Different ponds have different fish<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Here are a couple of things you would expect
\nanyone would do at the mall or on the street. But, remember, you
\nare in Jakarta now.<\/p>\n
When old friends bump into each other in the corridor of a
\npacked shopping mall, for example, you'd expect them to step
\naside before they start exchanging greetings and asking questions
\nabout each other's health and wealth. Right?<\/p>\n
Wrong. Jakartans stop and start gabbing right where they
\nhappened to be walking. Even in the middle of a walkway. You'd
\nbetter not remind them that they're blocking the way of hundreds
\nof other mall-goers. If you do, they consider you rude for
\ndisturbing their gab session. They haven't seen each other for a
\nlong time, remember, and thus nothing else is more important than
\nthemselves -- especially not you. Better find another way.<\/p>\n
When a gaggle of shoppers reach the landing of an escalator
\nand find themselves undecided whether to turn right or left,
\nyou'd expect them to quickly step aside before attempting to
\nreach a consensus on where they want to go. Right?<\/p>\n
Wrong again. Jakartans stop right at the end of escalators and
\nstart deliberating on the spot. If you happen to be right behind
\nthem and are having trouble stopping the automatic escalator,
\nthat's your problem, not theirs. If bash into their backs, it's
\nyour fault for not looking where you were going. Hey, this is a
\nfree country, so anybody can stop right where he or she decides
\nto stop. The landings of running escalators seem to be a magnet.<\/p>\n
At Jollibee, in a plush shopping mall, you see a couple of
\nwell-dressed young professionals washing their hands at the
\nsinks. You'd expect them to turn the tap off when they're
\nfinished, because, judging from the way they dress and the
\nhandphones sticking out of their pockets, you can tell that
\nthey're very well educated and must know how dear water is.
\nRight?<\/p>\n
C'mon. Jakartans don't turn taps off -- except maybe at home.
\nThe terribly grueling task of turning the tap off is now
\nconsidered part of the services all fast food restaurants must
\nprovide. Therefore janitors should do the twisting, not guests.
\nDiners can just leave the water running if they choose.<\/p>\n
You go into the ladies restrooms (excuse me, gentlemen, please
\ndon't attempt this). You go to the sink to wash your hands
\nbecause you know the sinks are for washing your hands. Right?<\/p>\n
Wrong. In horror, you see white-clad nannies conveniently
\nplacing their toddling charges in the sinks to let them relieve
\nthemselves. Don't panic. It happens in shopping mall restrooms
\nhere. After all, the sinks and the toilets look and smell the
\nsame.<\/p>\n
Let us venture to cross the street now. You'd expect people to
\ncross perpendicular to the roadside so the time spent on the
\nstreet is as short as possible. You'd think anyone would be in a
\nhurry to reach the relative safety of the sidewalk. Right?<\/p>\n
No way. Jakartans are very efficient. They always take the
\nshortest path to get to their final destination. Therefore, they
\ncross the street diagonally, keeping as small an angle as
\npossible with the roadside, to minimize the number of
\nexcruciating steps they must make to get from point A to point B.<\/p>\n
Now jump in your car. You know cars have long been equipped
\nwith an extremely-easy-to-reach turn signal switch. Car makers
\naround the world toiled to ensure that flicking on the turn
\nsignal required minimal effort so people wouldn't fail to signal
\nwhen they wanted to turn or change lanes. Right?<\/p>\n
Not quite. When you drive a car in Jakarta, you should
\nactually be equipped with the ability to read minds, because
\npeople very rarely flick on their turn signal. What the car
\nmakers have labored to design and implement isn't good enough.
\nThey really should come up with a more sophisticated device (one
\nthat requires no effort to use) that will determine where the guy
\nin front of you wants to go.<\/p>\n
When an ambulance siren is wailing, or a convoy of fire
\nengines blow their horns, you'd expect that all the drivers in
\nfront of them would get out of the way as quickly as possible.
\nYou'd expect the drivers to climb the sidewalks if necessary, or
\nturn down a side street to let the emergency vehicles pass.
\nRight?<\/p>\n
Yeah right. In a traffic jam, a daily reality in Jakarta,
\nambulances and fire engines must wait their turn.<\/p>\n
When a new traffic light has been installed or new traffic
\nsigns erected, you'd expect police officers to be on duty to help
\nmotorists get acquainted with the new traffic system. Right?<\/p>\n
Maybe. If you don't see them you still know they're around and
\nyou know where you'd find them. Don't you?<\/p>\n
There is no need to continue. We see it everyday. Just
\nremember, as a local saying goes, \"Lain padang lain belalang,
\nlain lubuk lain ikannya.\" You would expect an immediate
\ntranslation. Right?<\/p>\n
Wrong. That would be too easy, look to the heading to find out
\nwhat it means.<\/p>\n
-- Zatni Arbi<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/different-ponds-have-different-fish-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }