Car ownership has increased so rapidly over the past thirty years that many cities in the world are now ‘one big traffic jam’. How true do you think this statement is? What measures can governments take to discourage people from using their cars?

Some people believe that traffic in some capital cities, such as Jakarta and Beijing, is no longer tolerable, or, at least, anyone can admit that they are far from adequate. However, there is still hope in forms of education and good city planning, which will be discussed below.

The road space will not be able to keep up with the buying power of a growing economy. If people are allowed to buy vehicles without limitation, they will surely buy more than two or even three vehicles per household. Ultimately this will lead to traffic problems, and there is no doubt that the main contributor to the traffic is the citizen (along with improper government ruling). If the government restricts the number of cars to be purchased, there will be less traffic in the city.

To be fair about the whole matter, one must consider the reason people want to own cars in their households. Owning a car raises social status, and this new car owner will be more respected in many ways. Understanding this, it is apparent that people’s perspective on the definition of success needs to be changed, and the only way to change how and what people think is by education.

The urgency to implement specific city regulations must be addressed. Providing good public transportation is a must, and for this purpose, buses, underground services, and bike lanes can be some alternatives. This need for public transportation system is vital and even more so in the future, so all government plans and efforts toward this should be supported and are therefore justified.

To conclude, willingness is the solution to solving traffic problems (and preventing people from buying cars). These are the willingness of the public to adapt to public transportation, the willingness to let go of the chance to improve their status by purchasing cars, and the willingness of the government to help create a better city atmosphere.

(DRAFT 20 MINUTES)