Cloverleaf Double-cross

Cloverleaf Double-cross

From Neraca

As a regular user of the Semanggi Cloverleaf road, I regret its frequent closure by traffic police. The closure adds time and frustration to my trip from Jl. Gatot Subroto to Jl. Jenderal Sudirman; instead of being able to take a direct route, I have to drive further to the TVRI station to make the turn.

Motorists who want to avoid making this detour and thus save time often drive into the Hilton Hotel grounds, where hotel parking attendants are ready to serve them with Rp 500 parking tickets.

If the road below on Jalan Sudirman was jammed I could easily understand this measure, but I far as I can see it usually isn't. Since the road is not jammed with traffic I suspect there may be some kind of scheme in which the traffic police are working together with the hotel parking attendants. I suspect this because when I drove into the hotel grounds the attendant handed me a ticket which does not have the time stamped on it. Also, when I drove out, the man did not tear the ticket or give me the stub.

ANDY SULAIMAN

Jakarta