Archive for the 'Urban' Category

Car Free Day

Thea April 28th, 2008

This time, people who walk and ride bicycle are the king. No cars, buses and motorcycle are allowed to pass the quick line along Thamrin- Sudirman route.

Then What do they do?? Some of them ride bicycle, have a healthy walk or even play football. In every 4th week of each month, Gov. of Jakarta runs a program called Car Free Day. In that day, presiding officer claims that the weather pollution decreases up to 50-60%. In addition, this program gives a larger paling area for Jakarta residents who these days face shortage of playing ground.

This program will be expanded in the near time to other streets such as Jalan Wijaya in Kebayoran ans Sunter in North Jakarta.

It was 10 PM and still Jammed

Thea February 27th, 2008

It was almost 10 PM and I still saw traffic jam in Jakarta.

Last night, Ogi and I passed on Senopati street, then Pierre Tendean after having great dinner at Dapoer Ciragil. Cars, Buses, and motorcycles were trapped in heavy trafiic jam along those streets. As a motorist, it was pretty much easier for Ogi to find a way going through the traffic. But of course not for car riders or bus drivers.

Ogi and I imagined that within two years ahead, there would be a heavier traffic in Jakarta. People live in sub urb, work in business district. They go very early in the morning, and go home late at night. Can they lull their children? Can they accompany their children playing or studying at night?

I have another resolution in my life, Quitting living in this city in the next five years at the latest.

How about you? Do you still want to live in this city???

Happy Voting and Happy Holiday

Thea August 7th, 2007

For those who will vote tomorrow, just bear in your mind” Vote only one who really represents your idea and aspiration”.
And for those who don’t have voting right, but work in Jakarta area, “Happy Holiday”.
Happy Voting and Happy Holiday for all!! See u on Thursday

Jakarta (An Unimportant Note of Me)

Thea July 23rd, 2007

I always ask myself why eventually I stay in Jakarta. I am still clueless if I will love this city, have a deep passion with it, and finally decide to live in this hell city!! 

Jakarta, for me is a lover whom I can’t live with it and cant’ live without at the same time. It’s very difficult to choose whether to leave it or back in its arms. Many times, I have been being betrayed with its pollution, its criminality, and its traffic jam. Living in Jakarta, for me, is very time-consuming. Hmmm…I really miss my old lover then. Where I can go everywhere quickly, where no traffic jam, where the breezing air still fresh. But still, I stay in this city, doing my routine, and earning living. The last, I remember, is the ultimate reason why I stay here.  At the same time, Jakarta spoils me with its facilities. It offers great bookstore, amazing exhibitions, high tech-equipped cinemas, delicious food vendors (though quite expensive), places selling fancy things from the cheapest to the expensive one. However, I often feel fed up with its completeness. Very often, I miss the simplicity of my old lover. Jogja, where humbleness and care still exist. 

Yesterday, was the start of campaign day of two candidates of Jakarta’s governor. I have no idea how one of them can dismantle the complexity of this city, full of its problems and difficulties. From where they want to start it? Let’s name the problems. Unemployment, criminality, pollution, massive flood, traffic jam, urbanism, etc. I don’t know how they can grow love and sense of belonging of Jakarta in its people, including me. 

Oh my new lover, in this case I agree with people say about you” As cruel as step mother can be, still crueler is “mother city” or “ibu kota”. Sorry to say, I still love my old lover. And I want to back with it and live there for good.  

 

A Try in Night

Thea March 22nd, 2007

Last night I went to Gambir to buy a bus ticket to Lampung and a train ticket to Jogja. I am going to go to Lampung this weekend as my best friend will hold her marriage there. Next month, I will go home to Jogja for holidayJ.

Having bought those tickets, I was interested to try the new route of busway. Then, I waited the busway in passing in Gambir shelter. Ooppsss…it was full of people. Yet, I kept taking that bus. After that, the bus stopped in Harmoni shelter where the last destination is as well. To be able to reach my boarding house in Mampang, I had to take Kota-Blok M route, and then stopped in Dukuh Atas shelter, where then I should walk on the bridge functioning as connection between one shelter and other shelter. Around that time, many people went home as the business hour ended. As busway now becomes a much safer and comfortable transportation mode, most of people prefer taking it. I was trapped in Dukuh Atas shelter, in among people who were rushed to get home as well. After 20-minute waiting, the busway came along to load us.

Would I get home soon? Not yet, because I had to change to another bus in Halimun shelter!! Meanwhile the distance between Dukuh Atas and Halimun turned out isn’t far. However, I should not be out from the shelter. Other wise, I had to pay 3500 again for entering the shelter. Halimun shelter can be said as a transit shelter as well for passengers who want to take Kuningan-Ragunan route. One more route to take to arrive right in front my boarding house complex, accordingly Kuningan-Ragunan route. Luckily, it wasn’t as full as the previous routes I took. But still, I couldn’t get a seat. I took about fifteen minute to arrive in Hero shelter. Hero Shelter is situated right in near my boarding house. Finally, 8;20 pm, I was in house peacefully. Nice tryJ

Flood is Everywhere

Thea February 2nd, 2007

It’s rainy day!! Hallelujah!!!

Rainy season in Jakarta means flood season. Again, big floods paralyze the capital of Indonesia. It’s like annual sickness that infects this big city every year. It’s actually a classic problem, yet the solution to overcome this seems so far to discover.

Like now, vast floods are everywhere with varied heights. The heavy rains which have been starting since last night continue pouring. Honestly speaking, I like this rainy season as the weather isn’t as hot as usual. However, there are many people in certain enclaves are afraid of the coming rainy season as it means that floods are threatening them. Just like last night, I couldn’t sleep until midnight because I was afraid that my area would be one of those flooded areas. Luckily it doesn’t happen. The drainage system in my area can be said one of the well-managed in Jakarta.

As reported in media, the flood continues spreading. Yet, it hasn’t claimed any casualty so far (let’s pray it won’t). Due to this flood, heavy traffic jams are occurring everywhere. Even, some of toll roads become inaccessible. In Kampung Melayu district, about 3000 residents are fleeing to the safer place like school. I watched on TV this morning and found out that their condition is terrible. Lack of dried clothes and meals for children become main issues. It’s worried that windfall effect such as disease will arise.

Hopefully, this won’t be longer. It’s our mutual responsibility to make the city where we live better. It’s true that government is the party who’s responsible on this problem. However, as residents, we have to involve ourselves in contributing efforts to prevent such condition from happening in the future. It’s simple such as not littering in river or public areas or keeping the green areas.

Phewwww!!!!

Thea January 25th, 2007

To have a safe, comfortable, and cheap public mass transportations and clean air is such a luxury for Jakarta residents, including me. It resembles my dream to have S5 Mercedes. Meaning, to make it realized needs hard efforts. Yet, we can’t predict when it turns available. Overall, we only hope someday Jakarta with good public transportation. Hence, its people would prefer taking public transportation to driving or riding bike. At last, bad pollution in Jakarta can be diminished.

To my opinion, our government is failed in providing safe, comfortable and cheap public transportation. It can be seen on the growing figures of car and bike in Jakarta. That growing figures contribute to the bad air quality in Jakarta. Transjakarta, which has been recently operated, is proven to decrease the traffic jam in Jakarta. At the moment, DKI’s government is constructing other busway’s corridors, which I believe will trigger more people to use public transportation. In addition, Transjakarta, I think is a clever option. It’s clean, safe, and affordable. Another advantage of using Transjakarta is freedom of traffic jam. It’s kind of incentive that will attract more people to use public transportation.

Our government has to learn to our neighbor, Singapore, where public mass transportation is well managed. The possession of car there is low. The S’pore rapid mass transportation (RMT) is good, clean, safe as well as cheap. Rarely can we find awful traffic jam there. In many developed countries, well-managed public transportation can reduce the possession of cars. Besides, government imposes high tax to the cars’ owner. That’s why people like to take public transportation.

A growth of good public transportation and the decreasing number of cars will end up to a condition we are dreaming of, in which there will be no terrible traffic jam. In addition, we will breathe good air more often than now. Yet, still clueless when it will happen. Phewww..better back to work for Mercedes S5. Hehehe just kidding!!!!!