[rajathv8]

Thank you for stepping away from the crowd and doing this.
Really appreciate your guts/effort to set things right. It is high time we as customers to these businesses step up and let them know that they are being watched.

[rsm97]

Dear AkMar, highly appreciate the initiative despite yours not being affected personally. The recorded response of the staff surprised me. If people in a dealership have not been trained to behave, wondering what their customers are getting from them.

[sankdeshmukh]

Good Initiative AkMar, Linkway Honda dealership is most arrogant and highly unprofessional of all dealership that Honda have at western suburbs. Had a very awful experience at both of their dealerships at Malad and Saki Naka, when i went to buy amaze with my cousin, post this experience I ended up buying SX4.
Let this thread and your video be wide spread and in turn Honda made aware how these Link-way people treat their customers.

[nikhilarni]

Hi AkMar,

You did the right thing. Way to go.

One of those driver's from Linkway had nearly side-swiped my car when I was in that area about 2 years ago. I did go to the dealership and complain but met with the same calous attitude. I did not report it back then. Perhaps I didn't have the presence of mind to video capture it. Glad that you had the presence of mind to capture the whole incident.

Hope other dealers around learn a lesson on obeying the traffic rules and ensure their drivers do not flout them.

The drivers of Shreenath Hyundai on the Link Road ( Malad / Goregaon ) also drive on the wrong side simply because there is no break in the median at that point and the signal at Chincholi ( Hanuman Temple ) is always jammed.

[centaur]

I think, in your communication to Honda, include a reference to this Team Bhp thread as well. Our community is well known and they will surely be forced to take some action IMO

[TwistedFaith]

And what is the best way to deal with people coming the wrong way when the police supports them and fines you for "blocking" their way because you are in the left extreme lane of your road waiting for the signal to change?

This happened with me recently on the road below the flyover to the airport at Bangalore. Exited from Sahakara Nagar towards the airport and stopped at the red light in the left lane. In a few seconds a bunch of 2 wheelers came and stopped in front of me and then started abusing me.

I stay in the car and do not respond... one of them spits on the window (thankfully it was closed) then the traffic constable comes and I am like "now you goons will get it" - instead he asks me to show my license and books me for obstructing traffic... stumped.

[McLaren Rulez]

Great job AkMar! The two options are that corporate higher ups do nothing and have the brand name dragged through the mud, or step up, do the right thing and crackdown on that idiot dealer.

Your move Honda.

[coolvenk]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

What is the use of this exercise? It wont change anything. Within no time, and I would not be surprised if it is as early as tomorrow, they will be back to the same routine. The problem is not with the system. It is with all of us now. We have genetically mutated and convinced ourselves with the attitude of chalta hai (myself included). I can see that the signal on the opposite side is a bit busy and it would take them an extra ten minutes each trip to use that. I really do not think that it will make a difference.

If enough of us call out those that violate traffic rules, I believe there is possibility of change. These are safety issues and a flippant attitude towards them costs needless injury and loss of life everyday in our country.

I'd like to applaud AkMar for calling out the folks at the dealership.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by coolvenk

If enough of us call out those that violate traffic rules, I believe there is possibility of change. These are safety issues and a flippant attitude towards them costs needless injury and loss of life everyday in our country.

Don't take me wrong. I too applaud the OP's effort in what he did. But the way things are in our country at present, it has made me over pessimistic or practical, whatever you may call it. So one thread, one dealership, one day is too less and too late to make any considerable difference as far as I feel. I would be really interested to know if now the said dealership has started following the rules at least.

[coolvenk]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Don't take me wrong. I too applaud the OP's effort in what he did. But the way things are in our country at present, it has made me over pessimistic or practical, whatever you may call it. So one thread, one dealership, one day is too less and too late to make any considerable difference as far as I feel. I would be really interested to know if now the said dealership has started following the rules at least.

I do understand and perhaps relate to your sentiment. All I am saying is that if each of us makes a sustained effort to follow rules and go up to people and call out the more egregious violations, there may be a way out of our present condition. Confronting people and pointing out their mistake often (but not always) has a powerful effect on their behavior. In short, I am perhaps more optimistic than you.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by coolvenk

Confronting people and pointing out their mistake often (but not always) has a powerful effect on their behavior. In short, I am perhaps more optimistic than you.

I am glad you added the but not always part in brackets.

If you believe in the concept of self preservation then you will not indulge in this behaviour modulation technique in Delhi NCR area and infact most of the northern India.

[AkMar]

First of all, I would like to thank all the BHPians for the support they have showed.

Originally Posted by vikramk

Very well done and I think each of us should make it a point to educate the idiots who take wrong side driving for granted.

In Bangalore, the traffic police have a website called Public Eye where anyone can report offences by posting a picture of the traffic violation along with some details. We need a website like this for every city/town.

Mumbai Traffic police too has multiple ways of reporting traffic violations. There are apps for Android & iOS. I found iOS app confusing to use. Apart from that traffic violations can be reported through Twitter/Whatsapp (number: 8454999999).

Originally Posted by centaur

I think, in your communication to Honda, include a reference to this Team Bhp thread as well. Our community is well known and they will surely be forced to take some action IMO

They already know about this thread.

Today I stopped a Tempo Traveller taking wrong side at a signal on Western Express Highway. His response too was similar, as if it was his birth right to drive on wrong side - "Kya ho gaya hai tereko? Diesel bharneko hi ja raha hoon" (What has happened to you? I'm just going to refuel). I did not argue a lot with him. Just clicked a photo and reported to Mumbai Police on Whatsapp. They have responded with an acknowledgement. Lets hope they take it seriously.

[aviraj]

Originally Posted by AkMar

First of all, I would like to thank all the BHPians for the support they have showed.

You are crazy to confront such people, but then only crazy people can bring about a change in this society. We need more people like you

[AkMar]

I have another positive update to share:

Today the dealership asked me whether I am available for a quick meeting. Accordingly I went over to their office in the afternoon. I met the GM, After-sales, who once again apologized to me for the incident. He requested me to consider this incident an aberration & that these are not the values of Auto Hangar group. He also shared 2 decisions taken post this incident:

1. A circular has been put up at the entrance of the premises reminding staff to follow traffic rules. If anyone is found breaking rules, fine of Rs 500 will be deducted from salary. All driver going outside the premises with any car are made to sign in a register as an acknowledgement of having read the circular. Here is the circular:


2. Punitive action is being taken on the employee who is seen verbally abusing me in the video. The GM has proposed that a penalty amount will be deducted from the salary of the employee over the next 3 years and would be donated to a social cause - Nanhi Kali, an initiative by Mahindra Group. Apparantly the higher management was considering option of terminating his employment. I am not in favor of this step. If he has learnt his mistake and will improve in the future, that is sufficient for me. I did not wish someone to lose his job. I clearly conveyed the same to the GM.

The MD of auto hangar group was personally involved in the resolution of this issue, I am told. That is the power of social media & most importantly our wonderful community of BHPians

@Mods: Request you to update the thread title to reflect the recent developments.

Originally Posted by sankdeshmukh

Good Initiative AkMar, Linkway Honda dealership is most arrogant and highly unprofessional of all dealership that Honda have at western suburbs. Had a very awful experience at both of their dealerships at Malad and Saki Naka, when i went to buy amaze with my cousin, post this experience I ended up buying SX4.

I cannot comment on the general attitude/professionalism of the staff as I have not experienced it except this one occasion. My friend who is a regular customer at the workshop tells me that the staff at this location is good. He was in fact taken aback when he saw the video. He said that he personally knows the person in video, and he is polite during his interactions.

[Akshay1234]

That's a great resolution by them, and I am not surprised considering enough of people from the same group do follow team bhp. They didn't really need to call you back and show you all this, but I'm glad they did, and it reflects well on Auto Hangar.