Drivers: Beware!

Violators of traffic regulations on Jakarta's main streets like Jl. Sudirman, and Jl. Thamrin shall be fined Rp 1 million to Rp 6 million. This headline in the local daily Kompas of Sept. 28, 1994 edition becomes the topic of the day, in most offices.

The reactions of my colleagues vary, but all unanimously agree that the penalty is too high. However, everybody agrees that the sense of discipline of drivers in general leaves much to be desired. Or is it perhaps due to the chronic traffic jams that turn drivers into morose and bad tempered people?

In this instance, a heavy penalty has its plus and minus. On the one hand, it compels drivers to adhere to the traffic regulations, but on the other hand, a fine of one to six million rupiah is a huge amount for a driver.

Apart from all this, there is one question that bothers and becomes an obsession with me, namely: suppose a company's driver unconsciously violates a traffic regulation (to err is human) and he is fined six million. I am quite sure that the company would refuse to pay the penalty. So in such a case, if the driver has his meager salary deducted every month to pay the penalty, what about his wife and children? How to cover the household expenses?

A. DJUANA

Jakarta