Be happy Chennai

The above picture taken in front of Charminar, Hyderabad is an accident. The cyclist in the photo was not in the original frame but came in when I clicked. Just zooming through, intersecting oncoming autos and nothing happened except for my heart. Then I found that this is how everyone behaves on road there. You don't have to stop for anyone. You just go and others go around you. But then I saw a fight between a biker and an auto driver because of some brushing while on the way to Secunderabad.

By the way the autos there don't use meters but are very reasonable. I should say cheap compared to Chennai. Then autos at any other place is cheaper than at Chennai. Still the autos are looked at as underdogs by some here!

Anyways after a few days in Secunderabad and Hyderabad I thought I am going overboard with the situation in Chennai. Chennai traffic is faaaar better comparatively.

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Chennai Traffic-Mumbai auto - latest update

Recently my father had to go to Mumbai by flight. On reaching he contacted help desk about catching an auto to Kurla. Immediately the person in charge there geve my father a pamphlet and escorted him to an auto. The pamphlet contained details about the fare to be paid. The auto driver put on the meter and started. Contrary to my father's thinking, conditioned by chennai auto experience, there was no haggling when he got down! Incidentally the meter showed the distance travelled and not the fare to be paid. The pamphlet had detailed instructions about the fare to be paid based on the meter reading. By the way the minimum fare is Rs.9/- for the first 1.6 kms and Rs.5/- for every other km. So we, Chennai people, have one more thing to dream about: )

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Chennai Traffic-Autocratic autos

But are they really autocratic or it is just that the users are submissive? This question always arises seeing the behavior of both. Mechanical meter, Digital meter or No meter no questions asked as the meters are only used as hanger by the driver for his uniform. No questions on meter, no questions on rate, no questions on breaking of traffic rules, no questions on illegal parking. It is rather the questioner is questioned 'do you know the difficulty of getting license, the cost of petrol(even for a diesel auto), daily rent, mamool for the police on beat, ...?' So rather than the cost of living factor(which is higher in Bangalore with better autos) it seems the clout the auto drivers enjoy because of the clout they have with the politicians, dons, police, etc., decide the fate of the general public.

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