Jakarta Police Comment on Cyclists Lane Hogging the Road

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A video showing a group of cyclists traveling over a main road in Jakarta’s downtown area of Sudirman-Thamrin grabbed public attention after the cyclists had occupied the middle lane of the three-lane street. 

Many comments on the video - which spread viral in social media - consider this act as reckless as most argue that it endangers not just the cyclists but other road users. Talk about road safety for cyclists emerged after a cyclist was struck by a car from behind at the ‘Bundaran HI’ roundabout a few days earlier. 

Asked about this issue, the Metro Jaya Police Traffic Director, Grand Commissioner Sambodo Purnomo Yogo, noted that the city has actually provided cyclists with a special lane for bicycles. 

“Before we can act upon the issue there are preventive measures to take, disseminations, education, and then that will be followed lastly by repressive actions,” said the Metro Jaya Police director.

In police’s dissemination, he said they will gather input from bicycle communities regarding bicycle lanes as he believes the current one has already occupied a large portion of the main street and is feared to create traffic jams in the future. 

He asserts that it is regrettable that the cyclists had not operated over the available bicycle lane. “It’s a waste as it has eaten up 1 meter to the left and 1-meter to the right. That is pretty wide,” he said. 

Read: Cyclists Rejoice, Govt in Talks to Build Dedicated Bike Lane

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH