[Nitin]

Good job kuttapan saare!! Thats the way to teach these guys a lesson. Use their tactics against them, stay firm with your idea and then beat them to it! Way to go!

[Nitronium]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Witnessed something that made me make out that I am not the only one frustated with these autorickshaw drivers.

I was actually pumping my fist going through that post!

And hats off to Kuttapan for that. The problem in Chennai is that the Police blindly side with the poorer of the two. If you were to try to take to task an errant autorickshaw driver, they'd wave the issue off on grounds that you're more well off and stand to gain very little!

[arnabchak]

The bane of auto rickshaw drivers!!!

But from looking at the pics, the injury isnt that great.

Some tinkering here and tehre and your good ol' M800 will be as new a a bride

[Fornax]

Can anyone answer these three questions -

1. Why are auto-rickshaws not permitted in the island city of Mumbai (South Mumbai)?

2. Weren't 2-stroke autos banned in Mumbai? They seem to outnumber the 4-stroke ones about 100:1 these days.

3. While in school (about 15 yrs back) we used to wait for a "Dhinchaak" auto, with music system, comfy tall back-seats and decorations. Nowadays its' impossible to spot one - have they been banned or something?

My hatred of rickshaws is purely due to their contribution to noise and air pollution. Only god knows what they put in their tanks to spew such thick white smoke. One has to invariably switch to circulation mode while driving closely behind one. As regards their road-manners, its' safe to say, they represent the least road-law compliance (if at all).

Yes, I agree they are a source of income for a lot of poor members of the society, but honestly, it won't be such a bad idea for them to spend a bit on their customers too.

Originally Posted by ph03n!x

I vote for a huge celebrations party the day autos are banned from the roads of the city limits!

I'll drink to that.

[ghodlur]

One episode with the Auto menace which I could recall was when I was at the Korum mall near Cadbury junction in Thane with my family and wanted to catch an auto to Ghodbunder Road. There were 3 auto's standing near the mall and I enquired with the first one for the ride. The auto driver looked the other way expressing his displeasure at the request. Same was repeated by the other two.

Then I pulled out my mobile and dialled the traffic police help number (which was advertised in Thane local newspaper after the No Auto day campaign to complain about auto nuisance) and gave the three auto registration numbers. To my surprise and even to the auto drivers surprise a traffic constable approached me and asked me the issue. When I told him the problem, he confronted the three auto guys at once and consfiscated their license and asked them to choose amongs themselves to give me the ride home. After coaxing by other two, the first auto driver agreed. The traffic guy even cautioned the driver that he has my mobile no and will enquire later about the correct fare taken.

Although I did not get the call, atleast the auto guys were brought to their senses, they must have surely lost 100/- paying hafta to the traffic chap to get back their license.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

To my surprise and even to the auto drivers surprise a traffic constable approached me and asked me the issue. When I told him the problem, he confronted the three auto guys at once and consfiscated their license and asked them to choose amongs themselves to give me the ride home.

UNBELIEVABLE!!! Seriously...

Man that is something. When will Bangalore get such an initiative. The last time I used help of a constable to get an Auto in Bangalore. He literally shooed be away saying that is not is job.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

UNBELIEVABLE!!! Seriously...

Man that is something. When will Bangalore get such an initiative. The last time I used help of a constable to get an Auto in Bangalore. He literally shooed be away saying that is not is job.

I can say this was a pure luck too and happened at a time when there was a huge hue and cry about the auto menace post the campaign started in Mumbai. I think the call which I made to the helpline was directed to the traffic guy patrolling that area. I dont think I might be that lucky now although haven't tried it.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

I dont think I might be that lucky now although haven't tried it.

Atleast you have hope. We don't have any of that.

[sidms]

@Ghodlur, nice to see Thane police doing their duty so promptly and efficiently. I have also read your post somewhere on the forum regarding police easing out traffic at check naka; after your complaint. Hope they continue with the good work like this.

Cheers

[gowda79]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

UNBELIEVABLE!!! Seriously...

Man that is something. When will Bangalore get such an initiative. The last time I used help of a constable to get an Auto in Bangalore. He literally shooed be away saying that is not is job.

There are many instances which has happened infront of my eyes and even to my wife that a constable has helped them to catch a auto who had refused earlier to take the ride and made them to go to the place requested by customer.

There are also instances which i have seen that a auto drivers have helped few elderly people to get food and wait until they finish the food and take them back home and was really shocked to see a driver helping the old couple in getting food from the hotel.

This happened a few days back at a busy area in Bangalore, so not all police are bad and not all auto drivers are bad. We need to respect themm has even they are human beings.

[Captain Slow]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

UNBELIEVABLE!!! Seriously...

Man that is something. When will Bangalore get such an initiative. The last time I used help of a constable to get an Auto in Bangalore. He literally shooed be away saying that is not is job.

Similar Story here
7PM in evening a friend needed a rick to get back home all ricks wanted double fare!
We approached the cop standing outside Garuda mall, He shooed us away saying that he was busy with traffic

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by sidms

@Ghodlur, nice to see Thane police doing their duty so promptly and efficiently. I have also read your post somewhere on the forum regarding police easing out traffic at check naka; after your complaint. Hope they continue with the good work like this.

Cheers

Thanks buddy. Even I hope they continue to do so. All it needs are a few efficient people on the top in every govt dept. Things then start falling in places automatically.

[Gansan]

In Chennai we just call a "call taxi"! As none of the autos operate by meter and the taxis do, the fares are only slightly higher and travel is more comfortable as well. I have the number of quite a few operators in my mobile and usually abut 30 - 40 minutes notice is enough for one to show up at your doorstep.

I have called them from all sorts of places - shopping malls, hospitals - you name it. I even have the numbers of a few from Bangalore and call up to inform by which train I am arriving, where and when to pick me up. They do it promptly even at 4.30 AM!

Patronize call taxis, eradicate autos!

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Captain Slow

We approached the cop standing outside Garuda mall, He shooed us away saying that he was busy with traffic

What a coincidence, it was Garuda Mall for us too. And I was trying to get an Auto for a friend. Eventually I had to drive to other side of town to drop them because we could not "respect" the Auto guys demand.

No we didnt ask any of the Auto guys to get us food from a Hotel neither are we old. I guess those are some requirements to be treated with dignity by the rickshaw drivers.

I will keep my respect for them though

[Captain Slow]

lol Spitfire, I had to do the same thing!

This Saturday evening a friend and his fiance wanted to go back home. I had a bad feeling about the auto goons and offered to drop them back but they did not want to trouble me. We approached the auto goons standing by commercial street tell them HSR layout, fern hill they demand Rs-300! On hearing this I burst out laughing like a crazy person

Long story short, I had to drop them back thanks to these goons.