[para_7k]

My Dad was driving the M800 last evening for some shopping. On the way he approached a 4-way junction. There is no signal at this place and it is only manually regualted by a cop. My dad had to go straight across the road ahead. The cop stopped all other directions and now it was the turn of my dad to proceed straight. Every one else had stopped. Now this Auto Rickshaw out of nowhere jumps in front of the car and runs across not obeying the policeman.

All my dad could do within that nano second was to swerve a little left to avoid him banging on to the front. Aargh! There was another bang. The rear of the car banged against a steel lamp pole. My dad couldn't stop anywhere as the traffic was piling up. He finished his shopping and told this to me when I returned from work.

I was a little disappointed to see what happened. The rear fender has taken a lot of beating and the door has lost shape. Now I have to start hunting for a body shop.

The Auto driver ? He never knew that he was a cause of such a thing or he didn't care. How many incidents happen like this ? How many are responsible for something they don't think they're a cause of ? There have been incidents where pedestrians run across and a poor biker who brakes hard falls down and hurts himself. The pedestrian runs away as if nothing has happened
People will have to learn one two words here. "Please YIELD"

Posted here are two pictures. The Charging horse is limping now. The moulding on the doors have taken some of the impact. Now there is something rattling inside the door. Hope I don't have to replace the entire door

[rr_zen]

Sad to hear about the incident. However, going by the pictures, I do not think the damage warrants a change of door. I feel this could be set right with some tinkering done.

And, about our roads and drivers all I can say is - God, save this country.

I would be curious to know how many motorists here even know the meaning of 'YIELD'

[amith.2974]

Sorry to hear about your mishap, but you cant expect anything more from them. I don't mean to generalize but from my personal experience, all the auto drivers are a part of one big happy family. I myself have been involved in many a confrontation with an auto driver which has lead to other auto drivers stopping and getting involved in the situation. I was once knocked down by an auto driver from my bike a couple of years ago when the auto driver decided not to look behind or use his mirror to aid him before taking a U-turn. Bike had some scratches and so did my arms, but thats how it goes.

[svsantosh]

2000Rs max annna (bro).

Dont worry, you being a chennai-pattinam kaaran, be happy the auto guy did not ask money from your dad for giving him a 'rude shock', and over and above the cop mama not booking a case for 'damaging public property'.

Menace- indeed, but co-existence needed.

[MutantX]

Well i just have a few words for you!

Autodrivers are the worst followed by bikers! Absolutely no respect for people who spend their hard earned money of buying vehicles. I had a similar experience on my i10.

At the adyar bridge, I had an auto driver trying to squeeze inbetween my i10 and the bridge pillar. I realized what this silly auto wala was trying to do and cut across left to avoid him.Fortunately or unfortunately, he scalped my i10's bumper! not much damage , just was touch up was required to restore things. But if I didnt notice this guy, the damage would have been far worse!

This is was the only time I was provoked to bash up this guy. But i held my nerve as my entire family was sitting in the car!

[para_7k]

@rr_zen, Yes. Its only a rat race every moment on the road.

@amith.2974, It happens to many of us. I always doubt if the mirrors in these autos which are placed on the inside, help them see anything apart from their beautiful faces or passengers' faces.

@svsantosh, pun apart, I do see truth in your words. There was another instance some years back where my dad was rear ended by an auto and "we" had to pay him. And co-existence, it comes at a price.

@MutantX, You were pro-active and that helped. Good that you escaped with minor scratches. But I seriously advise you not to involve in anything with them. Other Auto drivers from the road would come from nowhere in support of one.

[ph03n!x]

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

[Wolfheart]

I have nothing against auto rickshaws, it's the rickshaw drivers that are a pain in the ....errr neck!

They have blatant disregard for lane discipline, pedestrians, traffic lights, no entry, parking rules and even the safety of their passengers. I have seen many a rickshaw flip over due to reckless driving. Their rear view mirrors are used only for their own personal grooming and ogling at lady passengers

The only solution is to have these guys re-do their road and driving tests and teach them the concept of lanes and good road manners. The cops need to enforce traffic laws and fine the buggers instead of letting them get away.

And yeah limiting their numbers would also help, especially here in Mumbai suburbs.

[amith.2974]

I hope nobody on T-bhp who drives an auto takes offense to this thread

[pranavt]

You know... all you guys are blaming the autorickshaw driver. Fine with that. However, an able bodied man who has the controls of a car needs to have the reflexes, presence of mind and common sense to do something more than just "swerve". Your dad is lucky that it was an autorickshaw and not a group of people, or even a bike-wala on the left-rear of the car. Teach your dad how to use a brake pedal.

[para_7k]

Originally Posted by pranavt

You know... all you guys are blaming the autorickshaw driver. Fine with that. However, an able bodied man who has the controls of a car needs to have the reflexes, presence of mind and common sense to do something more than just "swerve". Your dad is lucky that it was an autorickshaw and not a group of people, or even a bike-wala on the left-rear of the car. Teach your dad how to use a brake pedal.

Unfortunately, the auto did not give enough time for him to think and step on the pedal. Also, the cop who had stopped traffic was pressurizing him to move forward quickly.

You're right. Even I told him you could have stopped. But only when we face situations ourselves, we would understand better. Not always we have enough time for super quick reflexes.

The auto driver did not care a damn about what is going on. He did not even respect the policeman who had asked everyone to stop.

@amit, I have seen good auto drivers myself. The point is only about this driver. It could have been any other vehicle too.

[Gansan]

Hi Paramesh,
I did not realize an auto was involved and it was a near accident situation, when you mentioned about some damage to the door of your M800 to me this evening. The damage does not appear very severe in the photo.

As for compensating an auto driver for his own mistake, I would suggest one thing. We should always tell the auto fellow to wait and (pretend to) call the nearby cop to book a case. Most of them will not call the bluff as almost all of them will have something to hide - auto plying without permit, no valid licence etc. They will either leave in a huff, climb down drastically from their demands, or even agree to partly foot your own bills.

This was narrated to me by one of my former bosses. He was proceeding straight in his Sumo, auto cut across his path, mild bang and big dent in the side of the auto. Big commotion, auto wallah wanted Rs 1000 for tinkering. My boss cooly offered him Rs 100 magnanimously, and told him to call a cop and book a case if he wanted Rs 1000 as "I can pay Rs 100 only out of my pocket, if it will be Rs 1000 let the insurance company pay it. You can take it or leave it"! The auto fellow took the Rs 100 and left, muttering under his breath!

[para_7k]

Gansan,

Yes. I missed to mention it. I don't think the auto driver was anyway aware that he has caused some trouble. He was also quick enough to move away from the place.

The damage is not too big. My only worry is that the door has lost shape and something has shattered inside. The car is silver so you don't see some of the scratches

[shishya]

This happened to me a few years ago. This is in Pune near the Collector Office / Dr Ambedkar Statue Round-about. This perticular round-about where there is a very crowded City Transport bus-stop on one side and a narrow space for other moving vehicles. It was a funny round-about that on another side the vehicles are allowed to move in the 'wrong' direction. The traffic cop controlling by hand signals had halted our side. A City-bus came to a halt on my left. When the traffic cop gave the go hand-signal to our side, the bus on my left made a very sharp turn to the right to enter the "allowed" wrong lane. Anticipating problem, I did not start my vehicle and due to other vehicles behind me, I could not go back as this bus brushed my front left corner of the car. When the bus was stopped by onlookers, we had a four hours session of complaints registeration at the concerned police station. A whole group of the bus company employees were trying to pressurise me to drop the complaint. After about eight months, I received the summons to appear in the court at 10 am and I had to wait till about 4pm till "our" case came up. The bus company lawyer briefed the magistrate and said that there should be no formal punishment and the bus company will bear cost for its own company bus and I should arrange from my insurance company for my car's repair cost. All the magistrate asked me was if the said bus had damaged my car, when I replied yes. He summarily passed judgement "each party to bear its own cost" and the driver to be let off. As this was my first experience, I did not even know that I was to appoint a lawyer for my case, as the summons only stated that I was a witness and not a party. When I tried to speak to the magistrate, he warned me sternly to keep quite else he would take action against me. As this was my first experience in court, I backed out. I approached a lawyer, and he informed as the case was already decided, there was very little chance of an appeal on such matters. Few years later for my next accident, even when it was no fault of mine, I just briefly ensured that the other party had no formal complaints noted in writing at the police station and got my insurance company to repair my car. The loss of bonus was far less than the harrowing time I would have to spend. Sorry this sounds like a defeatist attitude. The round-about cited above, was subsequently re-organised by the cops as many other accidents took place there.

[sabynag]

The problem with we Indians is that we complain a lot but do little to solve any problem. So many people complain about unruly auto drivers, but what do we do to put an end to it ? Do we expect someone will come and solve it for us ? Govt will never do it - its very existence depends on them. Police will not do it - they will never get a go-ahead from their political masters to go strong with unruly unionized auto drivers.

It is only us who can put an end to this problem. An auto driver, however unruly he may be, can't survive unless he has customers for his business. Political class and Police are part of his operations - they are not his customers. His customers are us, the ones who keep complaining about his behavior. If we have so many problems with an auto driver, why can't we refuse his service ? If all the citizens make a strong determination not to patronize autos on city roads, autos will eventually vanish from the streets. The problem is the lack of determination on our part. Why can't we switch to public transport for long-haul and walk for short-haul ? Most, if not all, auto-journies can be replaced by a combination of public transport and walk. But we Indians don't believe in voluntarily undergoing hardships for a better tomorrow - we believe that someone else will take all the pains for us and we will only enjoy the gains. When that never happens, we have only choice left - complain.