[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

But I think we would agree on one thing being the root cause for all these problems - which is our breeding like rabbits.

You hit the crux of the problem, biju. We even put the rabbits to shame on that front.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

.

But I think we would agree on one thing being the root cause for all these problems - which is our breeding like rabbits.

*IDEA!*

Maybe I should start a YetiGuide® on fun-filled family planning and how to reap the maximum benefits of regular copulation with minimum breeding.

Nahi nahi. The mods would kick me. Hard. Plan cancelled.

So, back to rickshaw cattle carts.

Tell me, isn't it illegal to seat so many people in a 4 seater vehicle? I mean-I remember getting pulled over for having 3 people in the front of my car.

So do the police look the other way when they see 14 kids in a 4 seater rickshaw? Why?

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Why is this discussion turning into a have vs have-not issue? Just because somebody has multiple cars, don't assume things. My parents never had a car, my dad just owned one Lambretta all his life. Yet, our family never indulged in risky 4 people in a scooter behavior. My dad used to do 3 trips if dropping was absolutely necessary. Otherwise, my parents used to take the scooter and my brother and I used to walk. Damn, until I got my cycle, I used to walk to everywhere.

PS: Lambretta had two separate seats, so it was not possible to put a child in the middle in sandwich position.

One doesn't have to be rich to practice safety in everyday life. Some of you make it sound as if safety is a privilege of the rich.

Tell that to car companies who charge extra for that airbag. Don't want to go into other active safety devices that you can get also. There are lot of people here who have not bought the air bag version of swift. So it does depend on money and availability.

The auto drivers reply was that there are people who send children like this and hence he said so. The parents might not have even thought about the safety aspects. Its not about have vs have nots.

As I said before, I don't want to send my son with others in a overcrowded transport. These guys are breaking the rules and regulations and should be stopped from doing this. The right alternatives will then be adopted automatically.

[suman]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

We can sit in the comfort of our AC offices & homes & make a judgment, but these are real people with real problems. I am sure many of us preachers cannot handle that situation.

What's wrong with each person deciding how he wants to go about it? There will be different schools of thought on this but I'm not sure why we should feel guilty if we decide to drop & pick up our kids to & from school simply because there are people who cannot afford it?

I don't get the logic. Samurai took a decision which I would subscribe to. I've been following it ever since my kids started going to school. In those days it was a Fiat 1100D, then an Ambassador, then the Maruti 800s & so on, now the Safari & the Fiesta. I will keep dropping them to school for as long as I can & they do go to school - the mornings are also the only time that we get to really chat. And when school gets over, rather my driver & car than other modes.

Will I ever put my kids through this horrible 14 kids in an auto experience - not if I can help it! And I don't feel one bit guilty because there are people who cannot afford better means of transporting their kids to & from school - I would escort my kids in public transport rather than go this route if, God forbid, I was ever faced with that situation.

By the way, my school days - dropped by Dad on his way to work, return by contract cab taxi (6 kids) initially & then by public transport once I was old enough.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I mean-I remember getting pulled over for having 3 people in the front of my car.

Because they were in front of your car & stood the chance of being run over by you.

Police turning a blind eye, yeah that is one of the reasons that these things carry on. Mostly these kind of packed autos run in the by lanes which are not policed.

Originally Posted by suman

What's wrong with each person deciding how he wants to go about it? There will be different schools of thought on this but I'm not sure why we should feel guilty if we decide to drop & pick up our kids to & from school simply because there are people who cannot afford it?

No one needs to feel guilty about anything. If someone is rich, he is there because of his blood & sweat, but that does not give them any right to judge others, that was my point.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

No one needs to feel guilty about anything. If someone is rich, he is there because of his blood & sweat, but that does not give them any right to judge others, that was my point.

Funny point you make.
tomorrow if somebody were to rob a bank because he/she was poor, the people who earn enough to go by without robbing a bank have no job judging him.
So who sits in his trial as judge? A fellow bank robber.
If somebody is doing something wrong, I have the full right to make my opinion, irrespective of my financial status or earning.
I have the full right to pass my judgment, its guaranteed in my right to freedom of speech.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

You can go ahead and call it whatever you like. The point was the willingness to stretch and put the kids' comfort before my own. People who cannot afford 500-600 a month for their kids' transportation, certainly have other options. Give me one real life example and I will give you a list of options that are practical and certainly do-able. The only hurdle with those options would be the need for the parent(s) to compromise on their comfort.

And BTW, I did exactly the same thing - moved to a place close to school - way back in 1994,when my elder daughter was 5 and when I was earning around Rs.3000 a month. The price I paid then was to use a bicycle to get to work ~ 8kms one way. I did exactly the same thing now, but just use a different mode of transport. My kids are now 19 and 14, but their comfort and safety is important to me.

My point is not about affordabilty or monetary stress. It is about the parent(s) willingness to put the child's safety over and above everything else.

Cheers,

Rajan

I think that you have, in excellent words, covered the point the thread starter wanted to convey.
I LOSE.
And sorry for my earlier arguments.
The post by you clearly seems to clear all the doubts of people who made affordability a factor. Yes there are other things, but then again..You stand correct.

Originally Posted by spadival

There was a recent incident in Bombay when an LPG (or was it CNG?) Omni school van caught fire and exploded killing several kids. I would rather stick with overcrowded ricks than LPG vehicles !!

Most of them use domestic LPG cylinders obtained by paying bribe.
Genuine CNG and LPG kits dont give trouble.



How I went to school:
Till 9th standard, we were residing in IPCL township and my school was just 500m walk that I used to cover in less than three minutes.
After we shifted, it was the school bus managed by IPCL company.

Again I am sorry for bringing the matter of affordability and after reading the reply of PatchyBoy, its clear that certain things are possible.

[Spitfire]

Deleted. Not related.

[suman]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

If someone is rich, he is there because of his blood & sweat, but that does not give them any right to judge others, that was my point.

This is a free country John, every person has a right to pass judgement, whether he is rich or poor. If someone feels something is correct, so be it - it doesn't matter if he's rich or poor.

There are countless people who prefer not to use the "14 in an auto" method & yet cannot afford to use their own cars - maybe you should try finding out how they send their kids to school. Who knows, it may come as a surprise for you

[PatchyBoy]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

I think that you have, in excellent words, covered the point the thread starter wanted to convey.
I LOSE.
And sorry for my earlier arguments.
The post by you clearly seems to clear all the doubts of people who made affordability a factor. Yes there are other things, but then again..You stand correct.

Again I am sorry for bringing the matter of affordability and after reading the reply of PatchyBoy, its clear that certain things are possible.

I am embarrassed. There is no need to apologize so profusely. I am glad you agree with my point of view.

Cheers,
Rajan

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by PatchyBoy

I am embarrassed. There is no need to apologize so profusely. I am glad you agree with my point of view.

Cheers,
Rajan

Your post clearly showed that its matter of putting kids comfort and safety upfront. Agreed and no arguments. I realised that I was just till now arguing for the sake of doing so. I am relatively very lucky person that I have always travelled in cars mostly and on personal vehicles.

Your point of view is now what is required to be understood by everyone. No doubts here and you have put in different but more effective words what is the main intention of thread starter.

[srishiva]

This thread would sure change the auto driver's reply to
"You know everything"

[hrag]

How does that auto driver send his kids (if any) to school?

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Funny point you make.
tomorrow if somebody were to rob a bank because he/she was poor, the people who earn enough to go by without robbing a bank have no job judging him.

I dont get what is funny in my point, but your illustration sure is funny.

Originally Posted by suman

This is a free country John, every person has a right to pass judgement

I totally disagree on that suman. No man has the right to pass judgments on anything unless he knows the full facts first hand. Rich or poor or in between or nowhere.

Originally Posted by diabloo

The reason kids are meted out injustice is because they don't have a lobby - either because they don't vote or because they don't have money power or both.

Who will fight for their cause?

This issue is not the only one - there are many. I will state one of them:
Kids use playground for playing games. But in Bangalore, all playgrounds are being converted to parks, so that oldies can go for their morning walk to burn the excess food they have eaten. Kids lose their playground. Where will they do now?

Maybe they eat & grow up fast & then they can also use the parks.

[diabloo]

The situation won't change till the kids protest. If you & I can know the safe way for commuting, then its not hard for kids to learn.

Kids must be educated on safety both in school & at home. Then they will refuse to travel in that auto.

Originally Posted by Samurai

PS: My son is quite unhappy that he is not allowed to ride to school in the auto-rickshaw in this fashion along with his friends. For him it is a fun-filled roller-coaster ride.