The Vicious Cycle

I take pity to those security guards who are assigned to help manage the flow of traffic coming out of malls, or even guard pedestrian crossings. They’re not police, mind you, and everybody knows it – so the usual reverence reserved for police is hardly ever shown to them, when they are really only trying to help.In comes my firsthand example: a security guard is assigned to guard the pedestrian crossing between Plaza Senayan and Senayan City. Since both malls are almost always packed, there is always a high volume of traffic between the two, whether it is cars or people.The security guard manages to stop the traffic to let through a throng of people pass the pedestrian crossing, yet one motorcycle rider still tries to push through – even when a lot of people are already crossing the street. The security guards yells at the motorcycle rider and tries to push him back and block his way with his hand. So what happens? The motorcycle rider actually becomes angry and yells back, before speeding off, and all the while people are still crossing the road.Perhaps he had a nature call. Considering that, perhaps a lot of drivers and motorcycle riders in Jakarta are under a constant call from nature hence having to forget everything else, even safety.And thus the poor security guard asks to be rotated to another task, like going through people’s bags at the mall entrance.