Friday, May 04, 2012

Markets in Everything: Professional Hitchhikers

"Jakarta's carpooling laws were meant to ease traffic jams. Instead, they have spawned an industry of professional hitchhikers who help drivers comply with highway rules -- for a fee. Hundreds of men, women and children line the main arteries of the Indonesian capital every weekday, offering to ride in private vehicles during rush hours, when cars are obliged to carry at least three passengers on key stretches.

The "jockeys" -- as they are known -- do not stick out their thumbs like typical hitchhikers around the world. Here, one finger signifies a jockey working solo, while two offers a pair, usually a mother with a child in tow. In a country where millions are struggling to climb out of poverty and into an expanding middle class the jockeys -- who charge about a dollar a ride -- have turned their services into a career."

HT: Matthew Lesich

5 Comments:

At 5/04/2012 9:31 AM, Blogger Hell_Is_Like_Newark said...

This sort of reminds me of the carpool lanes that were first introduced on the Garden State Parkway back in the late 70's / early 80's.

I remember as a kid seeing car that had two passengers in the back (one reading a newspaper). The newspaper reader started to "fall over". The driver reached back and propped him back up.

The 'passengers' were mannequins.

 
At 5/04/2012 12:49 PM, Blogger AIG said...

See! Government creates jobs!

 
At 5/06/2012 2:32 AM, Blogger JakeW said...

I guess if you're late for work and you know the carpool lane might save you 15 minutes or so, $1 would be worth it.

 
At 5/06/2012 9:06 PM, Blogger Hydra said...

They have something similar in Washington.

Called slugs, they line up at the park and ride lots to form impromptu car pools.

Those desiring rides to Different areas of the city form up in separate lines. No signs, everybody just knows.

 
At 5/07/2012 9:21 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

"Those desiring rides to Different areas of the city form up in separate lines. No signs, everybody just knows."

And I thought you didn't understand spontaneous order. Silly me.

 

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