'CABeat emptor' -- driver beware

JAKARTA (JP): In almost every major city it is taxis that rule the roads. Their drivers, bored by endless hours and years on the streets, feel secure in the knowledge that they have an inalienable right to dictate who goes where on city thoroughfares.

The only difference in Jakarta is that, although drivers may feel they own the roads, often they are unsure as to which ones they, in fact, are.

A recent example when wanting to go from Menteng to Jl. Sudirman, the driver asked "which way?". And this classic, when wanting to go from Kota to Jl. Thamrin, "Where is Jl. Thamrin?".

Being stuck in a jam in this town is no joy. Particularly when the vehicle you are in happens to be a taxi. (And why is it that every time a few drops of rain fall there is a gridlock?) Frequently your driver will become irate as the traffic slows to a halt, endlessly beeping his horn to no avail. This, regardless of the fact that the meter continues to run, clocking up the rupiah. If Indonesians were not generally so mild-tempered, I am sure road rage would be more prevalent here.

Recently, a taxi driver told me he worked an 18-hour day, on a day-on-day-off basis. He said this was the best way to make money as he had to pay his firm Rp 100,000 per day, and after that whatever he collected was his. When asked how much he took in on an average day, he replied "about Rp 150,000".

For most people, who are not workaholics, the working day is about eight hours. To be confined to a small vehicle for much longer than that must surely lead to feelings of frustration and undeniable boredom.

Another driver, from a different firm, confided that he used to work as an electrician for a bank until it was closed down by the government last year. He said that the only job he had been able to find was that of taxi driver and that soon he would leave for Brunei where he had found work on an oil rig.

He said he found Westerners the worst passengers as often they were unable to speak Bahasa Indonesia. He said they became annoyed with him when he was unable to understand what they were saying in English. "Why come to my country and expect everyone to speak English?" he asked.

The taxi scene in Jakarta has been changing over the past year. No longer are you as likely to be charged 10 times the normal fare from Soekarno-Hatta airport to your destination. Even much loathed cabs from a certain company have undergone a name change and have changed the color of their cars. Unfortunately, this has done little to assuage the fare-paying public that its drivers are still as reckless and its cars wrecks.

One thing that is likely to get up the collective noses of drivers is when one requests a change in destination en route to the originally requested one.

I am not an unreasonable person, in fact quite understanding and patient at times. Frequently, when in a taxi, I just sit back and "enjoy" the scenic route to my destination.

But one night, when I arrived home by taxi, it was a different story. The fare came to Rp 5,100. Not having any change, just a Rp 5,000 note and some twenties, I proffered a twenty. He said he had no change. I informed him of the same on my part and gave him the 5,000. Refusing to accept it, he said he would drive around and find someone with change. As it was the dead of night and there was nobody around I left him with the five thousand and got out of the taxi. He too, got out and ran at me brandishing a small knife in his hand.

Not wanting to make a short story long, this scenario went on for about 15 minutes and involved him repeatedly trying to stab me as I ran into my house and he attempted to break in after me. Eventually, I found Rp 100 and gave it to him, making a note of the taxi number and registration. When I told him I was about to report him to both the police and his firm he became irate, telling me that if I did so he would come back and kill me.

Other such horror stories have abounded over the past number of years. Some of them not ending as "agreeably" as the above. And you, dear reader, will no doubt have your own portentous collection.

Take a taxi first thing in the morning and when it comes time to pay up, you are sure to hear the words baru keluar (just started). This, from even the most respected firms, involves either driving around like a lemon searching for a warung with change or paying way over the odds for the journey. And this trend seems to continue throughout the day. It is baffling why firms cannot provide their drivers with floats before they begin a shift.

But, of course, not all taxi drivers are bad. Frequently, they are a good source of information on locations and current grassroots feelings and are cheerful to boot.

Work colleagues and friends advise what taxis to take and not to take. Sure, we'd all like the newest taxi, the most honest driver and a meter that doesn't move so fast it leaves your head in a spin. Not always possible though. One can, of course, phone for a cab before leaving home or the office. But what if you have been standing in either the scorching sun or pouring rain for 10 minutes and the only sign of available transport is a clapped out bajaj (three-wheeled motorized vehicle) or the only empty taxi that passes is a definite no-no. What to do? Take the taxi and suffer the consequences. What else?

-- William Furney