Careless driver

On Friday, Oct. 28, 1994 at 10.30 in the morning my car was hit by a metallic-blue Daihatsu Taft with plate No B 80484-58.

I was driving from Jl. Gatot Subroto to my office in the Bukaka building on Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said. I was hit near the Malaysian Embassy by a Daihatsu Taft coming from the opposite direction. It was traveling fast and wanted to make a U-turn. The jeep hit the right side of my Toyota Corona, badly scratching the rear door and bumper.

I stopped and approached the driver to try to settle the matter in a friendly manner. Unfortunately, he swore at me. He was even about to punch me, blaming me for hitting his car.

It was a groundless accusation. I was driving forwards, not backwards. So how could my car's right side hit his front bumper? I felt I had the full right to ask him to take responsibility for the damage. In spite of this he calmly drove to the Ministry of Justice building. I followed him. We continued to argue. By then the security guards intervened. I challenged him to take the case to the traffic police, but he refused to go and said, "No, I still have a lot of business to sort out."

He arrogantly showed me a folder with "State Secretariat of the Republic of Indonesia" written on it. When I inquired about his home address, he boldly said, "This isn't private business, so come to my office on Jl. Veteran and settle the case there."

I learned from his business card that he was an official of the State Secretariat (Setneg).

I hope that he is willing to settle the case fairly. It is not the money that really matters to me. He must, intelligent as he is, understand the situation.

DONNY METRI

Jakarta