What Jakartan say about parking

What Jakartan say about parking

JAKARTA (JP): Parking has become a long-standing and complex
problem for Jakartans. Mismanagement, poor services, thuggery and
unjustified additional levies are just a few of the difficulties
they encounter.

The following are some Jakartans' experiences and thoughts on
how to improve services.

Ingrid Widjanarko, runs an entertainment business under the
flag of Ingrid Widjanarko & Associates (IWA): My late father,
Bambang Widjanarko, was the director of PT. Parkir Jaya, when
parking was privatized in the days of governor Ali Sadikin. The
government then took over the city's parking management once
again.

Nowadays there are just too many unofficial parking attendants
who make us feel insecure. We actually do not mind paying extra,
as long as we know that the goods inside the car will be safe.

The problem is, parking in buildings or hotels can cost up to
Rp 5,000 (66 U.S. cents) and yet, if something is lost, these
people don't want to be held responsible.

Sometimes the attendants will allow parallel parking even in
areas where it's clearly not possible to have it, just because
they need the extra money. It's okay if drivers let go of the
hand brake ... cars can be pushed to let our car out. But, it
becomes difficult when they leave their hand brakes up. Then we
have to wait for the drivers of other cars in order to get out.

Parking here may improve with the use of parking machines.

I think parking should again be privatized. When my father was
in charge, he hired people who would approach boys and other bums
on the streets, speak to them properly, tell them that they will
be paid a nominal fee and get them to become good parking
attendants.

Of course, they would be given training for two weeks or so,
and they would get jackets and money. They were made to feel part
of the system and so did their jobs properly.

If it were privatized, I believe the service would be better
and more people will get employed.

Government officials would not care about such matters. They
are living off nominal wages so why should they approach boys on
the streets for parking jobs. They couldn't care less.

Yeyet, a senior staffer at the British Council: The tariffs,
particularly at the major shopping complexes, are still very
high. It would be reasonable if the fees could be fixed at Rp 500
per hour everywhere.

Now, we have to think twice when we want to go to a shopping
mall. Otherwise, we'll get nothing but have to pay the high
parking fees.

That's why some of us sometimes prefer to go to shopping
centers by taxis or other public transportation means.

With the current parking rates, you can imagine how much the
parking bills would be if we shop for one or two hours, spend
three hours at the cinema, and another hour on a meal. It's a lot
of money.

Andhika S., 21, student at a private university in West
Jakarta: "I park my car in front of Trisakti university because
the parking lot in my campus is always full.

Academics and the university's officials get priority to park
their vehicles inside the compound. To park at the nearby Ciputra
Mall would cost me a great deal.

Sometimes, I park my car in the alleys near boarding houses.
There, I have to pay only Rp 1,000 even if I park for six hours.

But if you park in illegal parking site, you certainly have to
worry about your vehicle being vandalized or being stolen. Once,
I found that my Cherokee Jeep had scratches on the left door, and
it cost me quite a lot to repair it."

Irene, 37, housewife, living on Jl. Danau Indah Raya in Sunter
housing complex, North Jakarta: In my opinion, parking fees at
department stores are suitable, because we also have to pay for
the supervision by security officers and for their services.
Besides, we won't park our cars for more than a day.

It's different if we park our car anywhere else and have
illegal parking attendants keep an eye on it. I won't take the
risk of my car being burglarized. It took so many years of labor
before I could buy one.

I don't really like to park on the roadside because it would
hamper other vehicles. I get very upset when my path is hindered
by vehicles parked in the wrong place.

Chris Tumelap, an employee of an international organization:
In general, the parking conditions in the city are fine but I
personally find it difficult to accept the parking business in
the Dharmala building on Jl. Sudirman.

My head office is in that building and I have to attend
regular meetings there at least once a week, I don't understand
why they charge me Rp 1,000 for only five minutes of the second
hour, while I know that the city's regulation only allows Rp 500
per hour.

We all understand that it's a time of monetary crisis but
please don't let people get away with being such opportunists by
charging more than they should.

In some malls, the management are professional enough to
provide enough spaces and give good service but sometimes at the
weekend, in certain malls like Plaza Senayan, it's hard to get in
and out of the crowded premises. And if we're stuck in the long
queue, additional fees will be charged.

But in Pasaraya you don't have to pay the extra if you can
show a shopping bill of a certain minimum amount to prove that
you went there to shop.

The whole concept (of charging to park at a building) is not
really fair, although I know that a parking lot belongs to a
certain building or mall. Wouldn't it be great to give its
visitors some sort of bonus? (team)