How much of Jakarta’s terrible traffic is caused by insufficient roads, and how much of it is caused by bad drivers?
It may be difficult to answer that question scientifically, but the above video certainly provides strong anecdotal evidence that Jakartan drivers who can’t stay in the same lane for more than 10 meters are a major cause of traffic.
The video was taken by Matteo Meacci, an Italian expat who is currently the corporate executive chef for the Akmani Hotel Group. His video has already been shared over 3,000 times since he posted it to his Facebook page yesterday.
Meacci argues that the main reason for Jakarta’s “incredible and annoying traffic jams” is the lack of discipline on the road, which is caused by the fact that most Indonesians simply pay to get their driver’s licenses (instead of having to earn them) and thus never learn how to drive properly.
While it may be unfair to say that all Jakartans or Indonesian drivers lack discipline and cannot drive in a straight live, Meacci’s video does seem to provide strong evidence that a lot of them do have a problem. By trying to shave a few seconds off their commute times, aren’t these irresponsible drivers are just slowing down everybody else?
So is it fair to say that Indonesian drivers, in general, are undisciplined? Is that a major cause of Jakarta’s traffic? Let us know what you think on our Facebook page.
