Police target traffic offenders

Jakarta Police charged 187 traffic offenders in Cawang, East Jakarta, on Tuesday alone, indicating the unsafe road conditions in the area. (Understatement of the fucking year-the place is a zoo!)

A senior Jakartan Traffic Cop said recording so many violations in a single day was deeply worrying. ( As we discussed these issues, may staff arrived to make donations to the Traffic Police Charity Box)

He said the offenders were all drivers of public transportation vehicles, like buses and public minivans, who passed at unsafe speeds, ignored traffic signs or were driving without a license or registration documents. Each of these violators was given the opportunity to make amends with a spot fine and no receipt.

According to a spokesman, from the beginning of September to mid-October, police had recorded a staggering 8,195 traffic violations. Based on an average spot fine off 20,000 IR, the Charity Box may have benefited by upto US$ 18,000. Not bad for a single intersection!

It is claimed that 65 public transportation routes passed through the area, making it a "pseudo" terminal. I have seen with my own eyes the buses slowing down as they pass the police on duty and deliver a wad of Rupiah into the waiting long arm of the law. This has been perfected to a fine art, the bus never stopping and the cop never smiling until the money has been stashed!

"Inadequate infrastructure like broken traffic signs, potholes, poorly managed bus terminals, beggars, newspaper salesmen, cigarette salesmen, anything under the sub salesmen and street musician are also contributing to the problem," he said.

To overcome the problem, 200 police and public order officers were deployed to the area this week. This in effect made the collection of spot fines easier, however, brought traffic to a standstill as most motorists did not have the exact money and had to wait for change.

Thirty public order officers were assigned to deal with sidewalk vendors and 50 riot police to deal with thugs, while personnel from the police's intelligence and internal affairs divisions were sent out to tackle street crime and the problem of unscrupulous police. It is apparent that the intelligence and internal affairs officers (both of them) were overwhelmed by the task and finally joined in the feeding frenzy!

"We will continue the program until the area has been milked dry ," the Officer added..