[audioholic]

Originally Posted by DCEite

Tell me about it. I do occasional QuickRide , not for the bucks, but it gives a certain kick and a certain feel good factor about reducing carbon footprint. But then, a ride taker the other day sat in the backseat, even though the front passenger was vacant. And then, to put salt on the wound, he calls his wife/GF on phone and says that he has boarded the "cab".

Yes I have faced this and I am certainly not okay with male copax sitting at the back leaving the front seat empty. With females its their choice. Of course the regular riders do occupy the front seat and know the right etiquette. But the newbies and few others do these things and its definitely an unpleasant experience. The only respite now is if I offer a ride on the Innova or Slavia people are more careful with treating the car since I have the interiors in a sparklingly clean condition all the time.

Hence I am very choosy these days as to whom I offer a ride to. I only pick regular ride takers and if they confirm where they would be waiting without making me wait. While this is OT, I just wanted to give this example to someone considering doing this full time since with Uber, you dont have a choice to make and have to be ready to face such situations.

[mygodbole]

Old sales adage: Try before you buy.

Take a month off (maybe even a week), ask a local cab service to use your 'services' and feel the experience.

If you like it, extend the week to two weeks.

Still like it? Do it in a different season.

Still with it? Go for it.

Will wrap it off with another adage: The grass is always greener on the other side.

[SidharthaN]

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts on this. Was really entertaining and enriching at the same time. Also thank you all for sharing your suggestions. Can be categorised into some basic buckets:

1. Change job/industry - Looks easier said than done. Alternative industry will reject my candidature based on overall higher experience, and predicament of possible attrition due to various job fulfillment factors. Also salary stack will fall by 80%. In today's world not sure how expenses are to be met, nothing is getting cheaper in my opinion. At same management levels they need industry experience. Though I have enough grey hairs to state that service industry works on basic same parameters, product is different. But job descriptions aspire building NASA rockets, when actually one makes paper fliers at the local office chai.

2. Sabbatical - not an option.I am paying a whopping home loan which is more than 50% of my salary. Before investment pundits criticise me , the loans were combined between me and spouse when availed. My spouse got laid off twice in 3 years, and she is currently unemployed. Car loan was paid off from the final settlement the first time she was laid off. I am the sole earner and no question of taking a sabbatical sipping beer on Goa beach.

3. Alternative vocations - not skilled to start organic farming etc. Also cannot disrupt regular flow of money at this point.

4. Buddha thought - to not get caught up in designations, salary stacks, etc. Practically higher the designation, higher is the package, and money matters. I was Buddha once. I have changed my thoughts now. As the saying goes " Money might not buy happiness, but it feels better to cry in a Ferrari".

Upskill myself - I have picked up various certifications in the last couple of years with intent of making myself market ready and improving my credibility. However it has not worked for me. The more hours i spend on Linked in the more I feel left out, and wondering when will I share the golden post of starting a new job position.

I completely understand how it feels to drive commercially in a place like Delhi NCR agreeing to points you all stated. I willingly take my bike out in 45 degrees temperature unless the car is needed to be taken out so as not drive in our omnipresent traffic jams. I would love to do those outstation trips with foreigners, but an Innova is not cheap. Heck my 8 years old diesel Zest needs replacement after two years, and I am not sure how to pay for my next car.

I don't mean to sound like a mid life crisis, middle aged, grumbling guy, but just want to be piece of the pie which all are sharing, and bonkers figuring what needs to be done. I would love to settle myself atop a mountain, sipping tea and watching the sunrise if only someone pays me salary package as per Tier 1 cities.

On the commercial driving part, heard that drivers of industrialists get paid more monthly, than my annual ctc, would love to do that.

[bblost]

I have been in a software programming role in a MNC for a little over 2 decades.

About 18 months back, I put my name into the management committee of my very large gated community. This is over 2000 flats.

I am the General Secretary!

This role gave me a new insight into people management.
By and large the role has been a lot of fun and a great experience.

But I am not dependent on this for money nor fame. So its very easy for me to take a devil may care attitude about the abuse and criticism that comes my way.

This is not something you will be able to do if your livelihood depends on it.

My learnings and my lessons for you

1. People LIE. They will lie to your face. This is something that I found the most shocking. The cost of the house will be over a crore and they will lie for a hundred rupees.

You better be prepared to become a lot more cynical in life. People take great pleasure in tormenting someone they perceive is lower status than them. The abuse my staff sometimes goes thru is ridiculous. The same person will be extremely polite to me as I am an equal.

2. Blame for things outside your control. There are rules that govern many things. But some people will feel these do not apply to them.

You be prepared for requests to break the law and go into a one way street, park in no parking and so on.

3. "Friends" who will expect special service.

You be prepared for known acquaintances to expect lower rates, discounts and odd hours.

4. Emotional roller coaster. I have ended up being the first responder along with security to family fights, domestic abuse and death.

You be prepared for all kinds of personal drama spilling into your car.

5. Family time will suffer.

If this is your only source of income...you will have no choice.

6. Job satisfaction. I get a lot of this as there is the ability to make a difference in the lives of the blue collar staff.

In your case, you will be the blue collar staff with a ring side view of all kinds of bigotry, prejudice, bias and over entitled behavior.

The decision is totally yours. But there are better ways to deal with your "mid-life crisis" than going down this path.

[Raghu M]

I would recommend against it sir. I can understand your angst. But it simply is not worth it. Well, we all get such thoughts once in a while. I sometimes look at what kind of jobs I can take up if I end up losing the current one. The first one that pops to my mind is being a cab driver. While it's definitely because of your frustration at your current job, trust me it will be all the more troublesome if you choose to drive.

It's a 24 hour job with no leaves, festivals or weekends. On top of that you see the regular harassment from other cab drivers, cops, unruly passengers and trouble with insurance, finance, tax payments and dealing with RTO regularly. It's a risky job and people from the corporate background cannot get behind the wheel and take it up full time. You can do it maybe for a day or two once in a while for fun but not full time. Keep calm, focus on your career. Like some gentleman suggested, take a break, go on a vacation, rediscover yourself and you will bounce back strong, healthy and rejuvenated. You don't need to do a fancy off shore vacation. Just visit some villages far from your place, try your hand at farming, run small errands and you will appreciate that life is very good in deed.

I am in my mid 30s and a VP of Ops in my firm but it's just a fancy title. There is a heck of responsibility on my shoulders and people always look up to me during troubled times (layoffs, recession etc.). Becomes my responsibility to handle myself and all my teams. While I like my job, I feel like taking a big break sometimes or trying my hand at something that is totally off beat like working as a Management consultant or faculty in a good college etc. I have a target of hanging my boots by 2030 and I hope I will achieve that target. Just keep a no. in mind, work on it and stay positive. Might sound easy to give advise but I guess people on the forum are highly experienced in life and automotive! Try yoga, start walking or running, pick up a hobby like gardening, small time farming or even dedicate some time towards an NGO. We are actually lucky souls who are discussing such things. Many folks out there do not have any choice. Good luck!

[wheelnpaddock]

Any corporate job in any company is a pain.

Frustration, back biting, currying favour througn reasons other than performance, favouritism, not getting the increments or promotion you expect are all par the course.

If you don't like it join another company where you will get variations of the same theme. But dont ever join an aggregator as a cab driver.

If you do join, it will make you appreciate your current job all the more. To that extent, try it out for a month before you actually ditch your job.

[SidharthaN]

Just to clarify the original post drive own cab with aggregator, not being driver for a vendor. Operating model of attaching own cab with a third party.
Have shared more thoughts on post #18 above

[klassics45]

I don't think you will last more than a week as a cabbie.

Then you will start feeling that, I'm an educated cabbie with corporate experience yet I don't get the respect that I deserve and the cycle will continue.

[V.Narayan]

Dear @SidharthaN, Thank you for sharing your anguish. Please introspect and ask yourself three questions first:-

Q1. Am I fed up with my entrire life as it is right now?

OR

Q2. Am I just fed up with my current job and perceived lower income & status but am largely okay with the rest of our lives

OR

Q3. Is it my dying ambition to be a cab driver to fulfill a long cherished dream

After you have shared your answers to these three maybe some of us could add more colour to the already wise advice you have received.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by SidharthaN

H
I have 18 years of experience with MNC in operations management, project management, training delivery, learning and development, Quality Assurance and Workforce Management.

I am Prince 2 Practitioner, Certified Scrum Master, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and MBA holder.

Inspite of these great credentials have been stuck in my career progression for the last 10 years. Should have been at VP level, am currently working as a Senior manager.

With these credentials should also come the ability to reflect honestly and realistically on why you are not a VP? One of the traits of senior people is they should never blame anybody or anything other than themselves. You seem frustrated, not sure why. I have never ever given anybody a senior position because of experience and formal education. There must be other things and attributes going for you, if you have such ambitions?

If you believe you are very senior, you also should have a realistic view on what your own shortcomings are.

Not sure if you could hack it out there as a cabby though. Seems like an awful tough world out there, with nobody else but yourself to blame for whatever goes wrong.

Personally I don’t believe in these massive change of careers. Yes, for some it has worked and YouTube is full of channels with extremely successful people doing very simple things, e.g. hike around the world on USD10.

But I believe that the ones that succeed are the ones that would succeed at anything they want to do. Whether that would be becoming CEO or sailing around the world in a small fishing boat. That is just how they are?

Are you the person that will make anything you put your mind to work?
Not wanting to discourage you, but I think you need to think this through some more.
I wish you lots of wisdom and luck.

[Habanero City]

I can empathize with you as many of us have gone through this phase in life some time which is also loosely called as "Midlife Crisis" that affects both personal and professional lives.

Though I have also thought of such drastic change, considering the overall picture especially the family and other dependents it becomes impossible to take such a huge risk.

Another possibility is working as an executive assisitant cum chauffeur for top brass with highend luxury cars who would respect you for who you are and treat you accordingly.
Though it looks far fectched yet it may be possible if you are lucky.

But in any case at your age with family obligations please take a decision that is suitable for everyone.

[GutsyGibbon]

Originally Posted by am1m

Driving in our cities is hard and not exactly a pleasant pastime. I'd hate to have to do it as a job.

Lets not assume everyone who hails a cab would behave like us. We are a status conscious society, without the concept of dignity of labor. People treat cabbies real bad.
I know of someone in Bengaluru who visits pubs on fridays, selects cash payment, throws up in the cab near the dropoff location, and passes out, hoping the cab driver would just leave. Often the poor cabbies just leave him alone by the streetside. Needless to say this moron has many disputes with his rating on cab platforms.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by SidharthaN

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts on this. Was really entertaining and enriching at the same time.

.I am paying a whopping home loan which is more than 50% of my salary.

On the commercial driving part, heard that drivers of industrialists get paid more monthly, than my annual ctc, would love to do that.

Since you have a home loan more than 50% of your current package and non working wife, have you calculated how much earning and profit will be made by driving a small own cab with an aggregator? And compare it against the current take home salary?

If it is less, just relax and enjoy the cash flow from your salary till it comes. If it is more, please proceed towards your idea of cab.

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by SidharthaN

I am paying a whopping home loan which is more than 50% of my salary.

This point alone should be enough to snap you back into reality and continue with tha rat race! How on this planet are you expecting to find a cabbie job which pays you as much as your current job, assuming you'll need at least that much to be on top of your loan and lifestyle!?

Try getting into driving/riding related hobbies. Get a motorcycle, find some buddies and ride every weekend! Or start building a Jeep which will not only keep you occupied over the weekends, but also help you get into some off roading fun.

Unless you have passive sources of income, you can't just escape from your 9-5 buddy! Keeping on finding sources of happiness by yourself is the key. Wishing you the best!

[AltoLXI]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

With these credentials should also come the ability to reflect honestly and realistically on why you are not a VP? One of the traits of senior people is they should never blame anybody or anything other than themselves. You seem frustrated, not sure why. I have never ever given anybody a senior position because of experience and formal education. There must be other things and attributes going for you, if you have such ambitions?

If you believe you are very senior, you also should have a realistic view on what your own shortcomings are.

Golden words indeed. People often get confused between the role as a manager and that of being a leader. Unbiased introspection is the key and applies to everybody.

I have a close relative who in his 30s has become director of US MNC and manages close to 100+ people. This guy studied in tier 3 engineering college. I pondered quite a bit on the personality traits that this guy must have had that helped him in his career progression. On the personal front, he is quite a matured guy who maintains his composure despite all the hurdles thrown at him. Never seen him whine even during testing situations. A very proactive person who is always available to help and a classic embodiment of a very emotionally intelligent personality. No wonder the organization elevated him to the responsible position.