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Why do they do it?

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Public Transport

"Richmond Circle", I said as I hopped on to a yellow-black three wheeler. The driver cut across a crowded road to do a flashy U-turn inviting glares and screeches from other motorists. But I knew my journey had begun and I was in safe hands. This is one set of service providers that respects its customers' time, isn't it.

While admiring his deft maneuvering skills, pavement hopping and well timed red-signal jumps, I wished for more entertainment inside the auto. Inhaling soot was the only option - I don't like smoking - so I started watching the meter. Time ticked slowly, so did the meter, but after a few minutes, I witnessed it. 1.50, 1.60, 1.70 ... 1.90, all in about two seconds.

I wouldn't describe what happened next (they have a way of 'controlling' the meter), but I was thinking why do they do it?
- fiddle with the meter
- tamper with the engine to raise mileage by 1-1.5 kmpl, and a lot of noise in the bargain
- drive like mad dogs

The driving part can be explained. Rest of us are no saints on the road either. They drive to live, so as long as they are not getting caught and reprimanded for rash driving, why would they not do it?

Tampering with engine too can be explained on similar lines. The law around noise and air pollution is not enforced, so you are as 'free' to play with your engine as them. Too bad you don't do it ;)

But fiddling with the meter? That is downright and direct cheating of consumers. Is it because they think they need to be making more money per kilometer? And is that why they are demanding a hike in fares now? Taking this further, I would want to know the process for 'fixing' the minimum fares. Who decides how much profit per kilometer is okay, and how do they do it? This is a bit similar to the maximum retail price (MRP) concept for consumer products in our country. The idea I think is to prevent cheating of consumers that results from lack of competition or awareness.

The right way of dealing with this perhaps is in letting them 'compete' with each other. This way of fixing and forcing their profits makes them 'cooperate' instead, which I argue is more unhealthy than helpful. We could still have an MRP like system, which would suggest the maximum per km. Various auto operators would then compete and keep the prices around this maximum.

Think about one more thing. What would happen if the auto fares triple overnight? Or, if autos were banned on the grounds of being unsafe and polluting? Strikes etc part, we will all put more pressure on our local government to provide better and reliable public transport. These autos act as 'buffers' in that sense, I would rather have us direct all our anger and energy at BMTC/BMLTA's inefficiency instead.

What's your say?

PS: photo credit fingernails4u @ flickr

Comments

s_yajaman's picture

My two cents

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95 users have liked.
They do it because they get away with it. Just like all the people who break the law in other ways in Bangalore - jumping lights, violating building norms, etc. This is because the police leadership in Bangalore is probably the weakest among the metros. I don't blame the constables because theirs is the most hazardous and unenviable job. It is the top guys who seem apathetic to the plight of the common man as well as the rank and file police. In Madras, they get away with it because (at least per the popular version) the cops ownn the autos. So they are a law unto themselves. Bangalore autos seem saintly by comparison. I believe everyone has a right to a livelihood and many autodrivers are only trying to make ends meet. But they need to respect the laws while they are at it. The fare structure needs some rethink. They need to increase the minimum fare to about Rs.20 for 2 km and then let it click on at Rs.6/km. This will make short distances a bit more attractive for the driver and also make people think about a walk before they sit in an auto. This seems to work pretty well in Singapore where the min fare is about $2.50 for 2 km. Bombay did the smartest thing and banned them from the downtown areas long long ago. This makes the traffic from Bandra towards Churchgate a bit saner. Go towards the suburbs and the same sort of mad traffic exists. Maybe Bangalore needs to have an auto free zone as well. I think they have a case in raising fares here at least for the LPG autos. LPG fares have increased by about Rs.12/litre in the past 2-3 months. This means probably 60-75p more /km in running costs. However there has to be a quid pro quo - all autos need to convert to LPG, have electronic meters, no refusals, etc. On my part, I have decided that if I am going by myself, I will wait 10 mins for a bus and take it before I set foot in an auto (I did that yesterday evening). When I came back from Hyderabad last week (Jan 11) they had all gone on a strike to demand more fares. I will go on a strike as well and boycott them as much as possible. If all Bangaloreans do that, they will learn a lesson. Srivathsa

Drive safe.  It is not just the car maker which can recall its product.

Karthik's picture

Moreover, they use the road

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119 users have liked.
Moreover, they use the road as if the road is meantly only for them putting other road users in trouble and also sometimes putting lives in dire situation also (which did happen recently just about a week ago to a friend of mine). I would suggest all bengalurigas to refrain from using these autorickshaws.

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