American traffic is well defined and demarcated. Keep your car in your lane, red means stop, green means go, and crosswalks are for crossing. California has the added bonus of pedestrian right-of-way, meaning that cars are generally required to stop for you at legal crossings. Car horns tell others to, “Veer off, I’m here!”, or a prolonged, trailing, “F*** Youuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!” as drivers zoom off in displeasure.
To a newcomer like myself, Indonesian traffic is the Wild West Frontier. If the vehicle fits, it goes there. Horns are for telling people that you’re coming (in). Cars and scooters often treat opposing traffic as the passing lane. It is not uncommon to see a lot of scooters suddenly venture onto the sidewalk during stop-and-go traffic because stopping is a last resort. Crosswalks are the most dangerous place to cross because now a pedestrian must hazard two flows of traffic instead of one.
Crossing a street in the US is easy. Wait for the traffic light to turn green, hear the audio instruction to start crossing, assume everyone else knows what they’re doing, and walk across. Despite this, I’ve had many near-misses with inattentive drivers in the US. Some pay attention to their phones while driving. Some speed through hoping (and occasionally failing) to beat the yellow light. A classically conditioned, “Green means go” often results in an instant, mindless acceleration regardless of pedestrian presence. I don’t mean that it is unsafe to cross US intersections. I simply cannot assume that drivers are aware of me even as I cross in front of them.
Crossing streets in Indonesia is vastly harder:
- Wait for a small break in the flow of vehicles.
- Hold out your arm towards the oncoming traffic and wave your hand to ensure they see you. Keep waving till you’re done crossing.
- Maintain a steady pace. They will generally dodge you.
Oddly, I feel safer crossing in Indonesia. The only signal they follow is human activity. Drivers are vigilant for pedestrians because jaywalking is de rigeur. I’m sure that my feeling runs contrary to the statistical data (at least, I hope so). Be that as it may, I feel safer here. Drivers slow down long enough for me to pass through. No one honks or yells at me; no one is angry. I can tell that my life matters to them.
I haven’t quite gotten the hang of crossing everything yet. I hesitate often, especially in 4-lane streets. “Do I have the space? Are they going to fast? Is it now? Oh! Too slow; I guess I’ll just wait some more.” Yet I am comforted that the drivers of cars and scooters alike look at me as they drive past, mystified as to why the caveman didn’t cross yet. Bus drivers see me not crossing and pull up, concluding that I must want to catch a bus. I wave them off in shame and await a new break in the line.
Coda: A Master of Her Craft
Dana and I took a shopping trip at one of the local malls a few days ago. We ordered a Gojek (Indonesia’s equivalent of Uber) for our return but hit serious traffic. Our driver is going at a steady 5-10mph in a 4-lane unidirectional street. From the next lane over come two young ladies in their early 20s. I could see they were conversing.
The closest of the two walks out in front of our car with no more than three feet of clearance. She lazily puts her hand out, palm towards us. Her eyes are smiling as she looks down at the hood. Our car momentarily stops. The two ladies slowly walk across to the sidewalk and the drama is concluded.
I realize the young lady was most likely responding to something her friend said. I’m sure it was an unremarkable crossing for her since she would have grown up doing it all her life. Yet I like to imagine that her mask hid the demure smile of satisfaction when performing a master-level skill. Or the knowing smile of a demigod who knows that the elements naturally obey her will. She was grace and poise. I aim to someday walk into traffic and exercise my Jedi mind powers like her. How apropos that, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”