By : Ali Syarief
After sunset, I suddenly heard a loud “punteeeeeen.” His voice was a bit harsh but still humorous. When I opened the door to my living room, I found that it was my neighbor, Prof. David McCullum, who had been living in northern Bandung for about six years. He asked me to help him find the book “How to Drive Safely in Indonesia.” I smiled when I heard that!
“What happened, Dave?” I asked.
“I’m really confused about driving here, Ali,” he complained.
At first, I suspected this poor Caucasian; his car was dented from several collisions. I sometimes call him “Dave” or “Daud” in Bahasa. He didn’t want to buy a new car because almost every time he drove, he complained about how nervous and stressed he felt.
“I love staying here, Ali. People smile at me everywhere. But when I drive, it’s just horrible,” David continued.
I was finally awakened to his perspective when I was in Germany last month, discussing safe driving with my friend Mr. Greg Wagner (a German guy). It became clear to me that the Indonesian way of thinking is very different from the Western way, particularly when it comes to driving. It’s all about the underlying philosophy.
In the Western world, generally, when someone is behind the wheel and follows all the traffic signs, they feel like they’ve become the king of the road. This is my approach! They don’t care about who’s behind them, in front of them, or on their side—what matters most is to keep driving and following the rules. For them, the focus is on “saving themselves” from anything bad happening.
In contrast, the driving philosophy in Indonesia is different. When someone sits behind the wheel here, they must of course follow traffic rules, but more importantly, they need to be vigilant and cautious. Drivers must always be prepared for sudden situations: someone crossing in front of them, another car merging from the left or right, etc. The primary concern is not just to save themselves but also to “save others,” avoiding collisions in the process.
I was deeply impressed by the driving culture in Japan. The discipline, orderliness, and unwavering commitment to following traffic rules are nothing short of remarkable. When I asked my friend Ken-san, who speaks English very well, “What goes through your mind when you’re behind the wheel in Japan?” he responded with a quiet but firm conviction: “I must follow the traffic rules—and always be mindful of the safety of others.” This sense of responsibility and care for others on the road left a lasting impression on me. It reminded me that driving is not just about following rules for one’s own safety but about creating a collective harmony, where every driver looks out for the well-being of others.
In Japan, it’s even common to know who’s driving in front of you. Cars driven by elderly individuals are often marked with a special sticker as a warning to other drivers, signaling them to exercise extra caution. This practice reflects the deep sense of respect and responsibility embedded in Japan’s driving culture, where every driver is considerate of others on the road, ensuring everyone’s safety is prioritized.
Though David McCullum returned to his home country, my reflections on the differences in driving philosophies linger. It was as if Mr. Wagner’s insights and my experiences in Japan had combined to show me how the act of driving is not merely about getting from point A to point B—it is a reflection of the values we hold, both as individuals and as societies.
