Commuters attempting to get to and from the outer cities of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi discover the devoted lanes cease as soon as they leave the town limits. A rush-hour BRT from Bogor to the centre takes two or three hours, and in Jakarta itself law enforcement officials turn a blind eye to cars and motorbikes using bus lanes when gridlock strikes. Since Makarim’s company revolutionised the bike taxi – or ojek – business with the launch of a smartphone app last 12 months, numbers have risen dramatically. Along with Malaysian rival Grab, and Uber’s Motor service, they’ve driven down fares – to the anger of some drivers. Head andneck injuriessuch as concussions or fractures of the cranium are by far the most common accidents sparked by motorbike accidents.
