[GTO]

Comfort is such a relative thing!

Spotted this dude last night, comfortably sleeping on a makeshift bed + gas cylinders! For him, my Jeep's bucket seats would be infinitely more comfortable. But for 99% of the population, an Alto 800 will be more comfy than my Jeep. However, 99% of car owners will find other cars to be more comfortable than the Alto. Some of us love the Honda City's backseat, but an S-Class owner will frown upon that...in turn, maybe a Rolls-Royce Phantom owner will consider the S-Class to be a compromise.

Most things in life are relative.

[swissknife]

Originally Posted by GTO

Comfort is such a relative thing!

Spotted this dude last night, comfortably sleeping on a makeshift bed + gas cylinders! For him, my Jeep's bucket seats would be infinitely more comfortable. But for 99% of the population, an Alto 800 will be more comfy than my Jeep. However, 99% of car owners will find other cars to be more comfortable than the Alto. Some of us love the Honda City's backseat, but an S-Class owner will frown upon that...in turn, maybe a Rolls-Royce Phantom owner will consider the S-Class to be a compromise.

Most things in life are relative.

The advertisement for the X5 fits into the situation and seems to make a suggestion.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by GTO

Comfort is such a relative thing!

I have slept on the floor of a bus, packed with people and luggage strewn all around me, racing at night from Nainital to Rishikesh. I had shoes and slippers in my face. Standing was not an option, i was almost thrown 10 feet down into the windshield of the bus when he braked to make maneuvers in the mountains. I was also pretty beat up.

I will take nothing away from the guy in the picture, but after a hard day of physical labour (he probably got those cylinders in there in the first place) , you will just about sleep anywhere.

This is how most of India rolls. It is good practice for folks to take a few days out of the cushy life to go experience a beat up life. That'll help with perspective

[PrideRed]

"Above all"- literally. This guy appeared super comfortable and was talking/browsing mobile. The best part- the girl riding scooter to the left had this written on her helmet "Keep away A*****E" . Rear windshield of Trax had "Police Patil" sticker pasted.



"Keep away from that Dio"

[condor]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Rear windshield of Trax had "Police Patil" sticker pasted.

Good catch that guy on the Trax, Btw, Police-Patil is a family name. Nothing official about it

[condor]

Wife is having to take the ola's and auto's these days when commuting to work. Yesterday afternoon, after her shift ended, she took an auto at the gate of the hospital she works at. On reaching home, she alighted and pulled out the fare as displayed on the meter. The auto driver then asked if she is a doctor. Wife answered yes. The driver refused to take a single rupee. He said he doesnt take anything from doctors and nurses. My wife tried to convince him, but no go. He said that sometime back, his son's life was saved by a doctor. The gratitude he has, he has since stopped charging from ANY doctor/nurse for the rides they happen to take.

A silent wish for him and his family. Wherever they are.

[ninjatalli]

Back in 2013 - 2014, I used to do Pune - Mumbai - Pune runs every weekend, generally my trip schedules being leaving Pune on Friday evening and returning to Pune Monday early morning.

Around end of October '14, the state elections were in play with both INC-NCP and BJP-Shiv Sena rallying hard. The results were declared on an active Sunday afternoon; with BJP-SS getting a narrow majority over the incumbent.

Mumbai was all active and celebrating over the weekend already; and the results just made the city a beehive of SS and BJP celebrations. To be on the safer side, I decided to leave early on Sunday evening itself rather than risking any issues on Monday morning on the express highway.

Much to my surprise, the express highway was completely empty, reaching the Khalapur toll plaza in less than an hour, which was rare for a Sunday evening. Even more surprising - when I offered the toll charge to the attendant, he just brushed it away and asked me to move ahead, without offering me a toll ticket. I blinked at him; astonished completely, with my mind already cooking up potential scenarios of scam attempts.

I slowly move ahead, while trying to look back at the next vehicle behind me, to see if the same situation is happening with him, but to no avail. I then proceed at a guarded pace over the next hour, with my mind constantly telling me how I was going to be caught and fined at the Talegaon toll station. I soon reach the toll station and when my turn arrives, again the toll attendant just ignores me completely and asks me to proceed.

With mixed emotions of happiness (of getting away scot-free) and curiosity (what was going on!!?), I head back home. An hour later I google it up to find that apparently, Shiv Sena "management" had ensured the highways tolls are free so that their party workers from across the state could assemble at the headquarters at Dadar for the celebrations. As a result all vehicles were allowed to go free that day on the expressway (and possibly other highways too).

Well, for once, I wasn't complaining.

[blackwasp]

Just recollected an incident from many years ago. One of the many entrance exams a 12th appeared student takes included the AIEEE. It was scheduled to take place on May 1, 2011 and since my center was in Navy Nagar, we decided that after dropping me, my parents would stay at my aunt's place in Colaba. I reached the exam center and didn't carry my phone, wallet, etc. as it wasn't allowed. My dad left soon after I went in. There was a little bit commotion after a while and we were told the exam was postponed by 3 hrs due to a paper leak. We'd have to be back to same center fortunately.

Now, how do I go about updating my parents on this situation? Being in a new area, I wasn't aware on much of the directions, but I started walking in the general area I came from. After some time, I requested one uncle to lend me his cell phone to call my parents. He did so and even went one step ahead to tell my parents the exact location I was in. He brought me some water from the nearby shop and asked me to wait till my parents came. He left before I could say thanks in all the chaos.

Lessons learnt, I went back to the center, this time carrying some cash with me. The exam was meh, but I can't imagine such an event taking place today. If someone asked me today for a my phone, I'd first assume the person to be thief!! I'm trying hard to change myself, but in just 8 years how much have we progressed as a society?

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by blackwasp

If someone asked me today for a my phone, I'd first assume the person to be thief!! I'm trying hard to change myself, but in just 8 years how much have we progressed as a society?

I was in US for a year for studies long back and I had read/heard stories of people robbing you of your phone by first asking for help so that they can call one of their family members as they would have either lost the money and phone or their phone battery had died. So I would refuse the folks who would approach me at bus stops or train stations.

One day I saw a man (under 50) sitting at a bench on a train station waiting for the train, same as I, and being approached by a lady with the same narrative. I was sitting on a nearby bench and was in my student attire.

The man was smart and replied in a harsh tone "How can I trust you lady? Are you really in need or no?".

The lady stuck to her narrative and said she wouldn't even think of doing such a thing. She said, "Please help me if you can. Otherwise I will have to go outside the station and ask some cop for help".

The station was pretty much deserted due to odd hour of the evening and folks of her ethnicity are famous for being at odds with cops in US in general. (You can guess what I am referring to).

The man asked for the number she wanted to dial and said: "Alright, I will give you once chance, so you sure this number is the right number?". She nodded 'Yes'. The man did not give her the phone, he simply put the call on speaker an dialed the number. The recipient picked the call, the lady and the women on the other side spoke and the matter was resolved.

She was helped in her hour of need.

This made me do the same thing on one occasion later in my life - dial the number that the person is asking for and put the phone on speaker while holding the same tightly in my hand.

So this reminds me that the world has become very suspicious and bad indeed. But there are still ways to help, be helpful and ask for help if needed.

I just now read on the other thread about how common it is to get mugged, robbed or pick-pocketed in major EU cities these days.

Makes me realize that India is actually a lot more safe and better place with good people around than some major so called 'developed' cities. I can conveniently put my expensive phone on the table in a cafe by the roadside in Mumbai and do not worry about it getting stolen by someone while I enjoy my coffee.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by condor

Good catch that guy on the Trax, Btw, Police-Patil is a family name. Nothing official about it

Off topic - But not true. Police Patil is a govt role at village level law and administration. A police patil does get called in case of minor tussles in the village. Depending on the severity of the matter, he chooses to get proper police involved.

Just a month back, I met the Police Patil of my native village. He issued me a heir certificate (dakhla to be precise) on his proper letterhead, signed after using a rubber-stamp with his designation. His surname is different by the way .. and is not Patil or Police-Patil.

[condor]

Originally Posted by SDP

Police Patil is a govt role at village level law and administration. A police patil does get called in case of minor tussles in the village. Depending on the severity of the matter, he chooses to get proper police involved.

But not always. It used to be the norm earlier, like with many of surnames that we have in India. Names spread as families expand but function remains with one person/family.

Btw, I come from one such hierarchy. So the concept is not entirely new to me.

[self_driven]

On my way back from work today, I was on this undivided but adequately wide city road with cars parked on either side. As there are a couple of shops around, traffic speed is low in this area. I was doing probably around 25 kph.

There was a Dzire parked on the opposite lane with 2 middle-aged men inside. All of a sudden, the car pulls out from the parking spot and comes straight in my car's path at an angle. I stomped on the brake pedal and was able to prevent a T-bone just in time.

I do not lose my cool in such cases and honked once before I reversed and started to move slowly from the left. In my mind, I was thinking that the driver's footwear would've got stuck under the pedals which led to this momentarily loss of control.

So normally, one would expect him to get back on track but what happened next was completely hilarious

The driver, who looked really disgruntled from the incident, gave a tight slap to the passenger, who duly returned the favour albeit with more force. What followed was some hair-pulling after which both the parties regained their senses.

All this, from the car losing control to the scuffle that ensued, happened in a matter of seconds. By the time I was able to come close to the driver's window, he drove off.

I was puzzled with what had just happened. What made this incident really dramatic was that no words were exchanged between the two guys; one angry stare and the fight began.

I frequently see a sticker on cabs in my area, which reads "No If, No But, Only Bhata-Bhat" (bhata-bhat is Hindi slang for fight)

Turns out that this Dzire driver was following it to the T.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by self_driven

On my way back from work today, I was on this undivided but adequately -----snip----
Turns out that this Dzire driver was following it to the T.

This can only be Delhi ncr!
Blame the person closest to you, even if he is sitting in the same car!!

BTW, I find that bhata bhat sticker to be a good deterrent. I always keep my distance from such cars, especially in Gurgaon and Noida. Heck, even on trips.

Originally Posted by rayjaycleoful

OT but another sticker to avoid is the "angry hanuman". They seem bhata bhat type especially in Noida

That too. More so, actually.

[rayjaycleoful]

Originally Posted by mayankk

This can only be Delhi ncr!


BTW, I find that bhata bhat sticker to be a good deterrent. I always keep my distance from such cars, especially in Gurgaon and Noida. Heck, even on trips.

OT but another sticker to avoid is the "angry hanuman". They seem bhata bhat type especially in Noida

[blackwasp]

Contrasting images sent by friends.

1. Helmets for both including the kid + a belt to hold the child in place.
2. No helmets and a kid sitting on the footboard of the scooty.