Surprise: Indonesia only 5th worst country for drivers!

[dafluff]

According to CNN Philippines, Traffic App Waze has recently ranked the worst countries and urban areas in the world to drive in. Indonesia as a whole came in a surprising 5th place, behind El Salvador, Philippines, Guatemala and Panama.

Urban areas, however, fared much "better", with 3 Indonesian cities represented in the top 5: Bogor (2nd place), Denpasar (4th), and Bandung (5th).

Amazingly, Jakarta didn't make it to the top 5, probably because people there are so angry with traffic that they are beyond expressing it on Waze...


http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/09/15/Cebu-Metro-Manila-Philippines-traffic-Waze.html

 

[mauricio]

Indonesia could be the worst if every driver carries a gun.

 

[fastpitch17]

I would agree that Indonesian's in all likelihood just don't report it. It's normal. What's to report?

 

[londo_edan]

Hmmmmm methinks there is something amiss with this survey. I'd like to see their sampling methods and size.

France has 4 out of the top 5 best (in the whole world)

 

[dafluff]

I would agree that Indonesian's in all likelihood just don't report it. It's normal. What's to report?

To be fair, Waze only did 38 countries and 235 metro areas, excluding heavyweights China and India, and most of Africa.

Singapore, even more surprisingly, came in as the 7th worst country.

Jakarta is the 9th worst urban area, and Surabaya 6th. I don't know in what universe is Surabaya or Denpasar worse traffic wise than Jakarta, but there it is.

https://inbox-static.waze.com/driverindex.pdf

 

[jstar]

If I see Italy and Puerto Rico scoring very good on the 'Best...' list I know something must be really wrong.

 

[atlantis]

As per Londo_edan's post. 4 cities out of the 5 first one concerning best urban areas in the world to be a driver? I smell a rat. And a big one.

 

[londo_edan]

If I had to rate countries, and excluding Jakarta from the Indonesian ranking as its a particularly (bad) special case.

My top 5 worst would be:

[1] Saudi Arabia (easily the worst place I've driven).
[2] India (again a shocking place to be a driver or passenger IMO).
[3] Indonesia / Thailand (pretty bad in both countries)
[4] Vietnam / Malaysia
[5] Italy (too aggressive for my style of driving).

Top 5 would probably be: Germany / Holland / France followed by UK / US. I've never driven in Singapore but its a nice place to be a car passenger.

 

[jstar]

.
I do think Latin America, China and Northern Africa also belong in these lists.

The weird thing is that the following chart is also based on Waze data...

 

[hana.anuar]

You should see how Malaysians drive... A lot of drivers making turns without giving signals, using emergency lanes during traffic jam (recently, there was a case that happened in a highway where a few people who were involved in an accident died just because people were using the emergency lane and the ambulance couldn't arrive sooner than it should).

During my recent visits to Jakarta, from what I observed, even though the traffic is like, I'd say 2-3 times crazier compared to KL, the drivers are somehow, I don't know, more patient? Either that or people of Jakarta are 'too used' to the over-packed traffic. I apologise if my 'observation' is not that accurate. Hehe.

 

[jstar]

You have ambulances?

You could be right about patience; people here can drive very aggressively and won't give each other any space but road rage does not occur that often.

 

[hana.anuar]

You have ambulances?

You could be right about patience; people here can drive very aggressively and won't give each other any space but road rage does not occur that often.

Yup. Don't we all? Hehe.

About the road rage, yes I agree. In fact all the uber/grab rides I took there, the drivers were so.. Calm (despite the crazy traffic). Idk. Lol.

 

[jstar]

Yes there are ambulances here but I was referring more to the difficulty (almost impossibility) to get an ambulance to the location of a traffic accident. To get someone to or from the hospital from/to home is feasible.

 

[HappyMan]

Yes there are ambulances here but I was referring more to the difficulty (almost impossibility) to get an ambulance to the location of a traffic accident. To get someone to or from the hospital from/to home is feasible.

I had never considered that. I guess the fact that people will pack the emergency lane at the first hint of a delay combines with the obvious delay of a traffic accident to make a perfect shit storm. When the delay reaches back a few kilometers on the toll, that means the emergency lane is also closed for the same number of kilometers... I had always thought that the problem was that people wouldn't give way for ambulances, but with all the lanes jammed...

I must be tired. I'll try to just remember the moral of the story, don't expect to survive life threatening injuries on the toll.

 

[El_Goretto]

You should see how Malaysians drive... A lot of drivers making turns without giving signals, using emergency lanes during traffic jam (recently, there was a case that happened in a highway where a few people who were involved in an accident died just because people were using the emergency lane and the ambulance couldn't arrive sooner than it should)

This sounds like a description of Jakarta traffic haha!

I see them all the time on the toll road: people driving on the emergency lane, then they see the cops pulling cars over to give tickets so they merge back into normal lanes. Then, not even 5m passed the cops, they return to the emergency lane!

 

[fastpitch17]

How many people have died because an emergency vehicle couldn't reach them in a timely manor? It isn't just traffic jams, the not yeilding to them on even not as busy streets. Peoplejust seem to refuse getting out of the way and possibly giving up a small space they occupy at the time. Even the drivers who seem to love to hug that center line like they think they have control over the entire road won't budge. They don't seem to put any value on someone else's welfare if it inconveniences their own time. Flashing lights and sirens mean nothing and in fact could just be some other vehicle that has decided to install such things to bring attention to themselves and get more customers.

When it comes to the traffic situation in Indonesia I can only think of total lack of order. It's a me first frame of mind and a I'm bigger so get out of my way or I'm smaller but exist within a swarm so better watch out because I don't have to.

I would drive in KL way before I ever drove in Jakarta.

 

[John_Oates]

From talking to people over the years, I know they won't move out of the way for sirened police cars - because many people don't trust that there's an actual emergency. I too wouldn't put it past the police here to turn on the siren when they encounter a bit of macet they can't be bothered to sit through. Not to mention how often I see sirened police zip through traffic just to escort some rich 'customer' to their destination.

I hope some people don't have that same mindset for other emergency service vehicles, as I think they don't venture away from their base unless there's a real need.

 

[Scooterindo]

How many people have died because an emergency vehicle couldn't reach them in a timely manor?

Not always the case - here in Bali there isn't much traffic outside of the KLS areas yet when a suspicious bag was found left in Ubud the other week it still took the bomb squad 3.5 hours to arrive

 

[fastpitch17]

Not always the case - here in Bali there isn't much traffic outside of the KLS areas yet when a suspicious bag was found left in Ubud the other week it still took the bomb squad 3.5 hours to arrive

If it would have exploded they would have been there in minutes to show they are on the job.

 

[Bad_azz]

You have ambulances?

You could be right about patience; people here can drive very aggressively and won't give each other any space but road rage does not occur that often.

I have witnessed several incidents where drivers have jumped out of their vehicle and gone for a big shouting and gesticulating session in the street with the one who has wronged them.


It doesn't (on the surface) appear to be that much of a big deal, more of a handbags at 20 paces thing- until you get to know the mindset... and in a country where the undercurrent is to avoid confrontation and not show weakness by being emotional to witness a slanging match in the street is a bigger deal than at face value.
Usually I have seen taxi drivers vs Angkot drivers (micro/mini-bus?).
BUT on a Friday evening when Jakarta empties its bowels in Bandung it can make for interesting viewing- to say there is some rivalry between the drivers from the two places is a fair observation.