Road and culture
On my recent visit to Indonesia I noticed that honking was mostly absent on the roads. It was so pleasant to see the motorists following the traffic rules- be it the tuk tuk, horse tonga, car, scooter or cyclist! None of the two-wheelers jumped traffic signals nor did they climb on to the empty pavement during peak traffic. People waited patiently if someone had taken a wrong turn or a big car needed to take a reverse or u- turn. Motorists reduced speed while taking a turn or while coming on to the main road from a side street. They were apologetic easily and courteous on the road. It is easy to deduce the behaviour and attitude of people from their road sense. In general, during my visit, I did find the Indonesians very patient, warm and courteous. I heaved a big sigh and walked on reminiscing about the discourteous, impatient road sense in my city- Chennai.