[dejavu]

Hi All

I travel by cab to office everyday. Today my cab driver was not well and was not able to drive. He requested me to drive since I was the only one who could dirve. This is the first and last time, I will ever accept driving a cab. The cab's clutch plate was in a very bad shape, had to virtually stand on the clutch to press it enough to change the gears. Dont know what was wrong with the accelator and brake, they also needed enormous force to be operational. At the end of the journey, my legs and hands were hurting. Only thing smooth was the hand brake . The dirver does not have the choice of repairing the car, it is with the owners who dont have to go through the pain of driving them. My company is one of the few companies who dont penalise them for being late. They have told me a few companies which excuses them for 2-3 times a month, after which they get penalised. Before I travelled by the cab to office would have cribbed about their driving. Life is very tough they might not have an alternate as this is the way they earn their bread. Now after traveling in a cab and interacting with them having heard their version and the pressures they go through, I would be a lot more understanding about them. Please share your views and also spare a thought that it is not easy being in their shoes

[Googleman]

Which Company are you talking about?

1. My company does not allow cabs which are more than 2 years old.
2. Driver is penalised 500 bucks even if he is late by 1 min (They get 600 per pick-up/drop)
3. We have an option to raise a complaint anything about the cab and yes, it is looked upon.
4. It is not only the owner's responsibility to repair the cabs. For the first year, the Company pays for it.

Only thing is the attitude of the drivers is not good at all.

[aargee]

Well, I've 2 such incidents to narrate...
Experiment with Omnie
This was sometimes during 2004/05; though I'd a driving license in 2000, I didn't have regular practice & hence I only know to drive very barely, besides I didn't have a own car of mine. The cab was arranged by company & this guy was constantly drinking water, that too after pulling over, for every now & then. Just before 10 Kms to my home, he admitted that he hasn't slept for a day & wants to have some tea. So I ask this guy enthusiastically, should I drive for which he was happy. Neither he knew about me nor I told him about my experience. What was worst? It was a drive, early in the morning, around 3:00 AM with one headlight Omnie

Right Indica
Well, this incident was sometimes during 2008; when this incident happened I was more than confident because by this time I'd my own car & had good experience. I noticed this guy couldn't reverse the car properly in the office & when I asked, he gives a totally unrelated answer, like if you ask, what's your name? He says, I'm going to parrys corner!!! His speeds are totally not related like, he goes in 20 Kmph for few meters & then jumps over 90 for another & I could see most of the vehicles overtaking him again & again & this kept happening until he dropped a guy & went straight ahead to hit a wall!!! Finally he admits he has been driving continously for more than 24 hours. So I send him to back seat & took over the wheel. Trust me that was one worst Indica I've ever driven in my life. gear shifts are ok, but steering always pulls to right, so I've to keep pushing the steering in upwards position; turning right was cake walk (just take away the hands), turning left was nightmare. Somehow I drove back home safely that day. Oh!!! did I tell that the brakes behaved like ABS, got engaged & disengaged often?

[download2live]

Originally Posted by dejavu

Life is very tough they might not have an alternate as this is the way they earn their bread. Now after traveling in a cab and interacting with them having heard their version and the pressures they go through, I would be a lot more understanding about them. Please share your views and also spare a thought that it is not easy being in their shoes

Thats the proverbial other side of the story which we never know. Thanks for bringing it in.
Some people say life of a software engineer is easy too.

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by Googleman

2. Driver is penalised 500 bucks even if he is late by 1 min (They get 600 per pick-up/drop)

Are you serious? 500 bucks for 1 min. I can't believe this. That's atrocious!!

If it's realy real, no wonder why cabs are driven like that

[Googleman]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Are you serious? 500 bucks for 1 min. I can't believe this. That's atrocious!!

If it's realy real, no wonder why cabs are driven like that

Oh, I forgot to mention. They have speed control device also fitted+GPS sensor which tells the trasport desk where and how they are going in what speed

The fine does not result them driving negligible (Ofcourse that is their birthright), they pick-up the employees way before they should. I mean 1 hours early pickup for someone who would take 20 minutes to reach office.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by download2live

Thats the proverbial other side of the story which we never know. Thanks for bringing it in.
Some people say life of a software engineer is easy too.

Well said. Given a chance all of us have our own sob stories to narrate, and the grass is always greener on the other side. What matters is how we cope with the difficult circumstances we are in.

[dejavu]

Originally Posted by Googleman

Which Company are you talking about?
1. My company does not allow cabs which are more than 2 years old.
4. It is not only the owner's responsibility to repair the cabs. For the first year, the Company pays for it.

I am not sure, if my company has such a check and this facility. However if it had there was no reason why the owner would not want to keep his car in a good condition. Hence have my doubts on it.

The number of kms the cab does in a month and lack of maintenance
can make a year old cab also in quite a bad shape.

My cab driver also revealed that most of the cabs dont have up to date insurance also. The owners dont bother about these also.

[viper_711]

Originally Posted by Googleman

Which Company are you talking about?

2. Driver is penalised 500 bucks even if he is late by 1 min (They get 600 per pick-up/drop)

Only thing is the attitude of the drivers is not good at all.

No wonder cabbies drive the way they do - Same issue with BMTC buses as well - that means they should be allowed to drive the way they want while us folks should crawl!

[lsp]

We had a great cab driver while our company used to provide cabs (theyve now shifted to buses). He was normally a very sedate and cool headed guy who used to observe traffic rules.
Every week we used to have a small cab-parties and he joined us always and even drove us to those paces which were outside out route.

Originally Posted by Googleman

2. Driver is penalised 500 bucks even if he is late by 1 min (They get 600 per pick-up/drop)

Originally Posted by Googleman

they pick-up the employees way before they should. I mean 1 hours early pickup for someone who would take 20 minutes to reach office.

I am not surprised they pick you up early.

Originally Posted by download2live

Some people say life of a software engineer is easy too.

As benbsb29 said - the grass is always greener on the other side. I rem one incident when a friend and I were going to office and we saw a guy cutting grass using a sword like thing by swishing the swording over the grass and my friend remarked - If we have to do it for one day our back will hurt like anything. And I said if he had to look at the monitor for 1 day his eyes will hurt like anything (this was when we used to have the huge CRT monitors)