The Auto Rickshaw is the most common medium of transport in Bangalore. There is an estimated amount of 75,000 registered auto's in Bangalore and god knows how many unregistered. School and college students are the most frequent patrons to this trade of dishonesty,threat,fear and violence. We could say that the Auto drivers are largely uneducated, but in the area of shrewdness they are numero uno. It is quite sad that they earn the dislike and the disrespect of the citizens in Bangalore and the rest of India easily than they earn respect. They cheat you at every opportunity they get, and they enjoy it.They could get extremely nasty and violent if there is a commuter with enough guts to argue and fight back. They threaten you with their brawn, but not with their brain.
I personally have had many nasty experiences with these goons, one nearly ended with a fist fight.Someone has to give them a taste of their own medicine right?. I have the language barrier which poses a problem because it frustrates them when they cannot make an effective enough effect on you with the plain use of language.The barrier has its advantages too, I use it to get out of tricky situations.I cannot say that they are all bad. There is some good in them, after all every individual is born good but society corrupts them,thats according to Rousseau anyway. The fairer sex also have their own issues concerning rickshaw drivers. The age old concept of treating the fairer sex gently does not seem to appeal to them. There have been many cases where girls have been kicked,mauled and as a last resort, raped.We cannot generalize all girls as meek.Some of them hold their ground and give it back to the auto drivers in style, but sometimes with dire consequences.
It is sometimes funny to observe them observe you, when you are about to hitch a ride with them. I have seen them watch students and techies with laptops and bagpacks and say "100 rupia detho boss". The meter charge might be just Rs.30.They randomnly call out randomn prices and if you are assertive enough you can bargain your way down, but it becomes ugly. I was at "Forum" the other day and I hail an auto and ask him to take me to Jeyanagar 4th BLK. I get in and he does not turn the meter on.I just thought ill remind him. He then said,"boss you give 80 rupia". I told him kindly stop and I'll get down, but he did not seem to hear me. I kept on yelling at him practically. He finally stopped the auto and then he abused me in Kannada which I did not understand, so it did not matter anyway. He points to my phone and says "f you are so rich, why can't you just give me 80?".You begin to realize how they judge you. They observe your every move.My mother once said "they are like hawks, flocking around you". It is so true.
The auto drivers themselves have their own concerns. We must not forget that.They have to pay insurance,feed their families and often pay heavy bribes to the law enforcement agencies. It seems to us that they are never happy with what they recieve. The state should senitize them accordingly, to ensure that they are also recognized as human beings and not as though they were hiyenas.They should be given training in communication skills, first aid,fire prevention etc. Another major issue is that they are reluctant to indicate their blood group on their license card, which could prove fatal in case of an accident. Authorities should encourage them to get their blood tested and indicate the correct group on the license. They should be educated about HIV Aids,and other STD's which they can easily fall prey to.I could fill the entire blog with what they should learn, but it should come from the state.
The law enforcement agencies should take commuters a wee bit more seriously and take proper action against auto drivers who misbehave and demand for excess fairs. The system should develop more. We should be heard out and they should be heard out.
I personally have had many nasty experiences with these goons, one nearly ended with a fist fight.Someone has to give them a taste of their own medicine right?. I have the language barrier which poses a problem because it frustrates them when they cannot make an effective enough effect on you with the plain use of language.The barrier has its advantages too, I use it to get out of tricky situations.I cannot say that they are all bad. There is some good in them, after all every individual is born good but society corrupts them,thats according to Rousseau anyway. The fairer sex also have their own issues concerning rickshaw drivers. The age old concept of treating the fairer sex gently does not seem to appeal to them. There have been many cases where girls have been kicked,mauled and as a last resort, raped.We cannot generalize all girls as meek.Some of them hold their ground and give it back to the auto drivers in style, but sometimes with dire consequences.
It is sometimes funny to observe them observe you, when you are about to hitch a ride with them. I have seen them watch students and techies with laptops and bagpacks and say "100 rupia detho boss". The meter charge might be just Rs.30.They randomnly call out randomn prices and if you are assertive enough you can bargain your way down, but it becomes ugly. I was at "Forum" the other day and I hail an auto and ask him to take me to Jeyanagar 4th BLK. I get in and he does not turn the meter on.I just thought ill remind him. He then said,"boss you give 80 rupia". I told him kindly stop and I'll get down, but he did not seem to hear me. I kept on yelling at him practically. He finally stopped the auto and then he abused me in Kannada which I did not understand, so it did not matter anyway. He points to my phone and says "f you are so rich, why can't you just give me 80?".You begin to realize how they judge you. They observe your every move.My mother once said "they are like hawks, flocking around you". It is so true.
The auto drivers themselves have their own concerns. We must not forget that.They have to pay insurance,feed their families and often pay heavy bribes to the law enforcement agencies. It seems to us that they are never happy with what they recieve. The state should senitize them accordingly, to ensure that they are also recognized as human beings and not as though they were hiyenas.They should be given training in communication skills, first aid,fire prevention etc. Another major issue is that they are reluctant to indicate their blood group on their license card, which could prove fatal in case of an accident. Authorities should encourage them to get their blood tested and indicate the correct group on the license. They should be educated about HIV Aids,and other STD's which they can easily fall prey to.I could fill the entire blog with what they should learn, but it should come from the state.
The law enforcement agencies should take commuters a wee bit more seriously and take proper action against auto drivers who misbehave and demand for excess fairs. The system should develop more. We should be heard out and they should be heard out.
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