Motorists willing to risk all to get through railway crossings<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The train signal rang loudly and the railway gate arm descended
\nslowly as two trains coming from opposite directions on different
\ntracks appeared in the distance. The railway crossing guard blew
\nhis whistle, but many motorists chose to ignore him and the
\nsignals as they rushed across the tracks.<\/p>\n
At the last minute, several drivers slammed on their brakes,
\nwhich almost caused the motorists behind them to crash into the
\nrear of their vehicles. Luckily, all were able to stop in time.<\/p>\n
The roof of two cars at the front of the line on either side
\nof the guard were damaged by the descent of the wooden arm. The
\ndrivers were unable to reverse their cars because of the waiting
\nline of vehicles behind them.<\/p>\n
The trains passed and everyone was relieved. But one of the
\ndrivers was upset.<\/p>\n
\"Hey, keep your eyes open,\" he shouted to the guard as he
\ngestured to the scratch on the roof of his car caused by the
\nwooden gate arm.<\/p>\n
The small incident happened on Tuesday morning at the railroad
\ncrossing on Jl. KH Mansyur in Central Jakarta, but it could have
\nhappened at any railway crossing at anytime.<\/p>\n
\"It's very stressful to cope with such ignorant people. They
\nneglect the traffic signals and risk their own life by doing so.
\nThey even yelled at me,\" said Suratman, who is 45 years of age.<\/p>\n
Suratman, who has been working as a guard at the railroad
\ncrossing on Jl. KH Mansyur since 1980, said that many motorists
\nblamed him when their cars were damaged by the gate arm. In many
\ncases, some impatient motorists ran their vehicles through the
\nwooden barrier. In other cases, cars were crushed by the passing
\ntrain.<\/p>\n
The city police information center reported that in February
\nalone there were 15 incidents at railway crossings across Greater
\nJakarta, resulting in a loss of 13 lives. In January, 11 people
\nwere killed by passing trains.<\/p>\n
In the latest incident on Sunday evening, a young couple,
\nSulistiyono, 20, and Tati, 20, were killed by a train on Jl.
\nPercetakan Negara in the Johar Baru subdistrict of Central
\nJakarta. They were sitting on the tracks when the train hit them.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, another couple, Asrofi, 48 and Siti Aisah,
\n40, from Marunda, Cilincing in North Jakarta, were killed after
\ntheir motorcycle was hit by a passing train. They were on their
\nway home after shopping at Mangga Dua market in West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Law No. 13\/1992, Article 16, on railways states that motorists
\nand pedestrians must stop and yield to passing trains.<\/p>\n
There are two guards on duty at every post. One operates the
\nalarm bell and automatic gate, while the other ensures that the
\nautomatic gate is working and that motorists do not attempt to
\ncross the railroad.<\/p>\n
A guard at the Palmerah railway crossing in West Jakarta,
\nMaruli, also complained about the motorists and pedestrians who
\nrefused to obey the warning signals despite the bell and lowered
\ngate.<\/p>\n
He also said that many incidents occurred at unauthorized
\ncrossings along the railroad. There are unauthorized crossings as
\nmany fences on both sides of the railroad are broken, such as the
\none on Jl. Tegalan in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Mirsyad, an unofficial guard at the gate, said he worked
\nvoluntarily for a penny and helped warn those who wished to cross
\nthe railroad.<\/p>\n
Mirsyad said he earned Rp 20,000 a day from motorists or
\npedestrians crossing the tracks, usually from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.<\/p>\n
Some fences are broken about every 30 meters, allowing locals
\nto cross the railroad. No signals are visible to warn the
\npedestrians of approaching trains.<\/p>\n
\"We cross here because it is the nearest way to reach the
\nmarket,\" said Astrid, a resident of Kayu Manis in East Jakarta,
\nwho shops at Palmeriam on the other side of the railroad.<\/p>",
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