Auto Tips

Driving and Parking

14 February, 2018

Almost every city dwellers feels the need to own a private vehicle, be it cars or motorcycles. Looking cool is one of the needs that is important to be fulfilled by some people, but the most important factor is to feel comfortable in commuting—just like Wuling’s priority in making cars. We realize there are many public transportations often halt and sometimes drop passengers in the middle of the road for lacking passengers, even taking or dropping off passengers not by the bus stop provided by the local government.

One of the reasons related to comfort is security; we used to hear acts of robbery even sexual harassment on public transportations. What is the best way to avoid such things from happening? You can read it here. But, of course the reason for using private vehicle is to achieve a better life, right?

Also read: Footing, Transmission and Fuel

There is, however, another factor in regards to comfort and better life, but often goes unnoticed or intentionally ignored, that is parking issue. Not only at residential areas, even by the road side we often see vehicles parked recklessly. But, what and how is the ideal parking lot? Let’s see some of the examples from other countries and how they apply their parking systems.

1. Hong Kong purposefully put their parking system in order to maintain an organised traffic and security. Considering the city’s format which contains more vertical residences (apartment) compared to landed housing making it hard for people to own a car, much less to think about parking it. While for citizens with relatively higher income, it is no longer an issue since they must already have the solution, that is to park their cars in a parking building. The tariff imposed is quite various; hourly, daily, up to monthly-based. The hourly rate ranges between HK$20—HK$30, while the daily rate costs about HK$160—HK$200, while for monthly rate costs about HK$1,700—HK$5,200-ish. Or if you’re thinking about purchasing your own parking lot it may cost you about HK$5 million! This price once set the record as the most expensive parking tariff in the world. Try comparing it with your local parking spot that costs only about US$0.30—0.40 per hour, pretty astonishing, right?
2. APS or Automated [car] Parking System or APF (Automated Parking Facility) was firstly built in France due to the need of a more limited parking space. The shape and the mechanism were a multilevel concrete building equipped with a special elevator that can accommodate and transport the car to the top level and then there are officers who would park it manually. Furthermore, as technology develops, now this type of parking is controlled automatically.
3. Not just for cars, Japan is one country that sees the importance of bicycles as a mode of transportation – as well as for the storage. Approximately 72 million bicycles are owned by the Japanese citizens and run the Japan’s traffic by 14%. Quite the opposite of the APS, bicycle parking system in Japan uses underground storage. In its home country, the system, termed as Churinjo, is active from 5 am to midnight, the price ranges from 100—200 Yen (Rp12.000—25.000). Some even impose free tariff for the first 2-hour use. The parking lot is very unique, because from the outside it just looks like a kiosk, the rider only needs to put his bike in the lane embedded on the side of the ‘kiosk’, insert his coins, then within a matter of 8 seconds your bike disappears into the kiosk.
4. Indonesia also wants to keep up it seems. But, this time Bandung stole our attention, instead of Jakarta, because this capital of West Java was the first to apply the parking meter tool in its main streets. Precisely on December 24, 2013 Braga Street the officials implanted three parking meters. By entering the coins in accordance with the applicable rates and in accordance with the length of hours of parking, then the parking ticket will be automatically dispensed. This machine not only helps the orderliness of the parking at the roadside but also helps the local governance’s revenue, so that the city will receive more income and the people can be more prosperous

Also read: The Function of The Safety Features

Now, there is another thing you need to consider before purchasing your own car; have you already had your own parking spot? Let’s be a part of the society who are more organised so Indonesia can be better.