Getting taxi back home

Reading Tantri Yuliandini's article in the "By the Way ..." The Jakarta Post Sunday May 13, 2001, I found myself immersed in the writer's feelings at every single moment of her story during her attempts to get a decent taxi back home.

I have experienced this numerous times on my way back to Jakarta. Strangely enough the counter of a well known taxi company right in front of your nose after passing the customs area, came up with "oh we only have the limo service at the moment because (even) our executive taxis are not available". Thus one has to go outside. A glance at the queue of taxis and it is guaranteed you would think they look "dodgy".

Automatically, you would try to grab the other taxis (knowing this is Jakarta after all) despite all the shouting and whistles of the security guards that I should have taken the "airport taxi". Occasionally, nevertheless, the security guards would be more than happy to let you off with of course a small incentive from the taxi driver, which you will have to pay on top of your taxi fare.

Frankly speaking, these security guards would be better off guarding the parking lot from people who insist on "helping" to carry or lift the luggage into the vehicles. Indeed it is a humble and generous idea that other taxis should be able to compete with one of the most well known taxi companies in Jakarta. But don't they ever think why Jakartans would only go for a certain taxi company in the first place? I agree 100 percent with the article that the nation needs to eliminate its scruffy, battered, dodgy image from the international world, especially when it comes to an international airport as a visitor's first impression.

OLIVIA ATMADJA

Jakarta