[Cyrus43]

26th of November?? Dad should be in bombay on that day for sure!! If not, he usually has hell to pay.

[President]

Originally Posted by President

Trying to schedule next meet/drive tentatively on 21st or 26th November, depending on members covenience for the dates.

Originally Posted by Cyrus43

26th of November?? Dad should be in bombay on that day for sure!! If not, he usually has hell to pay.

That was 28th November (Sunday) and not 26th.
Sorry for the typing error.

[Cyrus43]

Aha!! Persuade him to get one of the cars and come. But I dont think he will be there as he works on Sundays.

[President]

Originally Posted by Cyrus43

Aha!! Persuade him to get one of the cars and come. But I dont think he will be there as he works on Sundays.

Have been in touch with him. We are planning an FCCCI drive to Nasik Mahindra Factory. He has excitingly invited us but since he is busy with the launch of the 'Thar' we may postpone it to the end of December.

[dhrishikesh]

Originally Posted by President

Have been in touch with him. We are planning an FCCCI drive to Nasik Mahindra Factory. He has excitingly invited us but since he is busy with the launch of the 'Thar' we may postpone it to the end of December.

@ Rony,
Please try to make this Mahindra & Mahindra Factory, Nashik drive most probably in the 2nd week of January if possible as some of us like me, Salil Pawar, Rutwij Mamtora & Jatin Patel won't be able to come as our Mumbai University Engineering exams will be finishing on 4th January probably.
(As me, Rutwij & Jatin are doing Automobile Engineering, we would definitely like to be there as it will be a heaven for us.)

[President]

Originally Posted by dhrishikesh

@ Rony,
Please try to make this Mahindra & Mahindra Factory, Nashik drive most probably in the 2nd week of January if possible as some of us like me, Salil Pawar, Rutwij Mamtora & Jatin Patel won't be able to come as our Mumbai University Engineering exams will be finishing on 4th January probably.
(As me, Rutwij & Jatin are doing Automobile Engineering, we would definitely like to be there as it will be a heaven for us.)

Sounds good. We will then try to work towards that schedule.
However, ultimately, it depends on Behram's availability and suitability for necessary permissions.

[dhrishikesh]

This is the article in today's edition of Marathi newspaper "Sakaal" which says that many of Mumbaikars now don't want their once-a-time beloved Premier Padmini taxis, dur to which Premier Padmini Taxi Union are in tense situation along with the drivers & owners of these Padmini taxis.
one of the Padmini taxi driver says that we are not getting the required number of passengers everyday due to new generation taxis.
Its my humble request to all Team BHP members & we all Fiat lovers & fans that we should cheer up this situation as after few years Padmini taxis, which are the Mumbai's recognition compared to London Taxis & New York's Ford Crown Victoria Taxis will soon be disappeared after few more years.

[SuperSelect]

Rode a Padmini Taxi the other day. (I nearly always make it a point to take a Padmini..)

She was in nice condition, with an old caring driver to boot. Started chatting up the chacha on all things Fiat. (Nearly always do this too, especially if the driver is an oldie)

After the usual talks on how sturdy Fiat taxies are as compared to the altos / omnis etc, we came to the inevitable: SCRAPPING.

He alleged, that car manufacturers, the Government, the RTO, and all the powers that be are hand in glove, in this move to scrap our dear old Fiats.. The companies make money, so does the Government - it is only us poor who suffer.

I said, why does your union not do anything about it ??
To this he remarked: "Sir, Union bhi biki hui hai. Ab is Padmini Taxi ko koi nahin bachaa saktaa.." (Sir, the Unions have sold out too.. now nobody can save these poor Padmini taxies...")

As he departed, I gave the Padmini one long last loving look, and shed a silent tear for the "Rani" who has no saviour left..

[EARTHed]

Hi! Only a FIATian like me can understand this. In the previous pages, you took a really good initiative by thinking of saving some good Padminis'. PLEASE do something about it. We all shall salute you for this.

[SuperSelect]

Thanks EARTHed !! I'm trying to get this "Save the Fiat Taxi" movement going.. let's see how it goes !

[the mole]

Sorry guys as blasphemous as it may sound, and don't get me wrong I am also a Fiat enthusiast.

If you feel so strongly that Padmini's are a integral part of the city and need to be showcased as such, why don't you guys step forward and do something about it. Unless someone steps forward and volunteers to start a classic cab service, the Government will not and does not have time for such endeavors.

If you succeed in doing the same please ensure that your Taxi's are clean to international standards, devoid of all personal expressions and most importantly stock in bodywork and mechanicals and have the basic amount of road fitness levels. Again I have not found a single Taxi confirming to the above for quite some time.

Secondly while quoting examples of cities such as London and New York please make serious case studies and present them before the authorities, it would also be interesting to post them here. Personally I have lived for a long time in New York and never seen the old chequred cabs ever!! The standard Taxis there are extremely clean and as I put it before devoid of any personal expressions (religious or otherwise) No Agarbatis, no flowers etc etc.

So guys please take it outside this forum to the next level and get going.

[President]

Originally Posted by the mole

Sorry guys as blasphemous as it may sound, and don't get me wrong I am also a Fiat enthusiast.

If you feel so strongly that Padmini's are a integral part of the city and need to be showcased as such, why don't you guys step forward and do something about it. Unless someone steps forward and volunteers to start a classic cab service, the Government will not and does not have time for such endeavors.

If you succeed in doing the same please ensure that your Taxi's are clean to international standards, devoid of all personal expressions and most importantly stock in bodywork and mechanicals and have the basic amount of road fitness levels. Again I have not found a single Taxi confirming to the above for quite some time.

Secondly while quoting examples of cities such as London and New York please make serious case studies and present them before the authorities, it would also be interesting to post them here. Personally I have lived for a long time in New York and never seen the old chequred cabs ever!! The standard Taxis there are extremely clean and as I put it before devoid of any personal expressions (religious or otherwise) No Agarbatis, no flowers etc etc.

So guys please take it outside this forum to the next level and get going.

It is indeed very well explained and enlightened by Amol about phasing out/retaining old PADMINI cabs, an issue which is being stressed on this thread.

This thread pertains to FCCCI (FIAT CLASSIC CAR CLUB OF INDIA - Mumbai) and its members who are passionately involved in maintaining, restoring and preserving their PRIVATE FIAT VINTAGES and CLASSICS as a hobby, thereby interacting, meeting, driving and rallying with fellow enthusiasts and friends to make it more joyous and pleasurable.

Having stressful and busy lives ourselves, all through the week we like to meet up on one Sunday every month and relieve ourselves of the pressures of life and spend one day a month doing something related to our passion.

I myself do treasure the BLACK and YELLOW heritage of FIAT TAXIS, and surely would love to see them continue on Mumbai roads, but that needs to be taken up by an appropriate group or Authority that is confident in wining against the government with its one sided rules and bureaucracy.

Just for record sake, I would like to mention that some time ago, a situation had occured, where FCCCI with its soft corner for FIATS tried to save the last SUPER SELECT TAXI in Mumbai, by representing the case to the CM's office in co-ordination with the Mumbai Taximens Union. Ultimately, there was no response or feedback from the government and we realised that it was a fruitless effort that took us nowhere, and the helpless taxi owner was without business after his cab was decommisioned and hoping to wait for a favorable order which wasn't in his favour ultimately.

So, it is better that we continue using our Clubs quality time towards results that bring us pleasure, rather than getting into political hassles, baseless paperwork and public transport issues.
We have discussed this amongst us at various occasions, in order to have a Happy Club which I'm sure that every member and onlooker agrees, that it is, so far.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by the mole

If you succeed in doing the same please ensure that your Taxi's are clean to international standards, devoid of all personal expressions and most importantly stock in bodywork and mechanicals and have the basic amount of road fitness levels. Again I have not found a single Taxi confirming to the above for quite some time.

Its an open secret as to how Bombay cabbies have managed to keep their cabs going on the road by keeping the RTO 'happy' every time and giving their poor cabs the worst of 'quick-fix' maintenance that made the cars end up as practically worthless as well as dangerous potential threats to passengers!
To be honest, I really have no sympathy towards those cabbies (except the odd honest cabbie who truly cares for his taxi, as the one ravi met- they are too far and few in between) as it is mainly because of them that the govt. decided to get these cabs off the road. Had the majority of their cabs been maintained as well as a private car is, the authorities wouldnt have dared get them scrapped!

[the mole]

Guys are we having a meet soon? Can we also announce our annual motorcade as I need to get my Elegant in ship shape condition and down from Pune.

[President]

Originally Posted by the mole

Guys are we having a meet soon? Can we also announce our annual motorcade as I need to get my Elegant in ship shape condition and down from Pune.

Yes Amol, lets plan a mini FIAT drive for the upcoming Sunday, 28th, 2010. Suggestions welcome.

BTW, the PUG (Palio Users Group) have shown keen interest to join us for this meet/drive once again this time, so we can expect a lot of FIATS donning the streets of Mumbai.

Met Behram at the Autocar show and discussed about planning the 'most wanted' FCCCI Mahindra Factory tour. Since many of the young members have exams till 3rd January 2011, and they have requested the tour to be organised thereafter, we have co-ordinated with Behram to do the needful for a visit to the Kandivali factory and obtain necessary permissions to make it possible. Confirmation on dates for the same at a later stage.

Finally, the 2010 FCCCI Mega Rally can be discussed upon at our next meet/drive on 28th Nov and subject to majority of members availability we can confirm the dates for this one too, either in December or January, whenever convenient to all.