Crude oil reserves
Crude oil reserves
Indonesia's precious reserves of crude oil are steadily
diminishing as demand for oil-based fuel increase equally
steadily and relentlessly. Expert opinion has it that in 10 to 15
years' time Indonesia will become a net importer of oil.
Probably the greatest -- and most wasteful -- consumers of
oil-based fuel are automotive vehicles of all shapes and sizes.
What can be done to curtail this needless waste while at the same
time reducing atmospheric pollution?
Most drivers, in particular taxi, bus and minibus drivers,
drive like bats out of Hell, as if bent on burning as much fuel
as possible. This is strange. I believe they have to pay for the
fuel out of their daily takings.
There are three ways in which I aim to economize on fuel (and
reduce my fuel bill) and to spare the atmosphere from unnecessary
pollution:
1. Keep the engine rpm below 3000. This gives perfectly adequate
speeds in all gears (particularly if there are five gears).
2. When you know that you are stuck in a traffic jam for maybe
several minutes, switch off the engine (unless you have to be
using air conditioning).
3. Whenever possible, freewheel. This, of course, is recommended
only for more experienced drivers. By so doing, I reckon I cover
at least 30 percent of my daily mileage in freewheel mode, and
thereby save 30 percent of my fuel bill, to say nothing of
minimizing my contribution to Jakarta's vilely polluted
atmosphere.
As nobody is likely to follow my example, how can we curtail
the extremely wasteful use of automotive fuels? There is only one
solution. The government should without delay legislate that all
automotive engines be governed to 3000 rpm, and impose heavy
penalties on owners of vehicles not so governed.
Firm legislation, firmly implemented, is the only answer, if
Indonesia's oil reserves are to be spun out beyond the predicted
10 to 15 years. This kind of legislation would be of infinitely
greater benefit to Indonesia than footing laws about the use of
foreign names in advertisements and on buildings, which do
nothing for anybody!
R.B. SAWREY-COOKSON
South-Jakarta