Bangalore autowalas can also be called as Autow-allah's... They literally behave as if they are God... You have to beg them to go to the places you want to go... and they treat you like they are doing a favor and as if you are traveling for free....they will always demand extra fare..etc etc.. every day you have a new "autowala" story to tell....
I guess I'm not the only one who is saying this...
I can cite lots of instances to prove my point. Only 2 or 3 times out of 10 has been my auto rides been pleasant. I've been in Bangalore for almost 8 years now and things were better those times when I first arrived here. The autowalas were kind, never demanded extra fare and wouldn't refuse to take you to places...
With changing times and Bangalore growing so fast, the attitude of the autowalas have turned out to be arrogant, they demand extra fare to go to places which are not even a kilometer away and the most shocking thing is they refuse to go to certain places. I mean isn't it their job that they have to go to places where a passenger wants to go to and not where they want to go?? I once had to reach M.G Road urgently at a certain time and none of the auto's wanted to go there. Their argument was that they won't get passengers from there. Boss, I'm talking about M.G Road here. If you don't get passengers there, where will you?? I was getting very late and was so frustrated that at last I told to one auto guy "Sir, take me to wherever you are going to, I shall get down at a place which will be nearer to my destination and I would find another auto".........
Not to forget that during rains, these auto drivers will charge you a bomb....
And today, I (along with 2 other friends) had yet another encounter with an autowala. We had to take an auto from the Forum Value Mall to Vydehi Hospital Road which would hardly be 2-3kms. We were getting late and there were more than a dozen autos in the auto stand. None of them agreed to move unless we paid them 100rs which was way too much. Going by the meter rate, it wouldn't cost more than 30rs...All of them demanded the same fare. I was impressed by their unity though...Huh..!! My foot...
We then decided to take another auto which was a bit farther from the auto stand and he too demanded the same fare. I got annoyed and shouted at him and he shouted back at me too..My friends had joined the fight by then...Then when the argument looked a little heated up, we fled from the place before it got worse....
I have also seen many autowalas sleeping in their auto the whole day and when asked if they would take us to the places we want, they demand extra fare and wouldn't budge unless you agree to their rates. If you decide not to take the auto, they would be least bothered and return to their sleeping schedule again.... Never looks like driving an auto is earning bread for them...They prefer sleeping over earning...!!!
Words fall short in describing the annoyance and havoc that the Bangalore Autowalas are causing these days....A system should be in place where the auto drivers are not given the choice of whether they should take passengers to places. The passengers should just be able to sit inside and then tell the driver where they want to go and the driver has no option but to agree. I think in Mumbai this rule applies to the taxis that ply around. The drivers should also be punished if they demand excess fare. I know for a fact that this rule exists but is just not followed.
It's time we join hands to make the auto-ride experience in Bangalore a pleasant one...or else, I think next time you have to take an auto, you'd rather say "allah ke naam pe leja baba"... ..!!!
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