Watch your road manners!

Watch your road manners!

On Nov. 22, 2000, at around 9 p.m., a Toyota Kijang van
(license plate no. CD 107 09) drove recklessly from the left lane
to the right lane and vice versa on Jl. Prapanca. After passing a
car abruptly, the other car, a Toyota Land Cruiser (also with a
CD license plate, CD 20 ...) honked angrily, and the Kijang van
stopped right in front of the car, causing the traffic to be
halted. The passengers of the Land Cruiser overtook the Kijang
and the two cars got into a high speed chase.

The two cars may have been racing each other for some time. I
once spotted the same Kijang driving recklessly on Jl. Sudirman,
while the police only watched in awe.

Just because they have diplomatic immunity, can drivers of
diplomatic corps cars actually drive any way they want? The
police can do little to stop this. They may be able to give
warnings and reminders, but not much more than that. I hope
that the embassies will take measures to discipline their staff
not to take advantage of their diplomatic immunity and endanger
lives. Do they not have any shame? Are they not concerned about
safety on the streets?

AMIR SIDHARTA

Jakarta