. The new passenger was upset and persistently asked where is that person? Not here? So, why can't he sit there? After another angry passengers terrorizing this guy, he finally gave up. And even decided to gave up both his seat and the reserved one. That guy left the busway when it reached the next busway stop.

Demonstration?

I was walking on busway corridor when suddenly my eyes catch the headlines : Labor Groups to Hold Mass Protest today : 03 October 2012. Here in Jakarta. The online news can be read here.

Oh no. I am a bit panic. Sure, the demonstration will only take place start from 08.00 AM up to 12.00 PM. Yeah, sure. That was the plan. But we all here know too well that sometimes a nice plan can change drastically within seconds. Beside, even if the demonstration held peacefully there is always a side effect.


This is a big demonstration so it means there will be a lot of people walking, standing on the street. There is a big riot potential especially when they allow provocator to get them angry. Angry for not able to receive decent paid for the hard job. Angry for everything that is not fair in this life. You name it. And if there is a riot, means the street will be closed. No cars will be allowed to pass including public transportation. Naturally we will avoid the riot's area. Who would want their car get smash by big rock or angry mob? Who would want to be in the middle of riots when angry people loves to hit everything and everyone? There will be traffic jam and people finally force themselves to walk miles away before able to find public transportation.

That is why, people always worry whenever they heard the word "Demonstration". Can the rally be held peacefully? Will they finish the rally before rush hour so people can get home in peace? Or it will end like big riot in May 1998 in Jakarta? That will be scary.

Hopefully no such things will happen this day and everything will be going on smoothly.

Get in Line!

Queuing is something that I always find something to talk about. Want to know why? Because there are still people who try to avoid of getting in line.

So, that afternoon there was this long queuing at the busway stop. A bit odd considering that was not rush hour and yet not uncommon. So, the official in charge start to arrange the queuing. In order to avoid too many people inside the busway stop, the incoming passenger were asked to line up on the corridor.

Behind me there were two high school girls. One of them was not patient enough to stand in line. She then just walk with an air of confident to the temporary forbidden area. She then called out her hesitantly friend to join her. At first her friend were reluctant but then she gave in and join her friend. It turn out, the official in charge has already watched them. He then told those two girls to step out from the area and back to the corridor. Her friends grumbling, told her friend if only they were stay in line. The one who asked her friend to join her, put a mask on her face not revealing any emotion. As if she was not care that because of her act, she and her friend becoming the center of attention from sniggering passengers. I suppose she remembered the quote: everything is fair in war and love. But on our term become: everything is fair as long as I get to my destination sooner.

Seeing this got me think, if she able to do that in such a young age...wondering if she reach my age? Probably worst? Or she just copying how we older people do in our daily life while standing in line.

Ask the passing busway...

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!

Helmet

 Helmet is something that need and a must for motorcycle riders because can be used to protect the head. So, obviously to protect ourselves when we were on motorcycle we need to use the helmet. Without being told or threatened to.

But, that's when we use our own motorcycle. We are well aware about the condition of our own helmet. I mean, we are probably going to be the only one who use helmet and well other member of our family. Helmet can be the source of problem (at least for me) when I have to go somewhere using motorcycle taxi. Yup. We have motorcycle taxi in Jakarta and probably other places in Indonesia. If you have never try to use ojek in Jakarta or around Indonesia then I have a few advices. First of all, consult with your local friends how much you should pay to go to your destination. And second, bring handkerchief or scarf (which I am going to discuss about it later)