How to Drive in Balikpapan

Throughout Indonesia, traffic normally drives on the left hand side of the road. This is where similarities with driving in the UK end. This page is a guide to driving in Balikpapan, and is probably the closest you will get to an Indonesian Highway Code...

Flow

Driving in Balikpapan is much like cruising down a river - you go with the flow. The idea is to proceed as fast as you can, by moving out of the way of other vehicles, for example when they join the road or if they are moving slower than you are. You must at all costs avoid stopping - this is very bad for flow - but is easily achieved if you consider the rules of overtaking and priority.

Priority

In most situations, priority of vehicles is denoted by vehicle type, as follows:

Motorbike	Car	Kijang	Bus	Truck

Generally, the bigger the vehicle... the greater the priority....!

In any situation, the vehicle of the greatest priority has the right to continue unimpeded, with the vehicle of lower priority having to alter its course. For example, an overtaking bus has priority over a car, even though it would appear to be on the wrong side of the road. A Kijang joining a main road from a side street has priority over any cars and motorcycles which are on the main road - the kijang simply proceeds, and the cars/motorcycles move out of the way.

Overtaking

Do this at all opportunities. Overtaking on the inside, on bends, steep hills - even whilst you yourself are being overtaken - is not only to be expected, but an essential technique which is employed to achieve flow.

Traffic lights

Although these look similar to those in the UK, the procedure to follow differs:

	If lights are red...	you do not have right of way...	proceed.
	If lights are amber...	you may have right of way...	proceed.
	If lights are green...	you have right of way...	proceed.

Roundabouts

There are two options of how to proceed:

1. Normal approach - go around the roundabout in a clockwise direction
2. Alternative approach - go around the roundabout anticlockwise. In particular, do this if an overtaking opportunity arises, the flow dictates it, or if you just feel like it.

Hazard warning lights

There are only two uses:

1. When you are approaching a crossroads type junction, and you intend to go straight on.
2. When driving in very heavy rain (the kind that makes the roads wash away)

Under no circumstances should they be used to warn of a hazard.

Flashing headlights

Many people will flash their headlights at you - it means they have absolutely no intention of stopping, so do not get in their way. This is the only occasion when the rules of flow are over-ridden.

Horn

Use this at opportunities where you need to indicate your presence to other road users. For example, when overtaking, when a car pulls out in front of you, or just when driving along. Frequent beeping is considered normal, and is indicative of a good driver.

Oncoming traffic

Be prepared to see traffic coming towards you on your side of the road. This could be because of a number of reasons - sudden road closure, particularly rash overtaking, disappearance of road due to rain, or simply because the driver just felt like it. This is all very normal, you must adopt rules of priority and flow to deal with it.

Hand signals

The only signal to be aware of is a slight up-and-down wave from a passenger in a vehicle or on a motorbike. It is often the only indication that the driver intends to make (or has just completed making) a manoeuvre, although it could mean anything. Ignore it at your peril - the wave also means that the vehicle has no intention of looking where he is going, nor will he abort this manoeuvre.