Jakarta's taxis: A tall story<\/p>\n
By Clay Lucas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The average Jakarta taxi has enough headroom for
\nthe average Indonesian, but this causes problems for those of us
\nwho are much taller.<\/p>\n
Being 195 centimeters tall has its benefits; riding in
\nJakarta's taxis is not one of them.<\/p>\n
As a regular taxi user, I have become an expert on which taxis
\ngive you room to move and which give you a pain in the neck.<\/p>\n
Let us begin with Citra. A fantastic taxi company. Their fleet
\nis new, clean and with air conditioners so quiet you can hear a
\npin drop. They are also quiet enough, if you are tall and choose
\nto sit in the back, to hear your neck vertebrae snap. So if you
\nneed a bit of extra space, be brave and ride up front.<\/p>\n
Blue Bird cabs are eminently suitable for taller people, and
\ntheir front seats offer more room than any other cab. Another
\nincentive to travel with Blue Bird is that the front seats have
\nseat belts, which in Jakarta's bumper-to-bumper traffic could
\nsave you a stay in the local hospital, or a much longer stay at
\nthe morgue.<\/p>\n
Tall people who can afford the more expensive Silver Bird
\ntaxis will find them more comfortable than their cheaper
\ncounterparts. Silver Bird's back seats offer more headroom than
\nany other Jakarta taxi. Enough room, in fact, to swing a small
\ncat.<\/p>\n
For tall people on a budget, Gamya taxis are a winner. These
\ngreen angels are run by the Blue Bird Group and are as roomy in
\nthe back as in the front. They are usually in tip-top condition.
\nYou could say they are the poor man's Silver Bird.<\/p>\n
Then there are the well-known and much derided President
\ntaxis. The quality of these taxis varies from quite good to
\nappalling. Many of these red-and-yellow chariots rival any taxi
\nfor cleanliness, while others seem likely to break down at the
\nnext pothole.<\/p>\n
Like President taxis, the standard of Koperasi taxis, with
\ntheir striking orange and green markings, runs the gauntlet. Some
\nare pristine and seem straight off the showroom floor, while
\nothers are just this side of the scrap heap. But in terms of head
\nroom, they are up there with the best.<\/p>\n
Tall people should avoid Steady Safe taxis at all costs,
\nbecause their roofs are the lowest in Jakarta. Kosti Jaya taxis
\ngenerally fall into the same category, but some models can be
\nsurprisingly roomy.<\/p>\n
Leg room is another crucial factor for tall people.<\/p>\n
When sitting in the front seat, the first thing tall people do
\nis try to maximize leg room. They will wrestle with the seat to
\nsee if it goes back and, if so, how far.<\/p>\n
Many times, the issue is decided for you, because the
\nadjustment lever is broken or missing.<\/p>\n
Sometimes leg room in the front -- even when the seat is
\nadjusted for maximum room -- is the same as leg room in the back.<\/p>\n
Being tall can also be a problem when waiting at taxi stands,
\nwhere you are forced to take whatever taxi comes along. Many
\ntimes I have found myself skulking around taxi stands waiting for
\nsomeone shorter to take the tiny cab in front, so I can snaffle
\nthe more spacious car behind it.<\/p>\n
The quality of Jakarta's taxis has improved remarkably over
\nthe past 20 years. Several taxi companies which can serve all of
\nJakarta have cropped up. It would be great if there were more of
\nthem.<\/p>\n
So, tall people can travel in comfort in Jakarta if they
\nchoose wisely.<\/p>\n
Last year, Time magazine reported that as the standard of
\nliving in developing countries improves, the average height of
\ntheir people increases.<\/p>\n
For example, the average height of Japanese people has risen
\nalmost 10 centimeters since the 1940s.<\/p>\n
I hope the Indonesian economy continues to boom and Indonesia
\nbecomes the tiger of Asia. That is sure to raise those taxi
\nroofs.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakartas-taxis-a-tall-story-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}