Indonesian police remind road users to take care by handing out flowers

Drivers and motorbike riders in Pandang, Indonesia, were given flowers at a road junction by police who asked them to drive safely and posed for photos on April 30.

Indonesia has some of the worst traffic in the world. Public transport is limited and hours-long traffic jams are routine in cities across the archipelago. Road safety is also a major problem, with traffic rules widely ignored and unenforced.

Witnesses said police in the city were asking the public to always follow the rules of the road, including the often-ignored requirements to wear helmets on motorbikes and seatbelts in cars.

Judging by the smiles and thumbs-ups, the unusual messaging was well-received.

Padang is the capital of Western Sumatra province, on the island of Sumatra, with a population of close to a million people.