I opened the application, used the icons to get around, and made my first call. To my surprise, the driver called me and began asking me a million and one questions about where I was and how he could pick me up. Since in the beginning I knew very little Bahasa Indonesian, I had to mix some Indonesian words with English words, which the driver didn't know. Driving on an ojek can make you feel a little nervous at times. The driver will pass other drivers and will sometimes drive opposite against traffic. Nonetheless, the drivers are often super polite and kind. They even offer you plastic rain jackets and pants if it rains (hujan) outside. Now as an experienced ojek user, I use my own helmet because sometimes the helmet given to you is too loose or without proper straps. Safety first, kids!
Since Bukittinggi is high up in the mountains, it is very hard to build large well connected tracks. Families rarely have cars as they prefer to use motorcycles or the angkots. After talking to a couple of car ride-sharing drivers, I've learned that most cars in the area are used solely for ride-sharing, as cars are very expensive for people here. The convenience of ride-sharing apps provide families with the convenience of taking their families to a destination together safely.
I am sometimes amazed by how full I usually find ankots and buses to be. It also goes to show how popular domestic vacationing is. Lots of families from neighboring villages visit Bukittinggi on the weekends. On the other hand, ojeks are used by everyone— the elderly, the young, and the unhurried.
