[Mpower]

This question makes me scratch my head? No doubt Mumbai is our financial capital and incomes are much higher than national average
and people can afford to pay more for transportation, but Delhi, B'lore, Hyd, Chennai are right up there if not ahead.

Then how come I cannot walk out to the street corner and hail a free roaming cab in Bangalore. Frankly I could use an alternative to those smoky autos.

PS1: I know there are call-taxis and pre-paid taxis and Indicabs, but my question is specific to the black/yellow cabs that you can hail on the street corner.
PS2: No idea about Kolkata, please enlighten me !!!

[tifosikrishna]

if i am right, autos are not allowed to ply in mumbai city. that could be one reason why cabs are able to do viable business.

in chennai we have the black/yellow cabs, but restricted to airport and perhaps a few in the central railway station.

[islero]

A very good question, and one I dont have an answer for.

[ajmat]

May be we shoud rename the thread, how come there are no auto's in mumbai.

Simple, the authorities in Delhi and Mumbai have promoted cabs - by giving proper space for taxi ranks etc. Auto's are banned from Mumbai town centre. Similarly, Delhi, auto lincences were restricted.

As for Bangalore - auto drivers = vote bank

One thin I love when petrol prices go up , then the auto's go on strike normally and that it one of the best days to enjoy

[Abhay]

Kolkata definitely has cabs as I saw back in November (all Ambys) and driven like mad in the city!

As for why not cars in other towns/cities ? perhaps the fact that most otehr cities have crappy and narrow roads where taxis will add to the chaos since they need more space on road/to park and not as economical as an auto (lpg/cng)....

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by ajmat

One thin I love when petrol prices go up , then the auto's go on strike normally and that it one of the best days to enjoy

OT: also love it when it rains, and the 2 wheelers go off to the side....time to fly.

[Venkat]

It is true that autos definitely do drive out taxis. In Mumbai autos are permitted only upto Bandra / Sion. So taxis thrive in the city areas of Mumbai. But then taxis also do run in the suburbs, since there is a market for them.

Groups of 3 or 4, folks with luggage, people who want to arrive with clean clothes, make up or hairdo in place are all customers for taxis. As also pregnent women and others who cannot stand the jarring ride quality of autos. Or the heriocs either.

There are no taxis because the city administration has not supported them.

Meanwhile in Mumbai, there is news that a new range of taxis are going to come out. Phone networked, electronic metered, Honda Cities and airconditioned.

That sounds nice.

Venkat

[mail4ajo]

One thin I love when petrol prices go up , then the auto's go on strike normally and that it one of the best days to enjoy[/quote]

I just pray that Chennai is ridden of these auto karans

[Edmund]

I think the answer to the question why there are no 'Black & Yellow' Taxis in other cities is because they're all in Bombay!!!!! hahahahhahahhahaah!!!!

Just wanted to say that!!! Those padminis or 'dukkars' are on every friggin corner, in every possible lane.....just everywhere!!!!! Think about it!!!

[Rtech]

Not enough cabs in other cities? Please take a few thousand from here! As Edmund said, the "bees" (Black & yellows) line every single street in the City. They park 3 meters away from the pavement, reducing the already narrow roads to one laners.

Then, as there is no place for any more bees to park, the rest of them circle the city at 3kmph oblivious to traffic around them. However, the moment they see an amber light at the signal, they will run over anyone and anything in their way to get that light! And then as soon as they pass it, slow down to their 3kmph cruising speed!

The cabs themselves are 30 year old rust buckets with seats made from discarded matress springs, holes in the floorboard, a stink from the seat covers which had probably carried a basket of fish before you got in, and finally a ticking timebomb (CNG cylinder) barely 5 centimeters behind your back.

And after you get to where you're going - thats IF the cabby is in a mood to actually take you there - you have to due some wierd greek arithmatic to figure out how much to pay. Which, just like the cabs, will never be the same even though your daily route never changes!

Yes, we are indeed lucky to have them in our city!!

[tsk1979]

Autos work out cheaper. Thats why even from places where taxis are available, people prefer pre-paid autos to taxis. For example take delhi and Bangalore airports. People who dont have much luggage take autos. Same is the case at railway stations. In the city you dont walk around with luggage, so Autos are the winner because even after overcharging(1.5 of meter), they work out cheaper than the pre paid taxis. Its simple economics.
It works for everything. For example in connaught place delhi, ever since metro's come in on the main office route, the Auto revenue has gone down by 80%. When metro came to that area a news channel was interviewing Auto guys. They are not ready to take for the correct meter fare, no overcharging, and people still go by metro!

[revtech]

Originally Posted by Rtech

Not enough cabs in other cities? Please take a few thousand from here! As Edmund said, the "bees" (Black & yellows) line every single street in the City. They park 3 meters away from the pavement, reducing the already narrow roads to one laners.

Then, as there is no place for any more bees to park, the rest of them circle the city at 3kmph oblivious to traffic around them. However, the moment they see an amber light at the signal, they will run over anyone and anything in their way to get that light! And then as soon as they pass it, slow down to their 3kmph cruising speed!

The cabs themselves are 30 year old rust buckets with seats made from discarded matress springs, holes in the floorboard, a stink from the seat covers which had probably carried a basket of fish before you got in, and finally a ticking timebomb (CNG cylinder) barely 5 centimeters behind your back.

And after you get to where you're going - thats IF the cabby is in a mood to actually take you there - you have to due some wierd greek arithmatic to figure out how much to pay. Which, just like the cabs, will never be the same even though your daily route never changes!

Yes, we are indeed lucky to have them in our city!!

Hahhaha well said Rtech.thats a perfect picture you could give some one to explain cabbies in bombay.


Rev

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by Rtech

Not enough cabs in other cities? Please take a few thousand from here!

If anybody finds a shortage, collect the same from Calcutta also. Added benefit - bigger in size, because they're Ambys. Black and yellow or full yellow..you have choice.

As Edmund said, the "bees" (Black & yellows) line every single street in the City. They park 3 meters away from the pavement, reducing the already narrow roads to one laners.

Ditto there.

Then, as there is no place for any more bees to park, the rest of them circle the city at 3kmph oblivious to traffic around them. However, the moment they see an amber light at the signal, they will run over anyone and anything in their way to get that light! And then as soon as they pass it, slow down to their 3kmph cruising speed!

Sounds just like Calcutta.

The cabs themselves are 30 year old rust buckets with seats made from discarded matress springs, holes in the floorboard, a stink from the seat covers which had probably carried a basket of fish before you got in, and finally a ticking timebomb (CNG cylinder) barely 5 centimeters behind your back.

Same in Calcutta except there's no visual difference between 30 and 3 years old. No CNG cylinder as yet though.

- thats IF the cabby is in a mood to actually take you there

That's their birth right. Without that one cannot be a taxi or auto driver.

- you have to due some wierd greek arithmatic to figure out how much to pay. Which, just like the cabs, will never be the same even though your daily route never changes!

Don't they carry a printed chart with them?

[2L8uLoose]

Edmund: I think the answer to the question why there are no 'Black & Yellow' Taxis in other cities is because they're all in Bombay

If anyone would like any Bee's in their city.. PLEASE COME TO BOMBAY AND TAKE AS MANY AS YOU LIKE!!!

Rtech-Yes, we are indeed lucky to have them in our city!!

Aah.. Rtech.. the Taxi Lover.. har har har

Venkat-Meanwhile in Mumbai, there is news that a new range of taxis are going to come out. Phone networked, electronic metered, Honda Cities and airconditioned.

Good grief.. thats all we need here in Bombay, MORE cabs...

Rudra-Don't they carry a printed chart with them?

Yes Rudra they do.. but please do not ask which century it's from.. oh and that's IF they feel like actually stretching their hand over to the shelf that 99% of them have built on the dashboard that could hold anything from Idol's of their God(S) and Incence sticks, beedee packet's, tape's/CD's and who knows what else!

[Rtech]

Don't they carry a printed chart with them?

Yes, they do, but I've personally seen 3 different rate charts! I guess they probably have another one stashed away for tourists as well; Just like the Coke ad.