Sepeda Motor

They're everywhere. Big, little, for singles, doubles, families. Eamon's fascinated by them. Dubbed nyamuk or mosquito, motorcycles are the ubiquitous transport of Jakarta. The perfect answer to traffic, motorbikes duck and dart through the smallest gaps imaginable carrying not just people, but cargo of all shapes and sizes.

While in the car or walking outside, Eamon often points them out, crying "Mum, I saw a motorbike with a mummy and daddy with helmets and a little boy without a helmet" or "That motorbike had 2 big people and 2 small people on it". Surprisingly, helmets are fairly common (I have no idea if they are required by law or not), at least for adults. Given they are a popular mode of family transport, it is common to see mum and or dad with helmet, and one, two, three kids precariously perched, sandwiched or standing in front of the driver, peering over the handlebars, babies slung on hips all absent any headwear at all. But then, I suspect it is difficult to buy toddler sized motorcycle helmets!

My favourites are those carrying cargo (although the ones with pillion passenger seated sidesaddle also amuse me) - in particular, ice vendors (or so I assume), travelling along with one or more metre long blocks of ice tied across the seat behind them. Or those with boxes of all shapes and sizes attached by string to the back, making the bike rival our car in dimension. Or the chap happily heading home with a 42" flat screen tv in the hands of his passenger. I've seen them with a dozen pizza boxes, with crates of eggs, all manner of household goods and appliances!

I'm also intrigued by the refueling stations set up on the footpath (where there are any) or side of the road. No need to find a service station for a top-up, just stop at the table full of old water bottles, thriftily refilled with benzin (petrol) and off you go.

At traffic lights, a veritable mass of riders weave their way to the front and sit out into the intersection, never content to wait for cars if there is even a hint of a space around. Many treat all roads as one way - in the direction they are travelling - driving on the wrong side whenever oncoming cars allow. Seemingly invincible, motorcyclists actually comprise well over 90% of Jakarta's road accidents - over 1000 fatalities per year. They're also dirty and polluting - adding to air quality that is already a health crisis in itself.

But while the nyamuk, like their namesake, can be incredibly irritating while buzzing around, they do have one redeeming quality their insect cousins don't - they provide a constant source of interest, entertainment and, in Eamon's case, excitement to otherwise tedious journeys!