Monster traffic jam in Indonesia -- and desperate, hungry drivers!

Discussion in 'Chit-Chat' started by cobalt, Mar 1, 2011.

  1. cobalt

    cobalt Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2010
    Messages:
    8,906
    Likes Received:
    10
    Occupation:
    Yes
    Location:
    Arrakis
    Just read this bit of news!! An eye-opener. I remember there was another monster traffic jam a couple of years ago somewhere in China, too. You've got to feel for the people stuck in these nightmare situations!

    http://ca.news.yahoo.com/2-000-lorries-stuck-indonesian-traffic-jam-20110301-075713-969.html

    2,000 lorries stuck in Indonesian traffic jam


    photo_1298995004138-1-0.jpg
    Indonesian truck drivers stuck in a massive traffic jam for more than a week said Tuesday they had been forced to sell their belongings such as mobile phones to buy food.

    In a graphic example of infrastructure bottlenecks in Southeast Asia's biggest economy, the jam stretches for 11 kilometres (seven miles) and has ensnared some 2,000 lorries.
    It has choked the flow of goods by road and ferry from Merak port in west Java to Bakauheni port in southeast Sumatra, a crossing that should take less than three hours but has stranded some drivers since February 21.

    Hungry and tired drivers said they just wanted to go home and expressed fury at the government's failure to ease traffic snarls that hamper trade and business across the sweeping archipelago, including the capital Jakarta.

    "I've been stuck here for three days and I'm getting impatient. I've run out of money so I sold my mobile phone to buy food," 35-year-old driver Surono told AFP.

    "This is the third time I've been stuck in a traffic jam here this month and I really don't know what's the cause."

    Another driver, 45-year-old Endin, said thieves had looted his vehicle while he was taking a nap.

    "I was so tired of waiting I fell asleep. When I woke up, my wallet was gone. I'm hungry and tired. Please, I just want to go home," he said.

    Indonesia is a member of the Group of 20 rich and developing countries and has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with output expected to top six percent this year.

    Yet it is befuddled by red tape, mired in corruption and its ports, roads and airports are hopelessly inadequate for the pace of growth it hopes to sustain in coming years, according to investors and analysts.

    The government last year announced plans to spend 140 billion dollars on infrastructure until 2014, more than half of which would have to come from the private sector.

    As for truck drivers at Merak, officials said three extra ferries had been dispatched to clear the jam.

    "Four more are on their way. The jam is slowly starting to ease and we're continuing to monitor the situation," transport ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said.

    "It was something we didn't expect. There was a 10 to 17-percent jump in the number of trucks in January and February compared to the same period in previous years, due to more construction projects in Sumatra," he added.

    Eight of 30 ferries plying the route were docked for repairs, the spokesman explained.
     
  2. Gicutzu

    Gicutzu Regular Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2011
    Messages:
    1,146
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Student
    Location:
    Romanian in Austria
    Three days?! And I thought Romania has bad traffic jams.
     
  3. pBmMalaysia

    pBmMalaysia Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2009
    Messages:
    4,748
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    badminton coach
    Location:
    Kuching, Malaysia, Malaysia
    Just hope the Indonesia government will continue to improve the situation for these poor drivers ;) :eek:

    Have been there several times and I can imagine their problem :D

    If I can drive in Jakarta busiest streets/roads without any minor collisions

    I think I should qualify for Indy 500 :D
     
  4. EstherO

    EstherO New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2012
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Compared to Russian traffic jam stretches 125 miles, this news a year ago cannot beat this recent monster traffic jam. It started last week, Friday lasted until Monday and stretched 125 miles. Think about that the next time you are in a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam. Maybe you can breathe a little easier, knowing how much worse it could be.

    Heavy snow is nothing new in Russia, so why did this particular unexpected flurry lead to such dire consequences? Much of the infrastructure in Russia is of poorly-maintained, Soviet-era construction. Much of it remains inadequate for the volume of traffic it supports today. Traffic jams are a daily occurrence in the region.
     

Share This Page