[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I've reached an age where I consider myself lucky to be called uncle rather than thatah!

By the looks of it, or rather because of your looks, you are more likely to be addressed as sir than as uncle or thatha. And in no circumstances can anybody ask you the question: aap car dhote hain kya?

* * *

While on the topic, I can clearly recall many instances of shopkeepers and vendors failing to complete their sales even when they had the best of materials at very decent prices. Reason being their proclivity to call the prospective customer of the fairer sex - accompanying her husband - as aunty!. Allbeit used as a mark of respect, this word triggers a range of emotions, most likely resulting in a cancelled deal.

Wiser from experiences, the sales folks have taken to the use of madam, which, in the Indian context, is a good word. But then I have seen teens and tweens taking offence to being addressed as such. They feel that they aren't old enough to be called that!

That's when the sister card comes out. Not akka or thangi but sister in pure, unadulterated English. That too is a sword that can cut either ways - depending on the user's own age/appearance.

Hardly a scenario I would like to be part of, except as a curious bystander.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

By the looks of it, or rather because of your looks, you are more likely to be addressed as sir than as uncle or thatha. And in no circumstances can anybody ask you the question: aap car dhote hain kya?

Even my wife had to take the help of google, and suggest "You are the car cleaner?" I guess that makes sense: even on a scruff day, you would be right: I am unlikely to be mistaken for the cleaner

While on the topic, I can clearly recall many instances of shopkeepers and vendors failing to complete their sales even when they had the best of materials at very decent prices. Reason being their proclivity to call the prospective customer of the fairer sex - accompanying her husband - as aunty!

I don't think they would be offended here, although madam/maam would be more common in a shop, etc.

Being into carnatic music, I live in a world of mamas and mamis!

Now... I can't think of a way to twist this back to experiences of the road! <blush> so I'd better stop here. Except, maybe, that, if stopped by a policeman, I would always call him sir! Even if he is young enough to be my grandson

[Saucyboii2007]

So, this one's kind of a personal experience which I'm pretty sure that other drivers on the road found to be pretty funny.

I believe I have introduced my pet dog Dolly in the Shifting Gears section.
At the time of the previously mentioned experience, she was a little 3-month old puppy and absolutely loved to travel in our Swift, often sharing the backseat with me. Usually, any time we went on a trip that exceeded 50+kms, she would climb onto the rear parcel tray and lie down there, observing all the people, cars and buildings outside. Many people mistook her for a puppet figure until she'd start wagging her tail with her tongue lolling out .
A lot of people, especially those on 2-wheelers would try to catch her attention by waving and tapping lightly. I can definitely say that our Dolly probably made the day for a lot of people on that 300km Kannur-Ernakulam trip lol . ( Go Dolly! )

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by abhi_tjet

"Uncle aap car dhote ho kya?" (Uncle, Do you wash car?) I casually looked up and found that a married girl from my society's first floor flat was looking towards me and expecting an answer.

Reply addressing her as aunty
Eye for an eye, as the world seems to be already blind

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by abhi_tjet

"Uncle aap car dhote ho kya?" (Uncle, Do you wash car?) I casually looked up and found that a married girl from my society's first floor flat was looking towards me and expecting an answer.

I replied to her smiling, "Ye meri car hai." (It's mine.)

She understood that she made a blunder and went inside quickly after saying sorry a couple of times

And you missed the chance of making a few extra rupees on the side!

Hey, might have been your first step towards a multi-national app-based carwash conglomerate worth billions!