[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by funkykar

, why should one take it there? This is as good as inviting trouble.

I am sorry, but I strongly disagree. Who is the Taxi union to decide what is allowed and what is not. Do we not live in the republic of India? If so, is it not true that the power of making laws rests with the government, rather than some MAFIA.

And where does this end? Every winter, thousands of people from Ladakh come to Chandigarh for jobs. What if local residents of Chandigarh decide it affects their employment opportunities. Would you support violence against them in such a case. After all, local mazdoor union may pass a resolution not allowing non-residents jobs?

This is a very slippery slope, which goes against the idea of India as a nation.

[carpacman]

This is atrocious and uncivilized. Shocked to see how the local police are mute spectators to such lawlessness. At a time when the Central government is promoting India Tourism, how can they let Indians get attacked. Those guys have no right to touch any vehicles that doesn't belong to them. I strongly condone this and my sympathies to those affected by this incident. I hope justice prevails.

What if everyone in India avoids visiting Ladakh? Then, tourism revenue would fall and will those guys go around the country beating people up for not visiting ladakh thereby impacting their livelihoods?

[funkykar]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I am sorry, but I strongly agree. Who is the Taxi union to decide what is allowed and what is not. Do we not live in the republic of India? If so, is it not true that the power of making laws rests with the government, rather than some MAFIA.

And where does this end? Every winter, thousands of people from Ladakh come to Chandigarh for jobs. What if local residents of Chandigarh decide it affects their employment opportunities. Would you support violence against them in such a case. After all, local mazdoor union may pass a resolution not allowing non-residents jobs?

This is a very slippery slope, which goes against the idea of India as a nation.

I too disagree with them protesting on self driven cars. But if such rules are in place (written or unwritten), I don't think general public should take on them, especially if you are a tourist and with family. When I was on drive to Sikkim, they told private vehicles are not allowed to Nathu La. I checked with few other folk locally and found it to be true. I simply took a cab. In a new place, I would never get into a unnecessary tussle with locals. Not worth it. Neither would we have time, energy or patience to make a complaint and so on.

Similar things happen when any accident happens in most part of our country. When a bigger vehicle is involved (whosoever is at fault), and driver feels that there might be serious/grievous injury/death with the smaller vehicle, what does he do? He will abandon the vehicle and run away from scene. Else, the locals will thrash them(Not all places, but definitely considerable % of the places in India). This too is a unwritten rule and most have to follow it for their own good. Again, not justifying this.

[tazmaan]

Was preparing my W126 for Ladakh in September-October, Was!!

After this incident I am scared to go anywhere near. My previous worries were being attacked from other side of border, landslides, storms, a car breakdown etc. This is simply too much to risk. Am not doing my trip till this hooligans are set right.

I was in GOA at club-mahindra last week. I was shocked to know that I can only rent a taxi from the local union. Even other taxis from near by Goa villages are attacked and damaged. And guess what? the taxis are 40% more expensive with rude drivers. They cared less for my pregnant wife and those potholes on the road! One day taxi a swift to north goa cost me INR 3500 which was more than my flight tickets!

Like some one said India is being ruled by pack of wolves marking local territories with their filth. The police is too scared to act, politicians are worst. A law abiding, tax paying citizen is just another prey to pounce on.

Is it time for a new war or time to leave?

[aniketi]

One question, are they attacking all vehicles coming there? All private cars who are travelling alone are also attacked? The incident described has happened due to they were travelling in a convoy and has some self driven rented cars? I am just guessing. Not sure what is the current situation there. Whatever happened is really bad and very unfortunate.

They should understand one thing, if such things happen, people coming there will be very less and all hotels & other people will loose their jobs. Whole economy there will get impacted hugely which is on tourisom mainly. Even their business will get impacted. Its like fearing competition. They should make sure that they are up to it and do some innovative ideas to increase there own business.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by amtak

May be army should just take control on the situation and ensure that civilians are not troubled by these goons.

Originally Posted by ujjwaana

Army would avoid any conflict as even they have far reaching camps in the region and depend on local people. Else the situation would soon worsen like Kashmir Valley.

Originally Posted by humyum

The army should step in and whip and kick whoever touches any outside car in J/K

Originally Posted by KwokFist

The Army guys got involved and threatened the idiots very firmly to leave the place before things escalated.

The Army cannot step in because this is a civil issue. The Army can only intervene in civil issues if the government directs them to do so, else it is an external defence-only organisation, with exceptions in the NE and J&K that are based on specific articles/laws. Domestic or civilian policing is done by the Police, and it is the police that should do their jobs in this case.

As we all know, the police comes from the society they serve and have the same biases/prejudice as the people do. Not that it is right, but that's just the way it is. In this case taking the matter up to higher authorities/Home Ministry is probably the way to go, apart from bringing as much publicity to the incident as possible to build pressure on the government to act and act quickly.

In the end the short-sighted taxi unions don't understand that continuing to behave like this will only reduce tourism and affect their "livelihood" adversely. As with any business, there is always going to be competition. Our protectionist/socialist history lingers in many ways.

Originally Posted by Urban_Nomad

If you are a "son of the soil", you can drag women by their hair for being "indecent and immoral". Unless you were born in a particular state, you are not allowed to live / work there. There's a festival today, so I can ride around town, 3 up without a helmet at break neck speeds ........... Coz you know - how else do u celebrate!

Well said!

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Who is the Taxi union to decide what is allowed and what is not.

If allowed to continue under the guise of "poor locals losing their livelihood", this can become something like the loading/unloading labour unions in Kerala. Anyone moving in/out or transporting anything anywhere has to hire these people to load/unload the stuff at prices set by them. Even if you want to do it yourself, they will still take their full fee.

[humyum]

I think the right season to go Ladakh is September mid when everything and everyone is off. Hotels are dirt cheap, Roads are all empty, there are no tourists and business is at its slackest.

When I went 2 years back, we completed our entire sojourn of Ladakh driving from Mumbai in the Swift Diesel for 17 days in around 75 thousand rupees for 2 people including food, stay, diesel, eating and whatever etc cost we could muster up. We stayed at the best of places, ate best of foods, did all the sightseeing we could and voila it was fun.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by aniketi

One question, are they attacking all vehicles coming there? All private cars who are travelling alone are also attacked? The incident described has happened due to they were travelling in a convoy and has some self driven rented cars? I am just guessing.--------SNIP

Well, the OP did post about a q5 that was stopped, and also a bit of the situation, where these monkeys are asking for registrations of the private vehicles as well, to see if the owner is present, or if the driver knows the owner.
Even then the q5 guy got threatened.

I say, start flooding the taxi guys facebook pages(yes, these idiots somehow managed to handle a computer), and let them know piece by piece of each itinerary that's been cancelled. Let the hotel owners know as well.
I don't expect any of the powers-that-be to take any note. Jobless, or thriving, the locals are a vote bank.
And, TBHP travelogues are a very VERY prominent reference point for people planning a trip to this place. Each thread should post a bump with a warning and a link to this thread.
Imagine, a travel advisory for a visit to your own country.

"The highest motorable taxi pathway in the world", indeed.

[chaith.turbo]

I was just planning to take my Beast there. I will definitely not go to Ladakh now.
Thanks for letting us know. I have shared this report on my Facebook wall so that even my friends are aware. I would suggest everyone to do the same.

[Asish_VK]

Shocked to hear such News! Sorry for you for you, and the damage to your loved vehicle. Really happy to know nobody is injured and made it safely

Could not understand people's mind. These are the places that India should be showcased in front of the world and to be boasted off, But such incidents, This is absolutely outrageous. We can understand and somewhat agree if the taxi guys charge a bit more on tourist location on seasons, but being a mafia and doing such dadagiri should be stopped.
And the police closing their eyes on such incidents and not helping tourist is something to worry. I am sure many of the Team-Bhp readers at least think twice before visiting there again. At least I will.

I am getting too much tensed to travel in my home land day by day. Be it the auto walas in Bangalore or the private bus lobby to Kerala, Everyone is getting real greedy and money only matters. No consideration for humanity. God save us !

[goswami.j]

Originally Posted by chaith.turbo

I was just planning to take my Beast there. I will definitely not go to Ladakh now.
Thanks for letting us know. I have shared this report on my Facebook wall so that even my friends are aware. I would suggest everyone to do the same.

Great ! That is something we can definitely do. Boycott Ladakh.
I am also putting off my trip to Ladakh in the near future. If you do not have the courtesy required of a hospitality/tourism place you cannot have my money too.

[ac 427]

Angry, dejected, disappointed and Saddened.

This is exactly what is wrong with any tourist destination - short sightedness of the local administration. Any Tourist spot in India - is exploited to the T, within years of finding it. And then what you are left with is - ruins of a once amazing place.

I have driven throughout India (NE, North, South) barring central India. And I too have found the local taxiwallas acting funny with me. Somewhere it was unofficial toll, sometimes it was a straightforward NO - you cannot go there in your car. Sometimes it was being roughed up by locals without help or support from anyone else.

But this is completely new. I haven't every come across a situation which one could not speak your way through. This is downright lawlessness.

Yes, with the advent of self drive vehicles, their business might get impacted, but this is no way to respond. But we in Mumbai have seen it before hand too - how the local Black/yellow taxis responsed to the Ubers, Meru. They local tourists need to be educated that unless they upgrade and provide better facilities and unless they stop treating tourists like golden geese, their days are numbered. Incidents like these will only worsen their situation.

As for me. Leh is a goodbye, because of these Idiots. Unfortunately all of these trouble makers are not from Leh, they are from Srinagar or other parts of the valley. The indigenous population of Leh should do something about these 'outsiders' as they are spoiling the economy of the place.

I am glad that you are not seriously injured and walked away safely.

cheers,
ac

[Nonstop-driver]

This appears to be one side of story (I may be wrong though). Unconfirmed sources at Leh (including couple of oldies) have stated another side of the story. Not sure whether they cooked up this later or is a fact, but I think it is better to have both the perspectives since they don't have any representation at Team-BHP.

What they state is that a local guy confronted the zoomcar rented one in that convoy, since they didn't paid heed when they were asking then not to go towards Pangong, was hit by the car and got injured while the car tried to run away. This is when they caught him and beaten up. Rest of the cars were too smashed in anger - something which happens all the way round in every village in India.

Yes, they've gone a bit too far when they gang up and block the convoy again at a second place and this is something that would never be appreciated. I have conveyed them the anger and frustration that is simmering over the net within the travel communities and told them to convey the same to unions as well as authorities.

This may not boil down so easily perhaps and I see that DoW have issued an advisory as well since couple of more people have posted their experience.

http://devilonwheels.com/india/post23891.html

[ajnagpur]

I did my bit. Spreading this news on my FB & Twitter with links & #SayNoToLadakh

Request you all to please spread it as much as possible.

Edit: You can find more pictures on
http://www.motorbeam.com/2015/07/new...-mafia-ladakh/

[KwokFist]

Originally Posted by VeluM

The Army cannot step in because this is a civil issue. The Army can only intervene in civil issues if the government directs them to do so, else it is an external defence-only organisation, with exceptions in the NE and J&K that are based on specific articles/laws.

I was citing my personal experience in the previous post and how Army guys present at the time helped me out.