Seat belt priority

Even though I always use a seat belt when driving and have no doubt about its usefulness, the government's plan to enforce a traffic law requiring motorists to use seat belts sounds to me somewhat like a new buffoonery. It is tantamount to the idea of providing a house for our former president at a time when many people are starving to death. There are many more urgent things needing to be done by the government to improve road safety.

Just take a glance at the quality of the city's mikrolet (public minivan) drivers. They stop (often suddenly) any place they want, even in the middle of the road to pick up or discharge passengers. This not only causes the vehicles behind to stop in panic, but also recklessly exposes the passengers to the possibility of being hit by other vehicles. Heavy traffic congestion can be seen every day in almost all corners of Jakarta because public vehicles stop and wait for passengers in prohibited places.

Street bus racing, fighting for passengers are also common sights in Jakarta. Queuing, which is an important characteristic of a civilized society, is apparently deserted, especially by public transportation drivers. Their habit to butt into a queue not only causes chronic traffic jams, but also insults other motorists who are waiting in line. Prudent motorists hope in desperation that the police will seriously take stringent action against these sickening and rampant law violations.

Personally, I consider our government too lenient and too sluggish to eradicate blatant violations, but too enthusiastic to implement actions of less importance.

RIANTO SETIABUDY

Jakarta