Viral Video: Sudirman-Thamrin Area Becomes Hangout Spot and Illegal Racing Venue

The Sudirman to Thamrin area, the heart of the capital and Indonesia’s showcase, has once again come under the spotlight. A viral video on social media shows congested traffic conditions due to crowds of motorbike riders on Sunday (3/5/2024) in the early hours. The video was first uploaded by Ijoel, a content creator who often highlights traffic and environmental issues in Jakarta. In his narration, he recorded the situation around MH Thamrin road, Central Jakarta, at around 01:00 WIB. He found that from the MRT Bundaran HI to the Japanese Embassy, the area was already crowded with motorbike riders gathering irregularly. “So last night, in the early hours around 01:00 WIB, I passed through the Senayan roundabout to Monas area. It happened to be a long holiday, and as I got closer, the Sudirman-Thamrin area seemed to have become an unregulated hangout spot. I saw many motorbike riders with unclear identities,” Ijoel told Kompas.com on Sunday (3/5/2024). According to him, the on-site situation was quite crowded with various obvious violations committed by certain riders. “The conditions are getting busier, many are hanging out on the pavements, there are riders not wearing helmets, not using number plates, to noisy exhausts. The later it gets, the more chaotic the situation becomes,” he said. “When I passed by, the road was already congested, even tending towards traffic jams. From around the MRT Bundaran HI, it was already visible as crowded. I happened to be using a car, and I could hear very loud exhaust noises. In front, I saw several motorbike riders seemingly blocking the road. At first, it sounded like someone was speeding, possibly illegal racing, because the exhaust sound was loud,” he explained. He once tried to remind those riders to give way, but the response he received was unpleasant. “I tried to remind them not to block the road, but instead I was scolded back. I was even called tacky,” said Ijoel. After managing to pass, Ijoel then decided to report the incident to the security officers on duty at the Bundaran HI police post. Although the action was successfully dispersed, Ijoel emphasised the importance of continuous supervision on that protocol route.