Thank God, Jakarta is back to normal<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): "Just what do they think they're doing to my
\nJakarta?" said Martha vehemently upon seeing the shaping-up
\nactivities that were pounding this metropolitan city in line with
\nthe golden anniversary of Indonesia's independence.<\/p>\n
She had good reasons to be furious. She was accused of
\nviolating the regulations that prohibit people crossing Jalan
\nThamrin without using the pedestrian bridge.<\/p>\n
"I have been crossing the road this way for ages. And suddenly
\nI'm a violator," she ranted.<\/p>\n
Martha, one the lovers of this heavily-congested city, was
\ncertainly not happy with the changes made by the authorities.
\n"Her" Jakarta had been a city of convenience where the residents
\ncould cross the main road wherever they pleased; where one could
\nconveniently snap a pack of cigarette from a street vendor at a
\nroad intersection and threw the money out of the car windows;
\nwhere city bus drivers could use the road as though it was a
\nracing track. If they were caught for violating traffic
\nregulations, they could just make a deal with the traffic police
\nand get away with it.<\/p>\n
But then, with the preparations for the golden year,
\neverything was arranged in such a way that the proper handling of
\nthis 468 year-old city could be demonstrated. Cleanliness was
\nmaintained, regulations were enforced, services were improved.
\n"Show that we are good citizens" people were lectured at every
\nopportunity. And that sentence worked magic. People decorated
\ntheir houses; cops were everywhere to keep everything orderly,
\nchasing any traffic violator and refusing bribes; city bus drives
\nclosed their doors as per regulation and stopped only at
\ndesignated places; and if your car did not have the correct
\nnumber of passengers to justify entry to the restricted area, you
\nhad to wait until 10 a.m. because the so called three-in-one
\njockeys (those who are paid to be passengers) were bulldozed out
\nof sight.<\/p>\n
"Just wait until this commotion is over, Madame," a taxi
\ndriver consoled Martha. "Everything will be back to normal."<\/p>\n
Normal condition for certain taxi drivers is when they can
\ngrab passengers at the airport without waiting for their turn in
\nthe Q-up line set by the port authority and refuse to use their
\ntaxi meters so that they can charge the passengers at their own
\nterms.<\/p>\n
"Regulations are just like mangoes; they are seasonal," a
\ndriver said. And who can blame him? Implementation of regulations
\nseems to be inconsistent. Sometimes, you commit a serious
\nviolation and get away with it, sometimes you are fined just
\nbecause you cross the road at the wrong place. The regulation
\nrequiring bus drivers to close the doors is a perfect example of
\ninconsistency. This regulation has been opposed by both
\npassengers and bus drivers, because closing the doors of non-air-
\nconditioned buses in the formidable heat of Jakarta creates
\nspeeding saunas. But the city authorities did not budge. In
\npractice, however, the regulation is not enforced consistently.
\nMost drivers (especially those with non-air-conditioned buses)
\nviolate it, but the traffic authorities pretend not to notice.
\nOnly on certain occasions do they make inspections; and the
\ndrivers know when.<\/p>\n
What the taxi driver said is right. Now, as the party is over,
\neverything is back to the way it used to be. Regulations are
\nslacking off. And so is the discipline of the people.<\/p>\n
"Thank God, it's over," said Martha, parking her car on the
\nsidewalk of Jalan H.O.S Cokroaminoto in the Menteng Area, right
\nin front of a "NO PARKING" sign.<\/p>\n
-- Carl Chairul<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thank-god-jakarta-is-back-to-normal-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }