bicycles as transport in Jakarta

[katshimakawa]

Is it practical or safe to bike around Jakarta?

I am moving from Japan, where we cycle everywhere, we have no car and would very much like to carry on doing so.

I was wondering whether to bring my bike.

what are other peoples htoughts/experiences of this?

Thanks
Kat

[R35553H]

Is it practical or safe to bike around Jakarta?

I am moving from Japan, where we cycle everywhere, we have no car and would very much like to carry on doing so.

I was wondering whether to bring my bike.

what are other peoples htoughts/experiences of this?

Thanks
Kat

HI Kat,

You should definitely bring your bicycle here.

The locals are starting to (or restarting I should say) take bicycle to work.

The community is called Bike to Work Indonesia and their web is http://www.b2w-indonesia.or.id/index.php/Forum/

Also, you can check out a local bicycle enthusiast forum called sepedaku.com (http://www.sepedaku.com)

Now, both sites might be features predominately in Bahasa Indonesia but I am confident that most members can read and write English.

There are parts of Jakarta where the local government had promised (I'm not sure if it has been done or not) that they would create a bike lane for their district.

As far as the traffic is concern, there are a few things you need to be aware of:
1. Because there is no establish bike lane for the rest of the city, you have to struggle some space with the other motorists mainly the motorcyclists. They are quite impatient not just to the bicyclist but to the automobile drivers as well.
2. Be aware that there will be some instances where these motorcyclists will drive on the same side of the street as you are but going the opposite direction.
3. Be aware that most motorists, automobile drivers included, rarely follows traffic signs so you must raise your awareness of your traffic surroundings.

Aside from that, Jakarta offers car free day every end of the month Sunday and I believe main street of Thamrin and Sudirman are closed to the traffic every Sunday morning to afternoon anyway.

Other than that, welcome to Jakarta.

Cheers,

Armand

[katshimakawa]

HI Kat,

You should definitely bring your bicycle here.

The locals are starting to (or restarting I should say) take bicycle to work.

The community is called Bike to Work Indonesia and their web is http://www.b2w-indonesia.or.id/index.php/Forum/

Also, you can check out a local bicycle enthusiast forum called sepedaku.com (http://www.sepedaku.com)

Now, both sites might be features predominately in Bahasa Indonesia but I am confident that most members can read and write English.

There are parts of Jakarta where the local government had promised (I'm not sure if it has been done or not) that they would create a bike lane for their district.

As far as the traffic is concern, there are a few things you need to be aware of:
1. Because there is no establish bike lane for the rest of the city, you have to struggle some space with the other motorists mainly the motorcyclists. They are quite impatient not just to the bicyclist but to the automobile drivers as well.
2. Be aware that there will be some instances where these motorcyclists will drive on the same side of the street as you are but going the opposite direction.
3. Be aware that most motorists, automobile drivers included, rarely follows traffic signs so you must raise your awareness of your traffic surroundings.

Aside from that, Jakarta offers car free day every end of the month Sunday and I believe main street of Thamrin and Sudirman are closed to the traffic every Sunday morning to afternoon anyway.

Other than that, welcome to Jakarta.

Cheers,

Armand


Thank you very much for that information Armand...

I look forward to seeing the chaos on the streets in Jakarta!

[rizzer]

one more thing...the pollution out here will give you smoker's lungs in about a year...so you might wanna review your route and take the less packed roads to go through, it'll save time and health
the best thing about a bicycle is that you can take short cuts through small walkways where cars can't get into = less pollution and less traffic

something to look forward to is that Jakarta is relatively flat...you won't need to worry about hill climbs

goodluck!

[wm]

I would hazard to say that "rarely follows traffic signs" is actually "almost never follows traffic signs" .. so I would proceed with caution.

Start biking in your residential neighborhood, venture out on main streets early on Sunday mornings and get the lay of the land, so to speak .. before jumping into the traffic of rush hour ! Avoid major roads that have lots of buses, if you can.

And carry ID .... just in case an accident incapacitates you!!

wm

[lantern]

To add to all the above... if you plan to bike to work then a shower in the office would be handy. It's pretty hot and humid here. Also there are relatively few cyclists around which indicates that it's not the most popular mode of transport if one can help it. Weekends are best (especially Sunday) if you want to do recreational biking around the city. VM's advice about starting in your neighbourhood is good as it will give you an idea as to how you will be treated by motorists and motor cyclists. Intimidation plays a part in trying to negotiate traffic here and a bike ain't very scary.

[Hombre de Maiz]

I, myself, am a cyclist, but Jakarta would be the last place I´d recommend for cycling.

[R35553H]

I, myself, am a cyclist, but Jakarta would be the last place I´d recommend for cycling.

Especially with anything going the opposite way at your side of the street lol Other than that, it's not that bad. Whoops...time for bed. Bicycle run in the morning.

[phatty]

I'd like to add this............. NO! It is NOT a viable form of transport. Some areas are ok on specific days for a quick fun ride of 1km or 2....... BUT THAT'S IT! Pollution, potholes, maniac drivers and homicidal bus drivers will have you trying to sell your lovely bike on this site.

[Hombre de Maiz]

It´s freakin´ hot in Jakarta. Easily 90 degrees Farenheit / 30 degrees celsius every day.

[R35553H]

I'd like to add this............. NO! It is NOT a viable form of transport. Some areas are ok on specific days for a quick fun ride of 1km or 2....... BUT THAT'S IT! Pollution, potholes, maniac drivers and homicidal bus drivers will have you trying to sell your lovely bike on this site.

It's not that bad! It is only that bad if you are non bicycle rider who thinks that it is the best alternative to busways *j/k* I've been riding in traffic conditions for the past several days now and I can say, for a guy who haven't riden bicycles in traffic for awhile (and I used to take my bike to school in Jakarta), it is not that bad at all. The basic understanding about them motorcycle riders is to expect the unexpected. The car I drive around town with was hit by a motorcycle when I was trying to make a quick U-turn in Sunter because the guy was trying to go around me on my front end and not my rear end. Stupid stuff like that. Once you learn that and mine was pretty expensive indeed then you are safe. Just ride your bicycle very safe in the beginning until you get the hang of it then in a few months you should be just fine. A bit hectic than most but absolutely fine.


It´s freakin´ hot in Jakarta. Easily 90 degrees Farenheit / 30 degrees celsius every day.

If you go 5-6AM in the morning you're not. The same with the evenings, too. Plus, Indonesia does not have daytime savings so we don't get extra afternoon sunlight during summer time to burn your skin up. If you are worried of being very well tanned, you can always buy a long sleeve jersey...

[Hombre de Maiz]

No, my friend, after living half my life in the tropics and having shed primitive notions of race and skin color, I have no problem exposing my skin to the sun and maintaining my glorious, year-round tan. Maybe your sensitive, feminine and pampered skin burns. Mine doesn´t.

[ohmdafyd]

Everyone's skin is affected negatively by more than 20 minutes of exposure to sunlight, directly or even indirectly, this is a Medical fact! Even those with the darkest of tans can and do burn, tha damage isn't always noticable by the naked eye.
Visit a dermatologist and have the special photographic process done { I forget the term for it} and prepare to be unpleasantly surprised.
Melanoma's kill!

[Hombre de Maiz]

Are you saying, OM, that 20 minutes of sunlight will have the same effect or potential to cause cancer on all skin types and skin colors? In other words, is 20 minutes of sunlight the same in NSWales and in Manado? Is 20 minutes of sunlight the same intensity at sea level and at 2,000 masl? Are some skin tones better prepared than others to withstand 20 minutes of sun?

I think some of us come better protected from the manufacturer than others. Not all of us have the priviledge of having ancestry from places where the sun hardly ever shines.

[indotom]

Biking in the country side might be fun but I would never do it in Jakarta! Too much crazy, wild traffic and the places where a bike could navigate are already used by vendors. Plus the pollution will kill you.

[R35553H]

Biking in the country side might be fun but I would never do it in Jakarta! Too much crazy, wild traffic and the places where a bike could navigate are already used by vendors. Plus the pollution will kill you.

For a city that has less pollution to say Los Angeles, I found this fact quite amusing lol