Riding conditions

[merantau]

In some parts of Indonesia riding conditions and the local driving culture can be very challenging.
This clip, from North Sumatra, shows how bus drivers treat other road users - with scant regard!

 

[The Bigfella]

Unbelievable, aren't they? I had my mirrors clipped a couple of times in Sumatra... and I nearly ended up as the centrepiece on the front of a bus. One guy I was talking with got run off the road by a truck... and as he came to, the driver was standing over him "Oh, you alive, the one last week, he die".

 

[merantau]

I figured that would dredge up a few memories you'd rather forget, Bigfella! (NOT that that was my intention btw!) Those who've never ridden there don't believe you - until you show them something like this.

 

[merantau]

I remember being taken on a trip by car from Medan to Bukit Lawang to see the orang utans one Sunday. It was a very popular day trip out of Medan so there was a lot of traffic on the way back in particular as we started out late to miss the early traffic.
Anyways on the way back our host drove with gay abandon. I'm sure you can imagine. When we got back home he apologised for the slowness of the trip as he didn't like to take too many risks when he had the wife and kids in the car.

 

[The Bigfella]

I remember being taken on a trip by car from Medan to Bukit Lawang to see the orang utans one Sunday. It was a very popular day trip out of Medan so there was a lot of traffic on the way back in particular as we started out late to miss the early traffic.
Anyways on the way back our host drove with gay abandon. I'm sure you can imagine. When we got back home he apologised for the slowness of the trip as he didn't like to take too many risks when he had the wife and kids in the car.

The only bus trip I did in Sumatra was when we took a guy and his daughter from Lake Toba to Medan to see a surgeon to try and have his sight restored. Another westerner and I were talking about the madness of the driver.... he turned around and said "you must understand, we have a third eye, in the middle of the forehead.... it tells us when no-one is coming". We told him to slow down. Never again.....

 

[The Bigfella]

Your video inspired me to re-edit one morning's ride in western Java. It keeps you on your toes....

 

[merantau]

You're a better man than I am Gunga Din!

 

[merantau]

Back in 2015 I met an American in Lombok who'd ridden over from Darwin on a DR650 intending to ride up to Sumatra then over to Malaysia. He got to Banyuwangi and headed for Malang. He made it to Malang in a state of shock. That night he reassessed his plans and decided to head back east and go to Sulawesi instead.
When I eventually get to Java I'll be looking for the least used routes - if they exist!

 

[merantau]

Here's another Sumatran cowboy doing his stuff.

 

[The Bigfella]

Nice one. It looks like they've speeded up the video though