A Becak carrying a couple of parents and their children was driving down the main street of Cirebon

When you walk down the street in Cirebon, you will often see bicycle cabs called Becak running around. Here, Becak is still in use as a means of transportation for the common people. Instead, you rarely see motorcycle cabs, which used to be plentiful in Jakarta. It's not that big of a city, so I guess people prefer to take cheap bicycle cabs even if it takes a long time rather than moving fast by bike.

In Asia, there are many places where bicycle cabs run. In Vietnam and Cambodia, there are ciclos; in Malaysia, trishaws; in the Philippines, tricycles (complicated because the name is the same for those with engines); and in India and Nepal, bicycle cabs called cycle rickshaws. And here in Indonesia, there is Becak. Although they are different in form, all of them are powered by human power, are inexpensive, and have become a means of transportation for the common people. It is interesting to note that although they were not introduced with environmental issues in mind, they have become eco-friendly. I had a feeling that they would disappear when automobiles became popular, but they may survive.

As I walked along a large street, a Becak came from the other side. There was a passenger riding on a seat attached to the front of the bike, just like the cyclo you see in Vietnam and Cambodia. The passengers were not alone. There were two women on board, each carrying a young child. In total, there were four people on the bike. It seems to be the norm here to have several people riding on one Becak.

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