Sidewalks in Bali

Sidewalks in Bali

It's been several years now since a very oddly designed public
works project appeared on the sidewalks of many towns and
villages in Bali. No, it's not the badly designed statues which
include a large, ugly baby that dangerously blocks views of
traffic on one of the island's busiest corners or the tacky white
mythological figures that fail to imitate Greco-Roman classicism.
This is something smaller but more extensive in scale that poses
a great danger to everyone, from pedestrians to traffic alike. It
is Bali's sidewalks.

One wonders if the designers of these pedestrian walkways have
ever seen a "normal" sidewalk, let alone know their function. A
sidewalk should be level to enable people to walk with the
greatest ease, comfort, and safety. Sidewalks should be wide
enough to allow pedestrians to walk in both directions without
bumping into each other.

But what has happened in Bali? Sidewalks in towns and villages
are like roller coasters, rising and falling like endless humps
on a camel's back. In front of houses, shops or restaurants, the
ridiculously high sidewalks dip down to street level, a
difference of 25-centimeters. This allows vehicles to have access
to the premises. But there is only enough room for motorbikes to
use this access.

Sometimes the humps themselves are less than a meter long
before dropping again. The slope from one level to another is
often a dangerous 45 to 60 degrees, and sometimes a sharp 90
degree drop. This is particularly dangerous for children, the
elderly, or the handicapped. It makes walking unpleasant. It is
also very tiring on the legs, and one has to concentrate to stop
themselves from falling over.

The sidewalk is also not climate-friendly. In the dry season a
layer of dirt makes the path slippery while in the wet season,
the slopes become a slippery slide. Come rain or shine, it is
safer to walk on the sidewalks to avoid the traffic. But even
this is hazardous.

For some strange reason, which defies common sense and logic,
trees were planted on the left-hand side of the sidewalk, instead
of the right-hand side. This means there is less room for traffic
to flow smoothly and driving becomes a game of skill and chance.

Drains on the side of the road pose another problem. Not only
were they made to fit a person's foot, which can lead to a
sprained ankle, they were also made to fit car and motorbike
tires. Some people have even been unexpectedly thrown off their
motorcycles when their tire became caught in the drain.

The function of sidewalks has obviously not been understood
and as a result they have become monuments of dangerous design
and bad planning in Bali. Why weren't experts consulted from the
beginning? And why did it take so long for people to speak up
about the sidewalk's poor design?

Can anything be done to remedy the situation? Making Bali's
sidewalks more convenient and comfortable to pedestrians may take
a lot of work, but it is better than putting safety at risk.

GARRETT KAM

Ubud, Bali