Jakarta

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1703228]I don't know if the traffic stops by the police are still a problem, but at least a couple of years ago cars, and even more so taxis, were stopped for "checks" by the police, particularly in parts of North Jakarta. If you were foreign and in a taxi you would be at particular risk. If you didn't have your passport with you, you would in many instances have to give a bribe in the range of 50,000 - 100,000 rupiah. But the more troubling scenario, which I fortunately never experienced, would be one where they checked for drugs. Even if you weren't carrying, if your "friend" was there could be trouble for you from what I understand. Others here might have both better and more up to date information about whether this is something to be concerned about, but your post did raise the issue in my mind.[/QUOTE]These traffic stops and drug checks aren't just in North Jakarta. It doesn't make a difference if you have a guest with you in the car. I've been stopped in places as far as Pondok Indah all the way to Kelapa Gading. Almost always the motivation is money and it's music to their ears if you tell them you haven't got identification on you.

[QUOTE=RobertLong;1703037]For your health and safety use a Taxi. AC and pretty well protected. Why suffer the heat, rain, dust and traffic when you can relax in an AC Taxi? And Jakarta Taxi are cheap.

RL.[/QUOTE]

Safety is definitely an issue in the Jakarta traffic. Yesterday I learned that Milla, one of D's dancers, was killed in a traffic accident. I guess she was travelling by ojek.

Sad. She was a sweet girl.

[QUOTE=Hilo77;1702381]
The Transjakarta buses (at least on Corridor 1) pick up passengers at stops in the middle of the street hence the right-hand doors but deposit and embark passengers on kerb-side platforms at the Kota and Blok M terminals hence the left-hand side doors.[/QUOTE]Didn't think of that, mainly because it is rare for me to get to either end of the busway. I remember the left side exit in Blok M, I thought it was on the right side in Kota but only did it once, and the left hand exit in Blok M voids that argument anyway. And I'm now thinking too much.

[QUOTE=Hilo77;1703212]Another scam happened to me the other day at a new place just opened behind Taman Angrek, Hotel be (that's not how it's spelt but I can't be arsed getting a way around the anal-retentive spell checker) Fashion, a nice spot but a bit pricey.[/QUOTE]Buggar me (not literally) and knock me down with a feather, I didn't know about that "B Fashion" hotel. Seems it has been around since 2013 or so judging by the reports on the hotel booking sites it appears on - [URL]booking.com[/URL] must love the photos of the 'bar' area covered in bikini clad girls photos. There's more available in that area than I thought, though I haven't made it across the tollway to FM1 . Yet.

[QUOTE=KoperenKarel;1703385]Safety is definitely an issue in the Jakarta traffic. Yesterday I learned that Milla, one of D's dancers, was killed in a traffic accident. I guess she was travelling by ojek.

Sad. She was a sweet girl.[/QUOTE]Her photo has been posted on various facebook accounts recently giving condolences.

Those motorbikes are dangerous in Jakarta.

[QUOTE=FastEddie48;1702294]To Pancha.

TC have been closed for a long time you should try Millie disco for late night pick up for freelancer, I never like TC the girl there is just too young for my taste and now the Stadium is closed also but there is so many other place you can get action in the area.

Fast eddie 48.[/QUOTE]Thanks very much FE48. Will definitely try that. However the Blok M is always there missing which the Maliboro.

Thanks again.

[QUOTE=Smoothy;1703479]Her photo has been posted on various facebook accounts recently giving condolences.

Those motorbikes are dangerous in Jakarta.[/QUOTE]There will be a charity auction on April 24, proceeds going to the family.

[QUOTE=EgyMonger;1703342]These traffic stops and drug checks aren't just in North Jakarta. It doesn't make a difference if you have a guest with you in the car. I've been stopped in places as far as Pondok Indah all the way to Kelapa Gading. Almost always the motivation is money and it's music to their ears if you tell them you haven't got identification on you.[/QUOTE]I didn't suggest the traffic stops were [I]only[/I] in North Jakarta nor did I say whether you had another person with you affected the likelihood you would be stopped. I did suggest that if one is looking to pick up someone with "E" (and assuming I am interpreting "E" correctly to mean ecstasy), the possibility of a traffic stop should be considered as being found with drugs (even if only your guest has them) could become much more serious than not having one's passport. Having said that I don't know if these traffic stops are still as active as they were a few years ago, given some of the anti-corruption moves, albeit not so effective, that have taken place. I know in my recent experience I have not seen the number I did maybe three or four years ago, but then again I tend to avoid the roads where I previously saw them regularly. .

[QUOTE=Smoothy;1703479]Her photo has been posted on various facebook accounts recently giving condolences.[/QUOTE]Could anyone post or direct us to her photo? All those girls use a few different names. Still, this is sad, sad news.

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1703228]I don't know if the traffic stops by the police are still a problem, but at least a couple of years ago cars, and even more so taxis, were stopped for "checks" by the police, particularly in parts of North Jakarta. If you were foreign and in a taxi you would be at particular risk. If you didn't have your passport with you, you would in many instances have to give a bribe in the range of 50,000 - 100,000 rupiah. But the more troubling scenario, which I fortunately never experienced, would be one where they checked for drugs. Even if you weren't carrying, if your "friend" was there could be trouble for you from what I understand. Others here might have both better and more up to date information about whether this is something to be concerned about, but your post did raise the issue in my mind.[/QUOTE]Would the cops accept a copy of the passport as I hate to carry original around as it could easily get lifted or stolen if mugged.

I know most countries needs an ID on the person but will usually accepts a copy of the passport.

[QUOTE=Freezone;1704112]Would the cops accept a copy of the passport as I hate to carry original around as it could easily get lifted or stolen if mugged.

I know most countries needs an ID on the person but will usually accepts a copy of the passport.[/QUOTE]I was once stopped in North Jakarta near Komplek Kotah Indah and gave the police a copy of my passport and my original US-based drivers license. He said I needed the original passport, and if I did not pay him money he would bring me to the Police Station. He first wanted US $100, I laughed, and ended up paying him 100,000 rupiah. I have heard conflicting information about whether an original passport is necessary, but I didn't want to risk him following through on his threat to bring me to the police station. In Indonesia the law is often what the police officer (or governmental official) says it is irrespective of the written law. He probably wouldn't have taken me to the police station if I refused to pay (because it would have probably been more profitable for him to stay on the street soliciting bribes), but if the cop did decide to pursue this further it could have gotten rather ugly for me.

Incidentally, I was in a Blue Bird taxi with a wingman, and there was no reason for the traffic stop other than that the police officer appeared to be there for the sole purpose of doing shakedowns. I reached this conclusion because on other occasions I walked by the exact same spot, and saw the same thing being done to others, but also saw that he (or another cop at the same location) was selective in who he stopped.. There are other locations where the cops would stop everyone, and ask to see id. Fortunately, when this happened to me (a couple of times) I had my passport with me.

Jakarta is the only country I visit, and I visit a lot throughout the world, where I always have my original passport on me. Makes me nervous but I put it in a passport pouch that goes in my front pocket and ties to my belt loop.

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1704114]Fortunately, when this happened to me (a couple of times) I had my passport with me.

Jakarta is the only country I visit, and I visit a lot throughout the world, where I always have my original passport on me. Makes me nervous but I put it in a passport pouch that goes in my front pocket and ties to my belt loop.[/QUOTE]So you had your passport with you and they let you go? You were lucky. Normally, it doesn't matter if you have your passport with you or not. They will still want a bribe and will just come up with some other BS excuse to ask for money. Their normal story is that you need to file with the police station when you arrive and they want to see the report that you filed with the station. But even my friends who live in Jakarta working for major companies with a legal kitas and carrying their passport have to pay the police bribes at those stop points on occasion. Carrying your passport does not guarantee that you will not be hassled. I personally think it's a very bad idea to carry your passport. I used to carry mine in Africa because the company I was working with asked me to. It ended up getting stolen from me one night in a bar when I was quite drunk. I haven't carried it with me since. I'd prefer to pay the 100 k rupiah (about 8 bucks usd) than risk any possible chance of losing or damaging my passport. I've been pulled over by the cops about 10 times in over 10 years. It's not that big of an issue. And I go out a lot.

[QUOTE=Freezone;1704112]Would the cops accept a copy of the passport as I hate to carry original around as it could easily get lifted or stolen if mugged.

I know most countries needs an ID on the person but will usually accepts a copy of the passport.[/QUOTE]I have always carried a copy of my passport and drivers license along with the International DL in Bali and they have always accepted that. Police stops in Bali are very common and frequent. And as a Bule I am a driving dollar / RP sign. As long as you have your shit together they back away.

You can always get out your HP and start to film the stop. Who knows what that will bring?

RL.

[QUOTE=RobertLong;1704139]Police stops in Bali are very common and frequent.[/QUOTE]I find a police stop in Bali to be very different from a blockade type of stop in Jakarta. I've never once been asked to pay a bribe in Bali for not having my passport or for any other reason while I am in a taxi or rented car in Bali. In Bali, if the police have stopped a car I was in, they have always hassled the driver and left the passengers alone. In Jakarta, it's just the opposite. If they see a westerner in the car in Jakarta, they don't even worry about the driver, they go right for the westerner sitting in the back seat. I think in Bali they mainly hassle the people driving motorbikes or full time bali residents with their own car.

[QUOTE=Smoothy;1704124]So you had your passport with you and they let you go? You were lucky. Normally, it doesn't matter if you have your passport with you or not. They will still want a bribe and will just come up with some other BS excuse to ask for money. Their normal story is that you need to file with the police station when you arrive and they want to see the report that you filed with the station. But even my friends who live in Jakarta working for major companies with a legal kitas and carrying their passport have to pay the police bribes at those stop points on occasion. Carrying your passport does not guarantee that you will not be hassled. I personally think it's a very bad idea to carry your passport. I used to carry mine in Africa because the company I was working with asked me to. It ended up getting stolen from me one night in a bar when I was quite drunk. I haven't carried it with me since. I'd prefer to pay the 100 k rupiah (about 8 bucks usd) than risk any possible chance of losing or damaging my passport. I've been pulled over by the cops about 10 times in over 10 years. It's not that big of an issue. And I go out a lot.[/QUOTE]Yes, the couple of times I got stopped and had my original passport with me they just looked at it and let me go. But I agree even having the original passport does not guarantee that there won't be another (concocted) reason for the police to solicit a bribe.

But getting back to another point, I have the impression, but not based on a lot of information, this police behavior has diminished a bit over the course of the last year or so. Does anyone else have this impression (or the contrary one that it hasn't diminished)?

[QUOTE=LAGuy5;1704114]Incidentally, I was in a Blue Bird taxi with a wingman, and there was no reason for the traffic stop other than that the police officer appeared to be there for the sole purpose of doing shakedowns. I reached this conclusion because on other occasions I walked by the exact same spot, and saw the same thing being done to others, but also saw that he (or another cop at the same location) was selective in who he stopped.[/QUOTE]Which is why, when passing the police box at the start of Hayam Wuruk heading north at night (especially late at night) I tend to slip forward on the seat in the back of the taxi, so that only the top of my head (or less) is visible from the outside of the car.

Last time I got stopped, in that same area incidentally, all I remember is a door opening and a hand being stuck in, with the international sign of rubbing thumb and fingers together indicating it was time to depart with some cash. Doubt I would have been able to find the passport in the state I was in. If I had it!