Driving in the rain

Driving in the rain

"I'm driving in the rain, just driving in the rain, what a
horrible feeling, it's jam-time again."

These aren't exactly the words used by Gene Kelly in that epic
song sung years ago, but they did reflect the traffic chaos which
ensued on Tuesday Nov. 29 after 4 p.m. in Jakarta.

So many words have been written about macet (traffic jam) in
The Jakarta Post in the past but nothing changes really. These
jams on Tuesday, especially in South Jakarta, personally seemed
to be "the mother of all jams" -- to coin a familiar phrase. Many
unfortunate people surely can't have reached home until extremely
late that night, no doubt feeling thoroughly exhausted, mentally
and physically.

Why do the first heavy rains cause these problems to drivers?
Maybe these two points are partly responsible:

(a) An assortment of young men who control vital junctions
blowing whistles willy nilly.

(b) The lack of discipline and patience of some drivers.

If this is only the beginning of the rainy season, I shudder
to think of what will happen when the rains come in earnest.

Personally, I think I will don a stout pair of boots and with
my golf umbrella walk and keep fit. It's far quicker under the
circumstances and certainly a lot healthier. There wouldn't be
any meter to watch idly ticking over either, as I would not be
trapped in a motionless taxi!

JOHN R. KERR

Jakarta