Discipline street behavior

From Jayakarta

Several news items on traffic jams have appeared in Jayakarta recently, including suggested solutions. One of the news sources was Deputy Police Chief Brig. Gen. Hamami Nata.

Some suggestions touched on cars with even and odd number plates to be permitted using city highways alternately. Another suggested limited use of aging vehicles.

According to Mr. Hamami Nata, those suggestions have weak spots. But the police general has one idea that sounds interesting. It is the multiplication of one-way roads.

The idea was implemented in Bandung and it has haunted drivers because labyrinth-like obstacle course is created. Imagine, if it is implemented in Jakarta the loss of gasoline, time and energy would be mindboggling.

I think the idea would not bring good results in Jakarta. It would rather decrease efficiency.

Why don't we enforce the laws of the Land Transportation Agency to the full. If we implement them one step at a time, in addition to strict discipline, we would have less traffic jams.

The public's indisciplinary road behavior is one of the obstacles to orderly traffic flow. Take roadsides for instance; they are almost always occupied by street vendors. There are parts of some roads used as parking lots or motorbike service stations.

In addition, drivers of public transportation stop anywhere they like or drive through red lights. Pedestrians are also part of the road behavior problem. Look at their preference to cross the street in between speeding cars rather than using the pedestrian bridge.

DIDI M.

Jakarta