Deden Rukmana, The Jakarta Post
Jakarta's governor, Sutiyoso, has proposed banning motorcyclists from Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman and Jl. Rasuna Said as a result of the skyrocketing number of motorcycles in Jakarta. Apparently, the governor does not want to see Jakarta become a second Hanoi, where motorcyclists dominate the streets.
Unsurprisingly, the idea of banning motorcycles from main thoroughfares in Jakarta drew protests from motorcyclists, including ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers. They argue the idea is misconceived and violates their rights to use the public highway.
Is the idea of banning motorcycles from main thoroughfares really misconceived? Is the increased dominance of motorcycles on the streets a bad thing?
It is clear that the increase in the number of motorcycles reduces the capacity of streets in Jakarta. The development of the capital's road network has not kept pace with the growth in motor vehicle ownership in Jakarta. The growth in the overall length of Jakarta's roads is only 1 to 2 percent per annum. On the other hand, motor vehicle ownership is growing by around 15 percent per year.
One way to reduce the congestion is to shift people from private transportation to public transportation. Do we have a public transport system that is accessible, affordable and integrated for people living in metropolitan Jakarta? I doubt it, and this is why we are seeing an increasing number of motorcycles in Jakarta. Friends say that people who live in the outskirts of Jakarta can save as much as 30 percent of their transportation costs when they ride their motorcycles to work rather than taking public transport.
There are some positive aspects of the increasing number of motorcycles in Jakarta. This phenomenon provides evidence of the ability of working people to meet their transportation needs. It is a good sign of accelerating economic growth. The automotive sector is a major part of the consumption variable in GDP. This consumption variable accounted for 64 percent of Indonesia's GDP in 2005. Even though we have still not fully recovered from the economic crisis, working people have been able to satisfy their transportation needs and contribute to economic growth.
As the number of motorcycles grows, we will see positive multiplier effects in our economy. We will see more motorcycle dealers, finance firms that provide the loans for the purchase of motorcycles, more jobs for motorcycle mechanics, and increasing demand for helmets, jackets, sunglasses, etc.
The uses of motorcycles in Jakarta also demonstrates the sacrifices made by working people to get to work. Driving a motorcycle requires more energy than riding on public transportation. It is even worse when the weather is bad. We should give motorcyclists credit for their sacrifices.
Of course, there are also negative aspects of the increasing number of motorcycles. The number of accidents involving motorcyclists grew by 25 percent per year over the last three years. This figure is much higher than the equivalent figure for cars. A total of 1,128 recorded fatalities resulted from traffic accidents in Jakarta in 2006, and 857 of those involved motorcycles. The primary causes of these accidents were reckless driving by motorcyclists, defective motorcycles and poor law enforcement.
In the next five to ten years, we will need to accommodate further growth in the number of motorcycles as we develop our public transportation system. We need to develop a metropolitan transportation system that recognizes motorcycles as one of the main transportation modes, along with automobiles and public transportation. The idea of banning motorcycles from main thoroughfares is not the right solution. It will not reduce the adverse effects of increasing numbers of motorcycles. Instead, it will only serve to relocate these effects. It will cost motorcyclists more to get to work and retard economic growth.
However, the setting aside of special lanes for motorcycles along designated roads in Jakarta is a good idea. It accommodates the rights of motorcyclists while providing safer road conditions for everyone in Jakarta.
Deden Rukmana, Ph.D, is an assistant professor of Urban Studies at Savannah State University in the U.S.
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