Jakarta, part II: getting a cab in Jakarta

An Indonesian taxi in Jakarta. Photo from Mario Opal on Flickr

In my last post, I talked about how happening Jakarta is. And after mingling with 1,500 bloggers in only one day, I was spoilt for choice for my late night entertainment, Jakarta-style. But how do you get to places? One way is getting taxi, but it has its challenges.

If you’re lucky, you will get an experienced driver who will be able to drive you wherever you need to be in the quickest way possible. And the great thing about experienced drivers is that you can have a chat. Maybe not so much in English, but I’m telling you, you are missing out when you can’t have a chat with taxi drivers in a city. More on that on another post. But now, some tips.

Getting lost even before getting lost could be fun

Here’s a tip: if you’re going to use a taxi in Jakarta, do your research. Be very very specific. If you are going to an office building/mall, know the name of the building and area (don’t say: ‘I want to go to ABC office.’ But do say ‘I want to go to ABC Office, it is in Deutsche Bank building in Imam Bonjol street’.) Some taxi drivers are (believe me on this) too polite to ask for specifics, and ended up drifting around, being confused, AND THEN asked when the situation became desperately hopeless.

There are a lot of websites which can recommend which taxi company to use, but no matter which one you choose, make sure you know where you’re going. Ask your friends/trusted local not only the addresses, but also directions. Get them to write it.

Even then, locals often argue.

‘No, left after Sudirman is much better, doing a u turn there is too hard’

‘But at least he gets to avoid the busway’

‘No no no, left after Sudirman, get under the bridge instead of over it, because then he’ll miss the tollway’

‘What time is he going though? If on the afternoon, left after Sudirman. But on peak hours, go around Kebon Bibit.’

Etc. Etc.

All the while, you’re holding your pen and paper like an idiot, and then the group decided they didn’t actually know where you were going and they were just being helpful and speculative at the same time.

A Jakartan taxi with SATELLITE TV. Catch the latest episodes of Neighbours in the peak hours of Jakarta.

Jakarta, remember, is a sprawling metropolitan, and in this kind of place people have different ‘maps’ in their brain, depending on their life experience and lifestyles. Most locals would be able to point you to the right direction in their localities. But some travel to a different part of Jakarta to work. They often have to travel for hours in the morning, and then again in the evening after work. They only know how to get to their workplace, and maybe some good food places around it, and that’s it.

Hence, many of these ‘locals’ are not actually locals. According to a survey, Jakarta’s population is around 11 million during the night, and 15 million during the day -so that gives you a perspective on the movements of the people within the city boundaries.

I’m not diminishing their reputation, however. Locals can and do help you, but don’t be frustrated when they try their best and failed. They are as much a traveller as you are, so smile and thank them.

How about a map? and other solution

If you have access to a printer, or super-organised that you’ve done this way back before, you can print out an online map with the direction on it to show to the taxi driver.

This, I have found, useful to show to someone else BESIDES the driver first.

Because some taxi drivers get confused and panicked when you shove a map to their face. Not their fault. Decent Jakarta street maps are a recent invention. Not map makers’ fault either. With the labyrinthine little streets (fondly called ‘rats’ ways’ by drivers who know how to exploit the little streets to avoid heavy traffic) all over Jakarta, coupled with a string of governors and bureaucrats who like to build and change roads, it must have been quite a nightmare to create and update maps.

But an outsider might be able to see the map more calmly, and then talk to the taxi driver. Security guards outside buildings are often helpful for this. Yes, security guards outside of buildings often accept ‘cigarette money’ when they help you out.

The best solution, however, is to get someone’s number whom you can call to explain the direction to the driver. Be ready to do this a couple of times, so do get a local number and charge your phone everyday.

Or pray your best that you get an experienced driver, who, in my recent experience, is hard to get. Why?

The types of drivers there are

The rare breed of Jakarta's experienced taxi driver. Photo from Pedje on Flickr.

Outside of taxi drivers, there are three types of drivers in Indonesia: private chauffeurs, truck drivers, and bus/public transport drivers. Taxi companies recruit drivers from these groups. And, like what I mentioned before, they each have different ‘mapping’ of the city, depending on where they used to work.

The thriving economy means that there are more taxis than ever. Which means there are more new taxi drivers than ever.

Many of these taxi drivers come from different parts of Java (or even different parts of Indonesia), and often they are still feeling their way around the major roads of Jakarta. And if they don’t know the place you’re going to, they will ask YOU to help direct them.

If this happens, you can:

a. Get another taxi
b. Help him

If I’m not in a super hurry, I usually do (b). If you are in a hurry, make sure you book in advance for an experienced driver. But sometimes this doesn’t work.

If you’ve prepared yourself with the array of tips and tools above, you will be able to direct him. And he will be thankful to you, and may the karmic gods look favorably upon you, stranger.

Or just pat yourself on the back for a good deed.

Have you travelled in Jakarta or anywhere else using taxis? Have any more tips to share?

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 6:47 am and is filed under People, Things, onemilestories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.