Take the way Indonesians drive. Here more than any other country that I have driven in, and the list includes over 60 countries including many in Africa, people are impatient and will cut you off to get in front, even just to stop and park a hundred meters further down the road. many times I have been cut off by a public minibus with the driver forcing his way in front only to have them drive slowly in front of me. The “me first” attitude takes precedence over any kind of good manners.

In banks, at airport counters and supermarket checkouts many Indonesians will just cut in front and when rebuked take offense. Any Indonesian in any sort of position of power will just refuse to queue at all simply walking to the front of the line, often with a herd of handlers pushing others out of the way.

Another example of rudeness is the way that the whole country is run at full volume. Every mosque, cafe, PA system or any other form of amplifier is driven to maximum distortion level in the search for more volume. Recently the primary school across the road from my house started playing music over their PA system starting at 06:00 AM in the morning and naturally it is at maximum volume.

At least four of the almost twenty mosques that can be heard from my house have upgraded their amplifiers in the past few months and are also pumping out maximum volume in a hideous cacophony of sound that lasts not just the few minutes for the call to prayer but for more than half an hour. At the maternity hospital where my wife gave birth a mosque just down the road had one of the loudest sound systems I have heard and had the call to prayer lasting for about an hour each time with two of the loudspeakers aimed directly at the hospital.

I have just begun mentioning this sort of thing to my friends and acquaintances. Westerners here are often thought to be rude by their direct speech (in comparison to the locals) but there are very few westerners who would even contemplate playing music at maximum volume early in the morning on a normal stereo, far less over a PA system.

Most westerners would not consider this clever or in any way indicative of status, they would simply consider it rude and offensive.

Not all roads use such “limiting” devices with more than half of the roads showing no such markings. Where they are shown, even when new and in full view of Indonesia’s “Finest” (the police force for those who are confused, it’s called sarcasm) they are treated with utter contempt which should be reserved for most of the so-called “Finest”.

At least 90% of Indonesian drivers and motorcycle riders use the racing line on any curve in any road. I remember being taught in a defensive driving class to consider that leaning a motorcycle may take your upper body across the centre line so more care should be taken.

Here it is more a case of leaning the motorcycle taking the rider’s upper body across the opposite side walk (where members of that endangered species exist) and the limits seem to be set by the kaki lima gerobak selling noodles or other delicacies.

Where one half of a road is blocked by a parked (or double parked) vehicle the deciding factor in passing these is not whose lane is blocked but who gets to the opening first or can act in the most imperious manner.

On multi lane carriageways the lane marking white line finally comes into popular use. Most drivers use it as a guide for where the centre of their vehicle should be. They can move a bit to the left or right as required to stop any chance of getting around them, despite the fact that they are driving very slowly because it is hard to move at speed while typing an SMS on your cell phone.

In many places use of the left lane is seen as a sign of unmanliness and is to be avoided. As a nod to the legalities many truck drivers keep one set of wheels just across the lane marker which makes the space too narrow to get by. This means that the only time you can get around a truck is when the road takes a bend to the left when the racing line comes into play.

This article is the first of series that I am planning to write, keep your eyes open for the next. Suggestions on topics are welcome as well.