157 traffic law violators ticketed
157 traffic law violators ticketed
JAKARTA (JP): The City Police ticketed at least 157 traffic regulation violators on the first day of 1995, a year which promises stricter enforcement of traffic laws on a number of roads throughout the city.
Speaking to reporters in the evening, City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko said that the figure was collected from four of the eight police subprecincts and a team of patrolmen.
"The other four subprecincts, namely Central Jakarta, Depok, Bekasi and Tangerang have yet to inform us of their outcome as of 3 p.m. today," Bambang said.
According to him, 45 out of the 157 violators were ticketed in West Jakarta, 34 in North Jakarta, 21 in East Jakarta and 15 in South Jakarta and the remaining 42 were ticketed by patrolmen.
"About 40 percent of the violators are drivers of public transportation vehicles who disobeyed the closed-door policy," Bambang explained.
The others included motorists using no helmets and drivers whose vehicles failed to meet up to code standards, he added.
Under the new law enforcement system on selected roads, locally called Kawasan Tertib Lalu Lintas, offenders will be asked to appear before the courts and then fined accordingly. The fine scale is quite harsh for the average motorist and has a maximum fine of Rp 6 million (US$2,745).
The controversial traffic law No. 14 was issued two years ago but was not enforced until yesterday. Under the new law, violators must appear in court themselves. Previously, violators were punished according to a lower ticketing fine scale, ranging between Rp 10,000 and Rp 150,000 per case and were allowed have someone stand in for them at their trials.
Jaywalkers
During the first day of the enforcement yesterday, a number of jaywalkers, including non-Jakartans, were also netted after trying to cross the streets against the traffic light.
The police only issued strong warnings to the non-Jakartan violators but seized the identity cards of Jakartans.
As of last evening, a total of 15 jaywalkers of Jakarta residents were netted on Jl. Thamrin and were asked to come to the City Police Headquarters on Jl. Sudirman to take back their ID cards.
There has been no confirmation about the type of punishment the violators will face.
A number of violators argued that they crossed the roads on the sites because the pedestrian bridges and zebra crossings were too far away.
"That's why I just followed the other people to cross the street," said Marsitoh, 21, an employee at the Sogo shopping center.
Yesterday, only a few personnel were deployed on the selected roads to enforce the new ticketing system.
Among the locations with a larger police presence were the city's main roads Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman.
At the circle near Ratu Plaza shopping center in South Jakarta, for example, police in the morning ticketed those motorists driving on Jl. Sudirman who turned right on to Jl. Hang Lekir I. This action is forbidden during the morning hours.
"But, how can I see such a small sign over there?" plead one flummoxed violator.
A few minutes later an Army truck passed by, violating the sign, but the police could only stare at the passing green truck.
"We couldn't ticket such a vehicle. It's the task of the military police of the army to stop the driver," commented head of the City Traffic Police Directorate Col. Soeroso.
However, head of the City Military Police Col. Anwaruddin opposed Soeroso's stand.
"Even the traffic police have the right to stop such a delinquent Army driver," he said. "The case will be handed over later to their supervisors." (bsr)