Sidewalks in Bali<\/p>\n
It's been several years now since a very oddly designed public
\nworks project appeared on the sidewalks of many towns and
\nvillages in Bali. No, it's not the badly designed statues which
\ninclude a large, ugly baby that dangerously blocks views of
\ntraffic on one of the island's busiest corners or the tacky white
\nmythological figures that fail to imitate Greco-Roman classicism.
\nThis is something smaller but more extensive in scale that poses
\na great danger to everyone, from pedestrians to traffic alike. It
\nis Bali's sidewalks.<\/p>\n
One wonders if the designers of these pedestrian walkways have
\never seen a \"normal\" sidewalk, let alone know their function. A
\nsidewalk should be level to enable people to walk with the
\ngreatest ease, comfort, and safety. Sidewalks should be wide
\nenough to allow pedestrians to walk in both directions without
\nbumping into each other.<\/p>\n
But what has happened in Bali? Sidewalks in towns and villages
\nare like roller coasters, rising and falling like endless humps
\non a camel's back. In front of houses, shops or restaurants, the
\nridiculously high sidewalks dip down to street level, a
\ndifference of 25-centimeters. This allows vehicles to have access
\nto the premises. But there is only enough room for motorbikes to
\nuse this access.<\/p>\n
Sometimes the humps themselves are less than a meter long
\nbefore dropping again. The slope from one level to another is
\noften a dangerous 45 to 60 degrees, and sometimes a sharp 90
\ndegree drop. This is particularly dangerous for children, the
\nelderly, or the handicapped. It makes walking unpleasant. It is
\nalso very tiring on the legs, and one has to concentrate to stop
\nthemselves from falling over.<\/p>\n
The sidewalk is also not climate-friendly. In the dry season a
\nlayer of dirt makes the path slippery while in the wet season,
\nthe slopes become a slippery slide. Come rain or shine, it is
\nsafer to walk on the sidewalks to avoid the traffic. But even
\nthis is hazardous.<\/p>\n
For some strange reason, which defies common sense and logic,
\ntrees were planted on the left-hand side of the sidewalk, instead
\nof the right-hand side. This means there is less room for traffic
\nto flow smoothly and driving becomes a game of skill and chance.<\/p>\n
Drains on the side of the road pose another problem. Not only
\nwere they made to fit a person's foot, which can lead to a
\nsprained ankle, they were also made to fit car and motorbike
\ntires. Some people have even been unexpectedly thrown off their
\nmotorcycles when their tire became caught in the drain.<\/p>\n
The function of sidewalks has obviously not been understood
\nand as a result they have become monuments of dangerous design
\nand bad planning in Bali. Why weren't experts consulted from the
\nbeginning? And why did it take so long for people to speak up
\nabout the sidewalk's poor design?<\/p>\n
Can anything be done to remedy the situation? Making Bali's
\nsidewalks more convenient and comfortable to pedestrians may take
\na lot of work, but it is better than putting safety at risk.<\/p>\n
GARRETT KAM<\/p>\n
Ubud, Bali<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sidewalks-in-bali-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }