Police exile drag racers to Senayan area
Police exile drag racers to Senayan area
By Johannes Simbolon
JAKARTA (JP): Most Jakartans find Saturday night a relief. It
allows them time to wind down at the few entertainment places in
the city.
Some teenagers have their own way of relaxing. Instead of
simply going out to a bar, a discotheque or a movie, they prefer
a night on the street, racing against nobody but their own young,
restless spirits.
Because of these young racers, weekend nights used to be a
nightmare for residents along Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto in Menteng,
Central Jakarta. Their daredevil acts also endangered late night
motorists on Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Thamrin.
Not anymore.
The restless teenagers have found a new, more suitable haven
on Jl. Asia Afrika in Senayan, Central Jakarta.
It is considered more suitable because it is quite a distance
from residential areas and very few vehicles use the broad road
late at night. That gives the youths the opportunity to indulge
in their risky, mindless endeavor without troubling others.
Jl. Asia Afrika is never very busy, even during rush hour.
When midnight falls, the road is virtually deserted, unless there
is a drag race going on. They usually start at 11 p.m. and last
until early in the morning.
"The median on Jl. Cokroaminoto prevented us from doing
spin-outs. The road is wider and longer and the police seldom
interfere," explained Doni, a high school pupil and veteran
Menteng night racer.
Dozens of cars, vans and jeeps, mostly BMWs, Lancers and
Volkswagens, were orderly parked along both sides of the street
that Saturday night, while several others sped along the 400-
meter stretch of road.
The spectators sat on the cars lining the street or ate at the
dozens of orderly arranged food stalls in the plaza in front of
Senayan's West gate.
One or two girls showed they were no less daring than their
male peers by placing themselves behind the wheel.
"We are all junior and high school students," said Iwan, a
journalist's son who is in his second year at a Central Jakarta
high school.
Death
Accidents are the order of the night, and a few have claimed
lives. A boy was killed instantly in an accident on New Year's
Eve. Several others were injured during the crash involving four
cars. The boy's death has failed to teach the youths any sort of
lesson.
"This is a great time. I like it. I can forget all I have
learned at school during the week," exclaimed Iwan, who went to
the race that night after lying to his father that he was going
on a date with a schoolmate.
After two decade of cat-and-mouse games between the police and
the teenagers, which have taken hundreds of souls, the races
moved to Jl. Asia Afrika last year.
The races began in the 1970s along Jl. Sabang and the stretch
along Jl Sudirman up to Jl. Gajahmada and Jl. Hayam Wuruk in
Kota. Police managed to steer them away from Jl. Sabang several
years ago, but they moved onto Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto. There, the
races continued for many years despite routine raids and arrests
by police.
The presence of the Menteng district military garrison at the
end of the road was no deterrent. Because the racers were soon
released after being apprehended, the public understands that the
teens belong to "untouchable" families -- families above the law.
The drag racers started to desert Menteng last year after
concrete medians were built. This prevented them from doing their
favorite spin-outs.
The police then tightened controls on Jl Sudirman and Jl.
Thamrin and gradually herded the racers to isolated Jl. Asia
Afrika.
"In a way, it is a success that we have managed to clear them
off of the main streets and from residential complexes," Lt. Col.
Bambang Haryoko, spokesman for the city police, told The Jakarta
Post.
Circuit
Bambang said the police have done their utmost to find ways to
solve the recalcitrant problem. They have staged several racing
competitions, with other agencies, to accommodate the few boys
and girls who dream of becoming true race care drivers. But the
youths enthusiasm is low.
Police research has shown that only a few of the teenagers
they apprehended knew anything about the technical aspects of the
cars they were racing. The police took this as proof that the
thrill seekers were not interested in becoming real race car
drivers.
Some boys tried to blame their addiction to racing in the
streets on the price of using the Sentul circuit and the closure
of the Ancol track.
According to Sardjono, Sentul Head of General Affairs, the
circuit used to charge cars Rp 50,000 and motorcycles Rp 30,000
for two hours on the circuit, regardless of who was driving. As
of November 1994, however, it has lowered the rates to Rp 25,000
and Rp 15,000, and allows students to use it for free if they
wear the mandatory racing outfits.
"We want to lure them away from the dangerous, useless races
on the streets," Sardjono explained.
Bambang doesn't believe it's the cost that makes the youths
take to the streets. Most are from well-to-do families.
"The majority of them feel great if they can race on the roads
and run from the police. That's what they want," he explained.
Now that the races have moved to Jl. Asia Afrika, the accident
rate has reportedly declined.
What the police do now, as clearly displayed last Saturday
night, is prevent the race from spreading onto other streets and
keep the accident rate as low as possible. The police don't
cordon off the street, or chase after the youngsters. Chasing
them leads to accidents because the youngsters drive wildly when
escaping. The police pass by every 15 minutes when the racing
begins to intensify.
When the police show up, the racers hide down adjacent streets
before returning to race a few minutes later.
By disrupting the intensity of the race for just a little
while, the police can prevent accidents.
"To be honest, we can't stop the race. I wonder if some other
party can?" concluded Bambang.