Playing fair on the road

As a good citizen, I always support traffic inspections conducted by police officers to uphold national traffic discipline. Unfortunately, this mission is often undermined, not only by careless drivers but also the unscrupulous behavior of some police officers.

On the way to my office, I usually drive to Jl. Patrice Lumumba via Jl. Haji Ung, Central Jakarta. One day, due to congestion on my normal route, I tried to take a short cut through Jl. Kali Baru Timur. In entering the road, I crossed the Utan Panjang crossroad and did not see any traffic sign except for a small straight arrow sign. Believing it was safe, I drove through the crossroad. Suddenly, two policemen stopped me to inform me that I had just entered a forbidden area. Without any argument, I paid a fine.

A couple of days later, I again drove my car to the same road, but this time not by crossing directly from Utan Panjang crossroad but from another crossroad. However, when I passed through the road, I almost could not believe the sight of at least three police officers hiding in front of the narrow building gate near the crossroad, exactly at the same place where I was fined, watching out for every driver or motorcyclist who might break the traffic law.

I believe it would be better if the policemen were fair in conducting traffic inspections instead of hiding just like children who are playing hide and seek on the road. And it would be nice if the police stand occasionally near the sign to make drivers aware. Or, alternatively, the present traffic sign should be replaced with a larger and clearer one.

SETIO NUGROHO

Jakarta