Lombok Traffic and more

NB: The pic above was taken by my friend Dewi in Bali, not in Lombok. It would be unwise to ride motorbike in Lombok wearing a bikini.
Bali traffic is kind of similar to that in Lombok, although I think I've found Balininese outside Bali-Kuta to be a little bit more patient and amicable in traffic.

A couple of years ago it was governorally decreed that motor-cyclists must switch on head-lights at all times of the day. Police at Praya's two traffic check-points now enforce this rule between 8:00 and 16:00 hours, as with helmets which are mandatory. But after 5 pm nobody gives a damn.

In rural areas, the majority of motor-cyclists still drive without helmets, let alone headlights. I do welcome mandatory helmet laws but more is needed to educate people about traffic rules and what's not safe driving: suddenly pulling into the opposite lane; driving in the middle of the road for no apparent reason; stopping abruptly. And what is the most disturbing to me of all: swerving recklessly around corners onto main roads. Everyone continues their haphazard ways in traffic, in spite of helmets and headlights rule.

I heard that every week some 500 new motorcycles are being registered on Lombok's streets. Not to mention the unregistered bikes. And no way can the provincial and local government add new roads at that rate. The pot-holes don't get better either. Some roads are repaired, others crack anew.



In a way this traffic behavior is congenial to drivers here. Everyone keeps moving forward. Or so they think. The argument is often made that there is order in chaos, or some form of efficiency. I wonder if that's true. It's not apparent to my eyes. I'd be interested to see a study on this.
I've seen Gordic knots in traffic here in Lombok. Traffic came to a complete halt. Motorcyclists pulling in from the rear of a traffic jam always fill every last gap at the spearhead of the traffic, where the jam occurs, making the node ever larger and harder to break.

Bad driving takes its toll on human lives here too. And often enough, it's the wrongdoing party injuring a diligent driver. This happened to a friend of mine. He was hit by speeding boys. He was lucky to survive. What is needed is traffic education.



Because in Europe and North-America one hundred years ago, motorized vehicles were introduced and only gradually replaced horse-drawn charriots, people had time to adjust. Coupled with a stronger tradition of law enforcement in the West, it worked out fine. But here, well it seems even twelve year olds seem to have the money or pull (with his parents) to own a motor-bike and ride it to school.

It's important to be empathetic as a driver here. And to understand that the rules are like... on a ski hill. Lombok traffic works a bit like traffic rules on ski hills: if you're coming from behind and from up on the slope then you heed who is in front of you and down-hill. No-one cares what's behind them, everyone just looks ahead. This can be evidenced by the scarcity of intact rear-mirrors on motorcycles. Only about 30% of motorcycles have both rear-mirrors, and only 30% of those who have them will use them. The percentage of conscientious and diligent drivers is wee small.

Still, I will give credit to motorcyclists and car driver about being understanding and forgiving in traffic situations. A near-death collision? The parties may just smile, shrug it off and drive on.

Perhaps they are too forgiving? In Germany, reactions by other drivers are an efficient educative mechanism to enforce traffic rule compliance. In other words: social control. In Berlin I have witnessed many cases of convulsive road-rage which would have merited no reaction at all by Lombok drivers. Let me expand on this point. For example, in Germany, it's an almost capital sin to slow down another driver for no reason, or especially force another to brake for you. A haphazard traffic maneuver will warrant a belligerent retributive honk, a Medusa stare, and not infrequently, a middle finger. I know what I'm talking about because I was a rickshaw driver there. I remember I sometimes blew a fuse myself.

At the same time, in Germany one is constantly on one's guard not to elicit such responses by other drivers. Because everyone goes to such great length to play by the rules, we are kind of offended if others don't. The social cohesion just breaks down. Here in Lombok, such is the aloofness of the perpetrator, it is not felt by him at all. And neither the affected parties or on-lookers will react with short-temper.

It is ironic that in Lombok, where communities are so governed by social control, this aspect of social control is not enforced at all. I think this is because traffic and transportation falls outside the realm of the “kampung” (neighbourhood) or “desa” (village). How else can youngsters get away with their reckless driving, including roaring motorcycle engines sounding at midnight down the street? The kampung's authority does not extend to the roads.