Things you should know when driving in Indonesia
1. Horn is the most important thing in your car. A must have. Preferably the custom-made one which no one else have. You need to bang on it once a minute at least, so that the traffic around you be aware of your presence. When the traffic light turns from red to green, honk. Unless you're the car in the front most. If you see a car in front of you in traffic light, just when the light turns green, honk. IMMEDIATELY. Otherwise the traffic light would turn back to red. Things just won't work without the almighty honk.
2. Don't pay attention to the white lines in the middle of the road. It means nothing. It doesn't divide the road into two lanes. No. If you think there are two lanes, it doesn't mean people would drive in those lanes. They could drive close to the line, or even right in the middle. As long as you can squeeze into the space, you're in the road and can keep going whereever you want to go. When in doubt, see rule number 1.
3. When you hit a roundabout, don't stop just before it and wait for the oncoming traffic from your right. It does not work that way here. You'll wait forever if you do. The rule here is: who dares, wins. Really. This is how you approach a roundabout: Go slow, keep driving slowly and persistently towards whichever way you want to go. There's no other way.
4. Always pay the parking fee. For those who have never been to Indonesia, parking attendants are everywhere. Whereever you want to park. They might not approach you when you're about to park, but they'll surely appear when you're about to go (and pay, obviously). The rate for on-the-road parking in Semarang currently is 1,000 rupiahs. Do not make the mistake of not paying. Well, if you drive fast enough you might get lucky, but don't visit that place ever again.
Parking attendants are sometimes very helpful. I couldn't imagine making a U turn in the most busiest road in London, for example. In Semarang, it's a very simple job. You just need to tell the parking attendant that you want to go 'that way', then he'll provide you with the way. He'll stop the traffic BOTH ways, and let you go. All you need to pay is the 1,000 rupiahs. Neat isn't it?
5. Don't mess with the bus/truck. Bus can stop in the middle of the road, sometimes it doesn't even stop near the bus stop. People who wait in the bus stop then just have to run for it. Bus drivers don't like their buses being overtaken by other cars, especially those smaller than the buses. They'll move left and right when you want to overtake them, so just don't bother.
6. You can overtake from left as well as the right.
7. One way road rule doesn't seem to apply to rickshaws and mopeds. Watch out for them. They follow no rules.
8. Most pedestrians in Indonesia are allergic to crossing bridge. They love to cross even the busiest of roads. Watch out for those too. Sometimes they appear as if the road belongs to their granddads. They just walk without paying attention to the traffic. However, remember rule number 1. Yes. Honk. :D
9. Most cars are uninsured in Indonesia, simply because insurance is not required by law and it's quite expensive. Most people can't afford it.
10. At busy intersections, keep alert. Listen to honks. Sometimes people behind you get pissed off because you haven't moved when the light is still red. When people start honking, you move. They know other by telepathy or by experience, that 2 seconds after they honk, the light would turn green, but right now it's already safe to go, even though the light is still red.
11. If you're turning into a road, waiting for the road to clear or other driver to give you way, look out. Look very carefully. People would flash their headlights. In UK, it means you're safe to go. Flashing their headlights means they're giving you way. In Indonesia, it's the other way around. If someone flash his/her headlights, he/she is saying "Don't you dare move, you idiot. There's no way in hell I will give you way. Stay there don't move an inch or I will bitchslap you!"
2. Don't pay attention to the white lines in the middle of the road. It means nothing. It doesn't divide the road into two lanes. No. If you think there are two lanes, it doesn't mean people would drive in those lanes. They could drive close to the line, or even right in the middle. As long as you can squeeze into the space, you're in the road and can keep going whereever you want to go. When in doubt, see rule number 1.
3. When you hit a roundabout, don't stop just before it and wait for the oncoming traffic from your right. It does not work that way here. You'll wait forever if you do. The rule here is: who dares, wins. Really. This is how you approach a roundabout: Go slow, keep driving slowly and persistently towards whichever way you want to go. There's no other way.
4. Always pay the parking fee. For those who have never been to Indonesia, parking attendants are everywhere. Whereever you want to park. They might not approach you when you're about to park, but they'll surely appear when you're about to go (and pay, obviously). The rate for on-the-road parking in Semarang currently is 1,000 rupiahs. Do not make the mistake of not paying. Well, if you drive fast enough you might get lucky, but don't visit that place ever again.
Parking attendants are sometimes very helpful. I couldn't imagine making a U turn in the most busiest road in London, for example. In Semarang, it's a very simple job. You just need to tell the parking attendant that you want to go 'that way', then he'll provide you with the way. He'll stop the traffic BOTH ways, and let you go. All you need to pay is the 1,000 rupiahs. Neat isn't it?
5. Don't mess with the bus/truck. Bus can stop in the middle of the road, sometimes it doesn't even stop near the bus stop. People who wait in the bus stop then just have to run for it. Bus drivers don't like their buses being overtaken by other cars, especially those smaller than the buses. They'll move left and right when you want to overtake them, so just don't bother.
6. You can overtake from left as well as the right.
7. One way road rule doesn't seem to apply to rickshaws and mopeds. Watch out for them. They follow no rules.
8. Most pedestrians in Indonesia are allergic to crossing bridge. They love to cross even the busiest of roads. Watch out for those too. Sometimes they appear as if the road belongs to their granddads. They just walk without paying attention to the traffic. However, remember rule number 1. Yes. Honk. :D
9. Most cars are uninsured in Indonesia, simply because insurance is not required by law and it's quite expensive. Most people can't afford it.
10. At busy intersections, keep alert. Listen to honks. Sometimes people behind you get pissed off because you haven't moved when the light is still red. When people start honking, you move. They know other by telepathy or by experience, that 2 seconds after they honk, the light would turn green, but right now it's already safe to go, even though the light is still red.
11. If you're turning into a road, waiting for the road to clear or other driver to give you way, look out. Look very carefully. People would flash their headlights. In UK, it means you're safe to go. Flashing their headlights means they're giving you way. In Indonesia, it's the other way around. If someone flash his/her headlights, he/she is saying "Don't you dare move, you idiot. There's no way in hell I will give you way. Stay there don't move an inch or I will bitchslap you!"
posted by Monica | 3:02 PM
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