Micro cars which park on Amsterdam pavements face €95 fine from July

DutchNews, May 14, 2020 

Photo: DutchNews.nl

The drivers of micro electric cars such as Biros are being offered the chance to buy a two-year Amsterdam-wide parking permit for the discounted price of €450 as part of efforts to get them off the pavements. 

The city plans to ban the micro cars from parking on the pavement from July 1, but says wardens will only be able to issue fines if the vehicles have number plates – and only about 50% currently do so. 

The coronavirus crisis has led to long delays at the licencing board RDW and, according to alderman Sharon Dijksma, as long as owners do not have a number plate, the city will not be able to fine owners who still park on pavements, according to the Parool. 

Dijksma said the city sees the micro cars as a good alternative to the car, and a welcome addition to public transport and bikes. 

Initially, the city will issue 3,000 trial parking permits. The fine for parking on the pavement from July 1 is €95. 

People who drive micro cars because of a physical handicap will not have to have a licence plate but their car must be specially adapted to meet their needs and be checked by the RDW.

E-scooter riders caught on Singapore footpaths may be jailed

Yahoo – AFP, November 4, 2019

The city-state is the latest country to introduce new regulations to cope with
a surge in the popularity of the contraptions (AFP Photo/Roslan RAHMAN)

Singapore (AFP) - Electric scooter riders in Singapore were banned from footpaths Monday and could face jail if they break the rule, after a series of accidents linked to the trendy two-wheelers sparked anger.

The city-state is the latest country to introduce new regulations to cope with a surge in the popularity of the contraptions, which many pedestrians view as silent menaces.

Tech-savvy Singapore has embraced the e-scooter craze but accidents -- including fires blamed on charging devices and the death of an elderly cyclist in a September collision -- triggered calls for a ban.

E-scooters were already banned from Singapore's roads but the Land Transport Authority said the two-wheelers were now prohibited on all footpaths.

They can only be used on cycle paths and a network of routes connecting parks.

The city-state is the latest country to introduce new regulations to cope with 

a surge in the popularity of the contraptions (AFP Photo/Roslan RAHMAN)

Most riders caught on footpaths until the end of the year will be given warnings but a strict approach will be taken from January 1, with offenders facing a jail term of up to two months and a maximum fine of Sg$2,000 ($1,500).

"This move is a necessary one to ensure pedestrian safety as incidents involving errant e-scooter riders continue to rise in spite of our heightened enforcement and education efforts," the authority said in a statement.

Singapore had already introduced other rules, including a requirement to register devices and speed limits.

France last week issued a series of rules on the use of e-scooters, including setting maximum speed limits at 25 kilometres (15 miles) per hour for riders who must be at least 12 years old.

Riding on sidewalks will be prohibited unless a city permits them in certain areas, and at walking speed only.

Supporters say the devices can plug gaps in public transport networks by helping commuters cover the short stretch from home to the bus or subway station, and can reduce dependence on cars.

Dutch town launches traffic light for zombie smartphone users

DutchNews, February 14, 2017

Photo: Bodegraven town council

Officials in the town of Bodegraven are running trials of new traffic lights which warn pedestrians staring at their mobile phones that they are about the cross the road. 

The new traffic light consists of a led lighting strip in the pavement which officials hope will alert ‘zombies’ who are looking at the road not at traffic.

‘Social media, games, WhatsAp and music are major distractions in traffic,’ said town alderman Kees Oskam. ‘We may not be able to change this trend, but we can anticipate problems.’ 

The +Lichtlijn, as the traffic light is officially called, is linked to existing traffic lights and changes colour at the same time. 

Dutch road safety organisation VVN said it did not think the new lighting would be a solution. ‘What you are doing is rewarding bad behaviour,’ a spokesman said. 

The system has been developed by Bodegraven firm HIG Traffic Systems which hopes to sell it to other local authorities. 

Going Dutch? Berkshire site tests Netherlands cycling model

Experiments gauge how British pedestrians and motorists react to pioneering Dutch-style bike infrastructure

The Guardian, Peter Walker, Monday 26 August 2013

The Transport Research Laboratory, near Bracknell, Berkshire, tests a
Dutch-style roundabout. Photograph: Graham Turner for the Guardian

It is a sunny morning in the Berkshire woodland and a small group of men and women clutching clipboards are lurking behind trees or amid the ferns, looking alert and expectant. Then the object of their attention comes into view: not a shy songbird or a rare mammal, but a cyclist clad in a fluorescent bib.

Followed closely by a small car, the rider stops by traffic lights at a road junction set somewhat incongruously amid the trees. Another bike-and-car duo rolls into view at the other side. The various lights turn green, and everyone heads cautiously on their way.

This is the test ground of the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) near Bracknell, and the closely watched traffic flows are part of a pioneering project that could fundamentally change Britain's inner cities over the next few decades.

TRL, formerly part of the Department for Transport but now a world-leading independent research group, is conducting a £4m test programme for Transport for London (TfL) to see how Dutch-style cycling infrastructure, such as segregated lanes and cyclist-priority roundabouts, can be adapted to British road conditions.

Work has already begun to reshape some London roads and junctions, part of a grandiose£900m plan unveiled by Boris Johnson earlier this year. Campaigners hope other areas could follow suit, tilting life in urban Britain away from decades of car dominance.

The trial being observed that morning was for low-level, cycle-specific traffic lights set a couple of metres forward from those for cars, keeping riders ahead and visible. When they are introduced, the cyclists' lights will probably turn green a few seconds earlier than the standard traffic lights, giving riders a head start. Participants receive minimal information about what to expect and the TRL researchers keep out of view, hence the hiding amid the shrubbery.

Elsewhere on the vast TRL campus, a series of other bike-friendly layouts are being tested, including a "bus bypass", which places bus stops safely out of cycle lanes, a bike lane separated by intermittent "armadillo" reflective humps rather than a kerb, and, most ambitiously of all, a Dutch-style roundabout with a segregated gyratory flow for bikes. There is also a computer simulator in which people "drive" a real car around a bike-filled cityscape projected on to surround screens. The scheme has already used 2,500 paid testers and is seeking more all the time.

Such extensive testing is necessary, not least because innovations need regulatory approval, said Dana Skelley, director of roads for TfL. "Pretty much everything here is a layout that we're not permitted to have on national roads under the current legislation. We realised that if we wanted to attract more people to cycle, more safely and more often, it was necessary to create a more cycle-friendly environment, and we looked towards Europe for that."

Domestic road users were generally not familiar with all this, she added: "Just because it works in Europe doesn't mean it's going to be OK. We needed to understand how British drivers understand these new road layouts and how they behave."

This is particularly the case with the roundabout, where drivers have to learn that the circular flow of cyclists has priority, not only over vehicles joining the system, but those turning to exit.

Commenting on the first tests, Peter Vermaat, a TRL engineer, said: "The drivers don't really know what to do, so generally they give way to the cyclists. We've had some sudden braking a couple of times, but nothing worse."

The test site is the physical manifestation of a long-running campaign by cycle groups for infrastructure that is not just well designed but sufficiently continuous to tempt a wider range of cyclists – children, or older people, especially women – on to urban streets.

The message of the London Cycling Campaign's Love London, Go Dutch project seemed to have been absorbed, said Mike Cavenett from the group. "I always liken TfL to one of those enormous oil tankers. It's a big, £7bn beast with thousands of employees and it takes time to turn around. But it is turning. There is a change in attitudes."

He added: "I think TfL are realising that. There is still inertia, and some elements are still deeply conservative about the changes. But other elements get it."

While some Dutch-style infrastructure will arrive soon – a new section of London's previously criticised cycle superhighways is being built with segregation and redesigned junctions – other innovations could prove more problematic.

Chris Peck, from the national cycling organisation CTC, argues that Dutch-style roundabouts are reliant on traffic flows much lower than the 50,000 vehicles a day seen on some roads in inner London. "That's far beyond the advised capacity for a Dutch roundabout. It's far too high to allow priority over side roads," he said. "If you had a platoon of cyclists coming all at once, which tends to be how traffic moves, and they have priority over traffic trying to get off the roundabout, that could lock up the roundabout very quickly. They will only work along with measures to reduce motorised traffic."

Everything is broken

Michael Quin, CONTRIBUTOR The Jakarta Post,  JAKARTA | Tue, 03/03/2009 12:58 PM  

 

High wire: A pedestrian steps over a hole in a footbridge over Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, South Jakarta (file photo). JP/P.J. Leo 

Along a street like any other in central Jakarta runs a fence, elegant and topped with golden paint. 

On one side of this fence sits Indonesia’s central bank with its lavish towers, lawns manicured by scores of busy hands and perfect well-swept paths. On the other side of the divide lies a cracked sidewalk with four holes, each large enough to swallow a man. 

On this, the public side of the fence, there is no careful maintenance. 

Dodging the holes is Sunoko, a 50-year-old hotelier walking home from work. He says the holes have been there for a long time and can’t understand how people are just expected to navigate them every day. 

“These holes are very dangerous,” he says. “At night if people are walking and they aren’t aware of them they might drop in. And it’s not only Jakartan people, many foreigners also walk here, looking up while they’re sightseeing.” 

Many of Jakarta’s streets are like this. Some are much, much worse. 

For those not familiar with the streets, for the tired, the drunk, those walking during floods, the vision impaired, the elderly or disabled, the danger of falling in these holes is very real. 

Kevin Radityama, a 19-year-old student in central Jakarta, once made the mistake of using a sidewalk after heavy rain. 

“I was walking in Sarinah [central Jakarta] and there was a very deep hole filled with water because of the rain. I didn’t know there was a hole so I just walked, stepped in it and I twisted my ankle. I told the police about it but they just said: what can we do?” he says. 

“When we tell the government there is a hole, or something like that, they say OK we’ll fix it. But they don’t do it, they just talk and talk. I don’t think they really care about things like this.”

The frustration of Jakartans such as Sunoko and Raditayama is clear. But for those with disabilities whose lives are severely limited by poor infrastructure, the apparent lack of interest from local government is beyond frustrating. 

Chairwoman of the Indonesian Disabled Women’s Assemblage, Ariani, says the poorly maintained streets are just part of a long list of reasons why Jakarta is a disabled person’s nightmare: 10-inch curbs, uneven footpaths, ramps too steep to use and a lack of wheelchair access on public transport all add to their worries.
 

 Paving the way: Workers pave a section of sidewalk outside the Attorney General’s Office building in South Jakarta (file photo). JP/Arief Suhardiman

“The fact that Jakarta’s roads and sidewalks are badly damaged makes even more obstacles for disabled people,” she says. 

Her organization is making recommendations to the government concerning this, but is yet to hear back or see any change. 

“The government is taking a very long time to follow up on its commitment to build facilities for the disabled,” she says. 

Other Jakartans trying to make their complaints heard have been calling community radio stations to report dangers such as potholes, fallen trees or power outages. 

Nita Roshita, from Jakarta’s 89.2 FM Green Radio, often hears from listeners concerned with the condition of the streets. Her station follows up complaints with the relevant authority. 

While the utility companies respond well and repair problems quickly, she says, public works officials can be hard to reach, often handballing inquiries from the national Public Works Ministry to the Jakarta Public Works Department and back again. 

“People are frustrated. Every three to six months the local government sends press releases saying that Jakarta has been fixed: There are no holes in the streets anymore, or there are fewer holes. But people say that is impossible because they still find holes in the street and people still have accidents because of them,” she says. 

After hearing from so many disgruntled listeners, Nita can’t understand why the authorities won’t move to resolve such a straightforward and uncontroversial issue. 

“This problem’s been going on for years and if they want to claim it in the budget and fix it then they should do it. It would be very popular,” she says. 

At the center of all this is the Jakarta Public Works Department, headed by Budi Widiantoro.

In an interview, Budi admits there are problems with Jakarta’s streets. 

“The conditions of our sidewalks aren’t good in many places, and they are dangerous, but along the main roads they are in good shape,” he says. 

Budi says his department’s priority this year is planting gardens in the city and is unable to provide any data on how many dangerous holes there might be in Jakarta, nor when they will be fixed. 

But apparently work is underway, with Rp 3 billion (US$250,000) earmarked for sidewalk maintenance this year. 

“As soon as we know about a hole, we fix it. We have our own monitoring team and sometimes we also have the information from the people who use the street,” he says. 

The monitoring team consists of one person in each of Jakarta’s 43 subdistricts. Between them all, this year, they’ve found seven holes to fix. 

The hole in the sidewalk across the street from the Jakarta Public Works office was not one of them. 

Budi explains the crumbling streets and missing cement slabs aren’t the result of poor maintenance by his department, but rather the fault of street stalls, scooters, and even thieves.

In the end, responsibility for providing safe streets rests with the Jakarta Public Works Department. 

But for all the stories of injuries resulting from holes in the sidewalks that Jakartans will tell you, the department has not once been held accountable. 

When asked why this is, Budi replies with a wide smile. 

“No one has ever made a claim against us. They could make a claim against us if they fell in a hole and injured themselves but so far no one has. I don’t know why.” 

One reason may be that most Jakartans aren’t sure they can. 

Along one particularly potholed sidewalk, passersby were asked if they’d make a claim against the local government after falling into a hole and injuring themselves. Almost 80 percent said they would not, with most of those saying they didn’t believe they could. 

Which leaves pedestrians – and government accountability – on a rocky road.

WALK, DON'T WALK

The Jakarta Post  |  Tue, 01/06/2009 7:11 PM  |  Jakarta

High school students cross cross a busy downtown street in Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday. Hard to find pedestrian right of ways and lax street discipline has contributed to traffic accidents in the country's capital. (JP/J. Adiguna)

Related Article:

4 Jakartans killed in hit-and-runs in 2 days

Pedestrians enjoy car-free streets

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With his feet dangling in a water fountain on Jl. MH Thamrin, four-year-old Riski could not wipe the smile off his face.

He had been there since 6 a.m. on Sunday with his mother, brother and friends after walking for about an hour from his home in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

"I want to see delman," he said, referring to horse-drawn carriages.

With Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman closed to motorists for several hours on Sunday, small groups of people, cyclists and joggers took advantage of the situation.

The city's environment management board, transportation agency and police organized Sunday's Car Free Day in line with efforts to control air pollution. It ran from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event is held on the forth Sunday of every month, with only public transportation vehicles permitted to pass through the specified zones.

Budirama Natakusuma, chairman of the Jakarta Environment Management Board, said the program was aimed at encouraging people to take public transportation, leaving their cars or motorcycles at home.

He said Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin were chosen as car-free zones because police would easily be able to redirect traffic down streets such as Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat and Jl. Muh. Yamin.

"And we will allocate a car-free zone in each municipality," he said, adding that plans to expand the program were still being discussed.

Cyclist Sunarno said he supported Car Free Day as it allowed him and other cyclists to use Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin without the fear of being hit by motorists.

"I hope more streets will be closed each Sunday," the 56-year-old said. (ewd)

Workers race against time to complete West Jakarta tunnel

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Dozens of laborers continue to work day and night in an effort to complete the Beos pedestrian tunnel in West Jakarta, which is scheduled to be finished on Tuesday.

Some 70 laborers, divided into two working shifts, have been working from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the project, with some opting to work overtime.

Joko, a worker at the site, said he had been working long shifts, taking only short breaks to have lunch and dinner.

"And now we have almost finished laying all the granite," he said Friday.

Maryono, an executive from PT Bangun Karya, which is handling the final stages of the project, said the company had employed an extra 30 workers in the last month in an effort to meet the deadline.

"The agency only gave us around two months to finish off the project," he said, adding that it was currently 80 percent complete.

The City Transportation Agency plans to open the 110-meter tunnel to the public at the end of the month. The head of the agency, Nurrachman, said the city needed about two weeks after the tunnel was completed to prepare it for public use.

The tunnel, which started being constructed in 2005, will enable pedestrians to walk safely between Kota railway station, the Kota busway terminal and the other side of the street.

The area, located in the Old City, is notorious for chronic traffic congestion.

"We also expect the tunnel will attract tourists to the Old City," Nurrachman said.

The agency spent approximately Rp 22 billion (US$2.3 million) completing the tunnel, which is eight meters wide and six meters deep.

The agency divided the project into four stages -- digging, laying the foundations, the finishing stage and the installation of elevators and a water fountain.

The tunnel will have staircases at its entrance and exit, toilets for men, women and disabled people and a place to pray for Muslims.

Nurrachman said his agency would cooperate with the governor and the tourism agency to decide on the exact opening date of the tunnel.

He said his office was yet to set a deadline for the installation of the elevators and fountain. (ewd).

New-Depok Manggarai service launched

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

State-owned railway company PT Kereta Api launched Thursday its new South Line train, which will run between Depok in West Java and Manggarai in South Jakarta.

"We hope commuters will not mind spending a bit more money and will start using this train," PT KA public relations official Akhmad Sujadi said.

During the morning rush hour, commuters crowd into the economy-class trains that currently serve the route. Due to overcrowding, sometimes passengers can be seen hanging out of train doors or riding on the top of carriages.

The existing train services remain the fastest and cheapest way to travel between Depok and Manggarai, with tickets costing Rp 1,500 (approximately US$0.15).

Another alternative, the air-conditioned Pakuan train, runs between Kota in West Jakarta and Bogor in West Java. However, this service does not stop at every station. Tickets for the Pakuan train are priced at Rp 13,000.

The South Line train, which can hold up to 750 passengers, costs Rp 6,000 per trip. It travels from Depok station to Manggarai station at 5:45 a.m. and 7:25 a.m. each morning and from Manggarai to Depok at 4:10 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. each afternoon.

The train stops at the Depok Baru, Pondok Cina, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Pancasila, Lenteng Agung, Tanjung Barat, Pasar Minggu, Kalibata, Cawang and Tebet stations before terminating at Manggarai station.

Akhmad said the stainless-steel colored train was once operated by a Japanese company. He said it is in good working order and has never been used in Indonesia before.

He said with one ticket commuters could travel on both the South Line train and the Ciliwung Blue Line train.

The Ciliwung Blue Line train, which travels 27 kilometers from Manggarai to Jatinegara, was operating again Thursday after several services were canceled Wednesday due to floods, Ahmad said.

Transportation expert Darmaningtyas recently said the South Line train had the potential to solve traffic problems in Jakarta.

"As long as existing train stations are well integrated with other public transportation systems in the city, the new line has the potential to solve the city's traffic problems," Darmaningtyas said.

Connected busway stations and train stations in Jatinegara and Manggarai are good examples, he said.

"Also, give pedestrians proper sidewalks so they can move easily between stations," he said.

Darmaningtyas said PT KA had a few problems to iron out if it wanted to encourage more passengers to use the service.

"The biggest problem I see right now is the headway time, which is the amount of time people need to queue to buy train tickets. Long lines really discourage people from using trains," he said.(anw)

Disabled people report on the perils of travel

Bunga Sirait, Contributor The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ramaditya Adikara, 26, works as a composer for giant video game corporation Nintendo. He does all his work from home, but he goes out a lot and alone for other freelancing jobs. Like many other disabled people who rely on public transportation, Rama, has heart-wrenching stories to tell about being a blind guy cruising the streets of Jakarta.

"I fall from angkot (public minivans) all the time. You would think they would help disabled people. But, even though I use a stick (and it's clear I am disabled), they take no notice of me," Rama said.

Considering the broken sidewalks and pot-hole riddled streets of the city, it is not surprising Rama also said he had tripped countless times.

One time a car actually ran over his stick when he dropped it crossing the street.

"Usually there's someone around to lend a hand, but if it's an empty street, you're on your own," said Rama, who dreams that someday Jakarta will have a guide dog service like the one he used when he lived in Japan for "two wonderful years".

"It's a real dog that goes everywhere with you -- just like a friend. There are certain hand gestures or codes they can understand if we want them to take us to the station, shopping, crossing the street," he said. "The service is provided by the government, free of charge. All you have to do is call and say you need one.

"You should be able to go out alone even if you are blind or confined to a wheelchair. Disabled people need to go to work, to go wherever they want ... It's the government's responsibility to make this city accessible to all," said Ariani Mun'im, the chief of the Indonesian Disabled Women's Association (HWPCI)

Although there are bylaws that regulate accessibility, facilities such as street ramps, rails, audible traffic signals and Braille instructions are extremely limited in Jakarta, moreover in Indonesia.

An accessibility survey in Bandung revealed that only one audible traffic signal was found in the city; and this was possibly the only one in the country.

"So far I would say TransJakarta is the most accessible form of public transportation here. The announcement indicating which stop will be next is quite helpful, and I can tell the officers are trained to handle us, (people with disabilities)," Rama said.

Unlike Rama, Henny Santoso rarely uses public transportation. "I do take buses once in a while. But is was easier back in the days when Jakarta wasn't so crowded," said Henny who is disabled from polio, which she contracted when she was 4.

The champion of the 1995 Paralympic Games in Taiwan for tennis relies on her driver to get around the city.

"I can't imagine going anywhere in Jakarta on one of those buses."

That includes TransJakarta. "It's too much an effort," Henny said.

"People have told me horrible stories about getting on the bus. First, the ramp was too steep and the handrails weren't satisfactory. Even regular people find it hard to get up the ramp, imagine how hard it is for people in wheelchairs," she said.

"The second thing is, you just can't get in. Not every entrance door is wide enough for a wheelchair. That means we need someone to carry us, fold the wheelchair, unfold the wheelchair, and put us back on the seat. Where's the accessibility? We've been told to live independently. Given the circumstances, how can we possibly do that?"

Budi, 29, a former professional swimmer, uses crutches to get around. He remembers his days at art school (IKJ) when he had to take the bus home, but none of the drivers wanted to stop.

"I was lucky I had great friends. If I waited for too long, my friend would stand in the middle of street when the bus was coming so it would stop and I could get in."

Budi believes society has a misperception of disabled people, which breeds discrimination. "People think just because we're disabled, it's difficult for us to find jobs, therefore we don't have money, so we might not be able to pay when we use their service. That's how the chain goes," he said.

"If I wanted to waste my time thinking about how badly people treated us, I'd say we are treated worse than second-class citizens."

Rama echoed what Budi said but expressed hope: "More than the improvement of facilities, what I really hope is that our society can respect and help disabled people, because seeing the condition of our country, it'd be so hard just to depend on the physical facilities.

"Public education is crucial or else the facilities that were made for us will be ineffective."

Henny related her experience in a mall some years ago: "We were looking for a space to park, so we go to where they have this wheelchair sign. It turns out the space is being used by another person who is not disabled, and the parking officer doesn't lift a finger to help. An officer like him is supposed to tell people they have to respect the rules," she said

"Show some sensitivity," Henny added. She remembers the time when she went to see a movie with some friends: "They put us in the very front row. They didn't have any ramps -- hence the front row was our best bet. Nobody ever offered us any assistance on how we could get better seats. So there we go watching the film, heads tilted, with the light streaming onto our faces. "It seems that nobody thinks about how to make things more comfortable for the disabled."

Jakarta no friend to pedestrians

The Jakarta Post

A very touching picture one day -- the seemingly mundane view of a new pedestrian bridge linking a busway stop to a multistory market in East Jakarta. It was touching because it was another rare addition to the awareness that you're human, and getting to be recognized as such in this city.

The feeling of being a dignified human in Jakarta, as we all know, is rare and spare. It is the feeling shared by pedestrians on the exceptional sidewalk; until you freeze at the onslaught of approaching motorcycles or wind your way gingerly around potholes.

More common is the sense that it's your own fault you're not a motorist when you're waiting and waiting forever for a chance to cross a busy road; or the sense of despair of mulling the options of taking the sardine-packed train or bus, or drive in dense traffic.

Once abroad in a developed country, the typical Jakartan may spend a moment or two in disbelief when a driver halts and waves to let them actually cross. "Is he really stopping for me?" I thought one day in one such country (I forget which).

When driving in Jakarta we resort to our customary principle of reaching our destination as fast as possible while negotiating pedestrians as if they were annoying obstacles!

The pedestrians are the majority here, yet it seems their voices have been drowned out by ideas of what a livable city should really be. Spending time exploring the malls seems to be the most exciting pastime here; they're educational too, you get to know about the brands and stores people are yapping about.

But surely the metropolitan's elite have been abroad, no less those who ran for the governor's seat in the first ever direct election. Surely they've enjoyed so many other cities and pocketed ideas on improving our metropolitan.

Yet given what our city's like, the impression is they haven't. What do you feel in a city without easy access to clean parks -- a city where for many families the air conditioned malls and huge stores are the nearest, most convenient recreational facilities?

New Zealand's little town of Christchurch prides itself on its vast park areas -- we could dismiss such boasting, saying we couldn't afford all that empty space with our teeming millions.

True, enjoying the sunshine or evenings in parks is free, while the city needs the enclosed spaces for the revenue they contribute.

But the masses would greatly appreciate a governor who tried to alleviate them of some stress. The malls are nice for window-shopping and a sweat-free rendezvous -- until you step out and are once again reminded you're not human when you're without the car or the driver!

That's why anyone would applaud more efforts made to establish a decent mass transportation system, wider pavements and more parks.

For all our lovely buildings, when we must pass mounds of trash, negotiate reckless buses or maneuver the gaping holes on the pedestrian bridges, this Jakartan has only one thought -- how uncivilized those in power here must be.

--Ati Nurbaiti