Tossing out the first pitch, laying down the first stone, cutting the ceremonial ribbon — politicians love the privilege of being the first. But when it comes to the ceremonial launch of a new bus service, they should perhaps leave the driving to professionals, as one mayor in Indonesia found out the hard way.
FX Hadi Rudyatmo, mayor of the Central Java city of Solo, yesterday inaugurated the city’s Gatotkaca bus — a luxurious vehicle with an interior decked out to work as an on-the-go meeting space (though a rather tacky-looking one). During its ceremonial first trip, Rudy — as the mayor is popularly known as — took the steering wheel of the 13-meter long bus. As members of the public and civil servants stood by, Rudy crashed the side of the bus into a tree as he miscalculated a right turn, smashing a couple of its windows.
Wali Kota Solo Jadi Sopir, Bus Gatotkaca Tabrak Pohon https://t.co/MXohvfz6j4 pic.twitter.com/Ken6sZYbCF
— detikcom (@detikcom) February 5, 2018
“I forgot that the bus is long. But the one who was directing me was also at fault because he told me to turn tight, so I turned right but hit [the tree] instead,” Rudy said, as quoted by Liputan 6 yesterday.
“If people ask me to drive long vehicles in the future, I don’t want to. I’ve learned my lesson.”
As a result of the accident, the bus had to be sent back for repairs in the city of Semarang, thus delaying its public launch.
The mobile meeting space will be available for hire for the promotional price of IDR2 million (US$147) for three hours. Will the Gatotkaca change the game for meetings in the future? Well, we’ll have to wait a few more days to find out, after its windows have been replaced.
