Thread: This Can NOT be true - Bali Traffic Fatalities

this is such a syupid question but are deaths in the vllages of indonesia recorded the same way in a western country?

I think about this almost every day. It's one of the few things that truly depresses me.Sometimes I think of producing a booklet [like the UK highway code, but] with pictures one with the big red gross under it [wrong] and one with the green tick [right]. There is a list of about 10 basic things that could be illustrated like this. Including, Don't drive on the wrong side of the road into onco0meing traffic, keep to the left when entering side roads from a major one [don't use the same side of the road as emerging traffic], don't drive without lights at night, don't pull out of side roads without looking, don't go at traffic light when they are red. use your indicators, etc..... The questions are, how could a large print run be financed and if it was, would the Indonesians read it? Even a TV advertising campaign could help. What about the schools, surely they have a part to play? How about introducing a basic test or even getting the police to get involved in stopping obvious dangerous drivers?
Like the saying goes you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.
Sad so many lives could be saved with simple instruction on road safety.
And sadly I fear that there are a lot more deaths than are recorded at the hospital.

Originally Posted by mat

I think about this almost every day. It's one of the few things that truly depresses me.Sometimes I think of producing a booklet [like the UK highway code, but] with pictures one with the big red gross under it [wrong] and one with the green tick [right]. There is a list of about 10 basic things that could be illustrated like this. Including, Don't drive on the wrong side of the road into onco0meing traffic, keep to the left when entering side roads from a major one [don't use the same side of the road as emerging traffic], don't drive without lights at night, don't pull out of side roads without looking, don't go at traffic light when they are red. use your indicators, etc..... The questions are, how could a large print run be financed and if it was, would the Indonesians read it? Even a TV advertising campaign could help. What about the schools, surely they have a part to play? How about introducing a basic test or even getting the police to get involved in stopping obvious dangerous drivers?
Like the saying goes you can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink.
Sad so many lives could be saved with simple instruction on road safety.
And sadly I fear that there are a lot more deaths than are recorded at the hospital.

Theres this clip for the song Aku Sayang Ibu (kids song) where the little kids are standing on the back of the motorbike and I think 1 child is driving a motorbike, anyway the passengers (7 - 11 yo) and dancing, standing up and not wearing helmets. If anyone wants anything to change I think updating kids programs to reinforce road and POOL safety would be a huge one.

We were looking after my boyfriends nephew for the day in Bali, he wanted to go swimming but couldnt swim. No floaties so we got him a tube ring thing, no sunscreen "because his skin is dark it doesnt burn like your bule skin", the uncles were meant to be watching him but off theyd go to get a beer and come back play on there phones. Give him some beer... Sukur is running around the pool edge on slippery tiles, they find it hilarious even as he slipped, banged his head and fell in the water. He wasnt injured but Im not sure thats the point..

So mat, I encourage your ideas but please also include water safety toooo!!! haha

Markit:

...it might be a good idea to teach these people some road sense?... Any ideas how to do that with a group of people that so strongly believe in karma that they don't even bother looking at oncoming traffic when entering a road?

Who would do the teaching? It's their island/country and we are "guests". And don't forget those figures from Sanglah hospital are for one hospital.

Karma-talk aside, one of the main reasons people drive/ride like maniacs here is that they usually get away with it. The police generally do nothing. Seriously hefty (and rigidly enforced) fines might make a difference. Not just fines - confiscate vehicles on the spot. (Birth of a new industry.) Especially when extremely young children are involved.

Maybe the police should shoot anybody that goes through a red light, or drives on the "wrong" side of the road. Those who exceed the "speed limit" should be chased, arraigned and taught a big lesson. Not simply ignored. "Lessons" become meaningful where it hits the pockets hardest. Repeat offenders could be chained and exhibited in shopping malls. Extra income could be generated by selling rotten tomatoes, mangoes, durians, whatever to throw at them.

I believe what is not grasped by many is that driving around like a bat out of hell is dangerous. (Danger is a relative term, of course.) Some form of public humiliation as a consequence, coupled with significant out-of-the-pocket expenses would send a more concrete message than trying to teach children (or their parents) silly folk songs.

soontobeexpat:

this is such a stupid question but are deaths in the vllages of indonesia recorded the same way in a western country?

No, they're not. Not by a long mile...

Some of those death figures are skewed (my opinion), certainly is alot of low speed impacts involving motorcycles.
The overall country figure with a population of over 340 million is deaths of 82 per day (30k per year), figures are increased with passengers on trucks and buses. The state of road infrastructure is one of the main cause and off course purchasing of licenses without testing.

Traffic accidents claim 82 lives per day | The Jakarta Post

I remain dumbfounded with what I see on the roads here, how the locals ride, drive or pedal with complete abandon. Never looking for oncoming vehicles or just simply not caring. Indicators?? Gimmee a break. When I hear people citing "Well I don't want to drain the battery" as an excuse for riding without lights after dark doesn't make me believe that any shape or form of well intentioned road education efforts would actually do anything.

There are just too many people, most of whom grew up propped up between the handlebars of their parents mopeds, seeing how they meandered through the traffic, to then believe that this is actually the way to drive.

Think you're minus a paddle in an muddy river there mate...

Even my wife [who is Balinese] is amazed at the amount of drivers with no lights at night. So it's not just a culture thing. Locals think it crazy too!