Moving to Indonesia with a disability

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 4335174ear perfect mobility.
Other than the better shopping malls, very little takes any note of anyone other than fit people.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … =2#4335174

Those with mobility problems, especially wheelchair users will have problems here.
There are no provisions at all outside the newer shopping centres and offices of newer large businesses.
All the new centres have disabled toilets and ramp entrances, but these are about the only places with access designed for wheelchair uses. The pavements (Sidewalks), if they have them at all, are commonly rough and have steps to get up and down, that and bars designed to prevent motorcyclist using them but also blocking wheelchairs.
You'll find most public transport is all but useless to you if you have any sort of disability that slows you down when walking or makes stairs difficult to climb. The new TransJakarta buses have wheelchair facilities but they are of little use as access to most stops aren't wheelchair friendly.
There's almost nothing outside the larger towns and cities for disabled people.

I’ve been living in Indonesia for 10 years.  I’ve travelled all over the world and It’s probably the least handicap accessible country I’ve ever been.  There are lots of small steps everywhere and almost no ramps for wheelchairs.  Even crosswalks will have steps and curbs rather than ramps, but what is really annoying is that the crosswalks are completely ignored by motorists.  Drivers will literally speed up if they see a pedestrian try to cross the street.  A taxi driver hit both me and my wife as we were walking in a crosswalk at a mall knocking both of us down spilling out groceries all over the street and badly scratching my wife’s hands and knees from falling down.  I dragged the driver out of the car because he tried to flee the scene and the security at the mall acted more interested in protecting the driver from me kicking his ass than they were concerned that the asshole had just run us down.  They offered no assistance to my injured wife and even refused to write up a report or call the police.  They all just tried to have a big laugh about it and wanted us to think it was a big funny accident.  My wife and I had to call the taxi company and report the incident to them.  Luckily my wife had photographed the driver and the car.  My wife is Indonesia and let them know in very colorful local dialect that  she was totally pissed at the behavior of the security and the driver and pressed the issue until I think they got fired from their job for being so incompetent.   Indonesian people will  smile and laugh and be super friendly to your face most of the time, but that’s largely because they want to avoid conflict.  They can be total assholes when driving or using basic common sense manners like waiting for people to exit before entering an elevator - they like to just walk right into each other and you will get bumped into constantly with no apologies. 
Public transportation is nonexistent with exception to taxi or Grab.  Jakarta does have a new railway system and some busses, Denpasar has some modern busses and Surabaya is starting a bus program, but none of them are very convenient and certainly not handicapped accessible. 
Indonesians seem to hate walking - they will drive rather than walk 50 meters down the street, so there are very few real sidewalks here outside of major tourist areas, hotels and malls - and even n places where there are sidewalks, they are not always clear. Often they tend to be occupied by street vendors , parked cars and motorcycles, so a bit tricky to navigate if in a wheelchair, walker, cane or crutches..  Most “sidewalks” are just thin cement blocks covering open sewage drains - another person posted a photo of this already). I actually fell through one of these “sidewalks” and broke my knee.  After that, It was very difficult getting around on crutches.  Even in a fancy giant shopping mall where there where actually escalators and elevators, people will literally just walk right into you with no concern for your disability.  I was almost knocked down by a man when I was clumsily attempting to open a doorway to enter a mall while fumbling with my crutches (rather than hold the door open for me or just open another door for himself, he Just forced his way though my door, and when I shouted at him and hit him with my crutches, he just gave me a blank stare as if he didn’t even realize he had just almost knocked me down. 
Don’t expect any one to hold a door open for you here.  Expect lots of smile and soft polite talk, but very rude actions.

I hear you. I suppose their lack of any "Real Education" has left them with lack of any "Real Common Sense". All of those "Fake Smiles" don't fool me anymore. There are times I regret moving here.

I hear you.

"I suppose their lack of any "Real Education" has left them with lack of any "Real Common Sense". All of those "Fake Smiles" don't fool me anymore. There are times I regret moving here."

Indonesia is not for everyone.  Expats ebb and flow like the tides here.  Many are called, but few are chosen. 

And that’s OK…or at least, it should be viewed as being OK.

Hello Bhavna. I have two stumps where my legs should be. But I am able to walk around using my hands (I use gloves to keep my hands clean). I think accessibility to many places in Indonesia is bloody awful. Also people often stare at me like I am a freak show which is very disheartening. I lost my legs in a diving accident many years ago when in the navy.