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In a ten on Tuesday form on a Wednesday π abhi thoda belated tou chalta hai na
- Bangalore auto drivers are amazing and impartial people they don’t like to hurt anyone so they continuously refuse to go everywhere. After all if they go to place A and not place B, it won’t be fair right? And no I am kidding, ask anyone. I have once asked an auto driver “where will you go, I will go to that place” in as many words because he said no to atleast 10 people in front of me
- They also don’t want you to waste too much of your time and hence any distance above 15kms is really not done, but wait lets be fair to them and not go too near too, so there is a minimum distance limit of 5kms. So kindly chose your travels to be anywhere between 5-15km. Anything not falling in this bracket is strictly a passenger’s fault and an oversight in planning the city
- Meter, whats that? Its just an evil device forced on them you see and its mandatory to add atleast Rs 25-50 to the amount which comes on it (if at all its used that is) else they will be in such a loss, poor auto drivers
- Another thing you must remember about these guys is they don’t believe in keeping change with them, it’s an insult you see so if your bill is not a round figure (note Rs 50 or Rs 100) its your responsibility to give him change and please if you don’t have change, don’t insult the poor man by asking it back so what that it sometimes might even be Rs34 (I have myself been forced to leave this amount once) forget about single digit numbers
- They also love bangalore as it used to be u know, the small city comprising or malleshwaram and MG road and frazer town and around. So all new places are really out of the city and hence demand a double meter and this includes areas like outer indira nagar and if u live in Martahahalli or hosur road, god help you. All I can say is “Good Luck”
- Somehow in Bangalore I see another huge problem, the poor auto wallas never ever find a savari back you see, whether its a drop in the middle of kormangala or whitefield or even sometime MG road, I think we people of Bangalore must have a sensor which detects that this auto just dropped someone here and hence we shouldn’t take him
- There are so many phone applications that these days provide you with shortest distance and some even with the fastest route to a destination, but have you ever seen an application which provides you with the longest possible route,Bangalore has many such walkie talkie applications yes our dear auto driver who else. He knows the longest route from every A to B possible in the city
- What its 8 o clock? and what u still are on the roads? its your fault obviously and the poor auto walla has to pay for it now to drop you to your house I say. U better give him atleast the double of what is the meter, even if the rule actually is 1.5 times after 10:00 pm. Auto drivers of Bangalore believe in following nature and not the man made clocks and the natural cycle says 8pm is dark and is night
- All auto drivers in Bangalore are slowly getting impressed by their Chennai counterparts and turn promptly to Kannada if there is any confusion whileΒ interacting. So inspite of living in this city without Kannada for 10 yrs now I feel the need for it. May be they are acting as government agents and helping the govt implement the learn Kannada rule
- And last but not the least inspite of everything if you have gone lucky and got an auto, I have only one thing to say “good luck” for two reasons – one you should reach where you have to safely as they really are the most rash drivers on the road and two I pray for your mental peace because they really are an expert in every single thing in Bangalore
- And this bonus point for people who are on the other side of auto drivers (including me most of the times). They are also the best friends of car drivers and even better than police in keeping accidents at bay, what confused? Ask any car driver in Bangalore and they will tell you how extra alert they become when they see an auto near their car, after all if an auto is driving in the middle of the lane and going either side every two minutes, you really can’t be anything but alert and I have always been taught “being alert is the best way to avoid an accident” π
This post actually started in my mind after I tweeted saying this because the Mumbai folks were cribbing about their auto drivers and the response I got was am I sure π
Dear Mumbai people I know strike is bad but if u hate ur auto wallahas so much please pass them to
#Bangalore we’ll gladly take them
so tell me now folks u think the same π Trust me having an experience in auto drivers in four major cities in India I think Bombay really has the best auto drivers (it might seem like a case of andhon main kana raja but nonetheless) followed by Delhi (right now) and the only city which probably beats Bangalore is Chenai… so my sympathies with them, may be we can split the mumbai auto wallahs chennai if u promise to share the murugan idlies with me π
Writerzblock said:
Oh I love Mumbai autowallahs too, they even return change. Chennai autowallahs – er, please don’t even mention them. These days, I hire only one autodriver for my entire stay, so even if he fleeces me, atleast I know his family will be well-fed!
monikamanchanda said:
LOL @the family will be well fed but I know what u mean
sandhya said:
Ok, this is a seriously hilarious post, Monika, and the topic too close to my heart, so I had to comment.
IMO you are correct in the gradation of ‘kamina’ behaviour (sorry for the bad language!) Mumbai is by far the best. I think it may be because of the cosmopolitan nature of the city, (in serious trouble after MNS created its brand of apartheid) AND the fact that the city has a fabulous network of local trains and bus system. I have yet had to have an autowalla in Mumbai ask me ‘where’ I wanted to go before agreeing to ferry me there.
Delhi, I don’t know, having been there for a total of 3 days in all my life, and travelling with family in cars. Chennai- yes, language is a big problem there and woe betide you if you insisted in communicating in Hindi. English may be OK.
Here’s one post of mine on the Bangalore autowallas.
http://arightowrite.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-dont-really-think-murphy-ever-went.html
monikamanchanda said:
thanks I sometimes wonder why the hell do they do this. its their livelihood right?
Sirisha Achanta (@Vevisia) said:
ditto Hyderabad! I tell you its an India thing!
monikamanchanda said:
sigh
pixie said:
LOL!!
I was asked for Rs 60 constantly to get to Forum from my place!
Bangalore auto-walas!! Less said is better about them!! π
monikamanchanda said:
I know I know I know
Prats said:
I totally agree with you, Mumbai is by far the best when the Autos are concerned, and Chennai is the worst and Bangalore is close contender to Chennai.
monikamanchanda said:
someone explain this to the folks from mumbai
Avinash Vem said:
You see this is a hilarious piece..Well written.
Really surprised to know that bangalore is so worse that you are able to talk abt it in the same breath as chennai… Anyways Chennai is the worst and please take all the idlis and sambar you want if you really can share the chennai auto wallahs burden…
monikamanchanda said:
thanks glad u liked it…. ha ha ha I know we’ll do anything for good auto wallahas right?
sujathasathyas said:
agree Monica. you’ve understood these poor lot really well.
the thing that irks me the most is when they say “no savari madam”. hello,am i supposed to now guarantee a passenger back for him in addition to paying extra for taking me to point A in the first place? arggghhh
monikamanchanda said:
arrghh indeed
anna's mom said:
soo true. each and every point. i have an addendum for point 6. once when i went to office by auto the auto wallah asked for an absurd amount. i told him that the usual argument of ‘sawari nahi milegi’ won’t work here because there are plenty of sawaris. to which he said that yahan bohot auto rehte hain to sawari ke liye line mein lagna padta hai. it’s really a case of heads i win and tails you lose.
monikamanchanda said:
ROFL I mean he really said that? good heavens
RS said:
I just left a comment on Sangi’s post saying how the auto drivers are not too bad and I have never had much problems with them. And then I come here and read the complete opposite!
My only grouse is the tampered meter and since I generally know the distance in kms I used to end up arguing with them for the change and that their meters are tampered. Not anymore especially if Im with the child – I do tell them that they have tampered meters but dont fight for a couple of Rs change…
monikamanchanda said:
u really in bangalore? lucky in that case… touchwood π
umesh derebail said:
Before giving extension of permit or fitness certificate all auto drivers should be in turns sent to mumbai for learning how to drive and expect the right fare, pie to pie. Mumbai is the best auto system in India. Mangalore too has improved in going by meter. You are right Blore auto guys are influenced by Tamil Nadu culture of autos not resorting to meter.
monikamanchanda said:
ha ha ha I like that idea and thanks for commenting
Smita said:
π As I had said on twitter, Auto wallahs is a breed of irrant professionals who know that they have the power and thus they use it. Period!
monikamanchanda said:
yeah but the difference in the intensity of that behaviour is huge and bombay and blore π
Smita said:
Read the comment above yours, I can not believe that you guys feel that Mumbai Auto Wallah’s don’t cheat, specially after the strike which was a result of tampered meteres!!! I mean really?
There have been instances where the drivers refuse to ply to a specific area and trust me no amount of cajoling or threats work, may be sometimes threats do work but usually they don’t.
I am not saying that B’lore rick wallah’s are better than Mumbai ones all I am saying that grass always appears greener the other side. Things aren’t better here as well.
monikamanchanda said:
the thing smitha is that in Mumbai u say “there have been instances where drivers refuse to ply…” and in bangalore u say “there have been instances where the driver actually agreed to ply”
that is all I have to say π
Shilpa Garg said:
Oh my! They are that bad!! π
Have the experience of this breed in Mumbai and now in Jaipur… and they are gems as compared to the guys at your place!! π
monikamanchanda said:
did u do a touchwood when u said that π
Seema said:
Hey Monika,
Came here via Sangitha’s post on auto drivers. My experience in this city for the past one year makes me agree with you verbatim. Citing an experience, I finally got an auto after rejecting many to get back home with 2 kids along and huge luggage. He quoted 50 rupees while on meter it comes to somewhere between 35-40. I was exhausted and hopped in. When he almost reached my place, he says “Aur bhi andar jaana hai? To mujhe 70 dijiye.” I sulked and said “Chor to aapse kaafi behetar hote hain, kam se kam andhere mein anjaane se loot-te hain. Aap to besharam ki tarah din dahade seena taanke loot-te hain” This statement hit him so hard that he retorted “Thik hai. 50 rupaye hi to de rahe hain. Usmein itni baatein kyu suna rahe hain? Free mein de rahe hain kya aap?” I said “Haan, 40 rupees agar meter mein uthta hai to mein aapko 10 rupaye daan hi to kar rahi hoon”. He kept his mouth shut and didnt utter a word after that! Grrrr… And this is inspite of the fact that I speak very good Kannada!
monikamanchanda said:
sigh everyday story of people who use autos in blore π¦ I wonder can we do something about it
Sonal Gupta Maheshwari said:
Hi Monika!
I saw your blog – losing for a cause while researching on Anju Sood – stumbled upon your blog.
Motivated by what you have written, I am planning to join her too. Just wanted to take your advise on how did your diet/ experience with her go? how has it worked? was it a good decision to join her?
Do you suggest i should join her?
Hope everything went super well for you!
Cheers!
Sonal
monikamanchanda said:
thanks for the comment, whether u join her or not is your personal decision but yes it did help me a lot
sudhagee said:
I am a Mumbaikar, and have to say that only Rule 11 applies to Mumbai. π As for the rest, do you live on another planet π
monikamanchanda said:
welcome here sudhagee π
Diligent Candy said:
Ahahahaha, Autowalla app would be so successfully …. they are a complete menace.
monikamanchanda said:
autowalla app sounds intersting my dear candy only if any app could manage to control them π
Kanupriya said:
Agree totally, word by word, absolutely relatable! I mean one who has survived with bangalore & chennai auto guys can manage it anywhere in this country. Superpowers they are!!! In fact when I had relocated to Bangalore from Mumbai, I used to wonder how double charge at just 8 pm! As you rightly said, its my problem rather a crime to be on road at this time, now go figure on how to go back home. I had written my experience with bangalore autos almost two years back & I think the scenario remains same till date – http://mixedexpressions.blogspot.com/2009/04/main-aur-woh-auto.html
monikamanchanda said:
sigh its all just so irritating sometimes I wonder what would they do if we did a strike against them
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ravindra rajput said:
I have stayed in chennai, bangalore , mumbai , delhi and now residing in noida.
I have seen autowallahs of all these cities and let me tell you chennai autowallahs are the worst whereas mumbai auto walas are best..Even i would request all mumbai folks to exchange their autowallas with those from delhi.. sab pata chal jayega
monikamanchanda said:
welcome here ravindra, frankly I wont wish the blore auto guys to even enemies phir bombay main tou friends hai π
Mandira said:
Mon, some of this stuff.. no, a lot of this stuff, is also true of Delhi autowalas! They over-charge, hardly ever return change(not as much as 34 bucks though),refuse to take you to your destination, talk rudely. I really miss Bombay for its wonderful public transportation system. Back there, you never ask the autowala if he will take you to place x. You just sit in the auto and give directions. π Of course in some parts of the city, the autos are becoming difficult. Andheri E for instance, but thats because the roads are very congested and traffic is terrible, so the autowalas refuse to go to places where they know they will get stuck in a jam.
monikamanchanda said:
mandy tell this to smitha no π BTW I never said delhi doesnt face any issues. but on a scale of 1-10 its not as bad as blore also I did the situation has improved a bit there post the metro
Anita (@AnitaRane) said:
This is an awesome and is so so true. Blore auto guys are more worse than Bombay guys! I wrote a post too, do check it out: http://bit.ly/qsnpCG
monikamanchanda said:
thanks for the comment anita. will check ur post
Rahul said:
A tacit way of projecting business acumen of auto wallah fraternity
monikamanchanda said:
thank u rahul π
Deeps said:
OMG, cant tell you how much your post reminded me of our Dilli ke autowallas! And i loved your retort, βwhere will you go, I will go to that placeβ ..:lol:!
monikamanchanda said:
π thanks
Reema said:
thankfully we have had very less interaction with auto guys here. just 2-3 times. MIL and FIL had to walk a long distance once at night due to these autowalas’ refusal to ply. I drive my own two wheeler and in Bangalore traffic, two wheelers are a bliss!
sharon said:
A true insight of wat happens in Bangalore !!
Every word mentioned above is 100% genuine !!!
Hats off to the writer for taking time to create this page
Pls spread the word …..
I hate just hate Bangalore autowallas
I’m ready to give 100 Rs to a complete stranger or a beggar but won’t give a paisa to these people…
I reside in Bangalore (k.r puram)
Everyday I hav to see their ugly faces and have to bear them as my college happens to b located Wer there are very less busses :-((((
My opinion would b to use public transport as much as possible or walk for short distance ….
Ashwini said:
If this is the case of Bangalore autowallas then they must be some “Bichade Hue Bhai” of Pune autowallas π
kayemofnmyk said:
Everyone of you agrees that autowallahs hold you to ransom. Isn’t there anything you all can do together to get them to go straight (in every sense) and stop fleecing you?