Which city has the worst autorickshaw drivers?

flagpolecorner

The autos in Bangalore are alright I think. Yes it's true many will not come to certain destinations to avoid empty journeys but there are so many rickshaws in Bangalore that you'll find one eventually. Probably upto around 9pm. Two biggest problems i've found though are rickshaws agreeing to a destination but not knowing the directions (or atleast acting so). Secondly although everyone uses meters starting at Rs14 some of them are either rigged or wired up wrong. I've known the same journeys to vary by several ruppees despite similar traffic etc.

crvlvr

I think this is a genuine problem in some rapid expanding cities. 1. New developments come up so quickly that the auto drivers are not aware of it. I've heard the, "there used to be only fields/farms here the last time I came by" comment many a time and 2. many of the auto drivers are recent transplants to the city and barely know the roads. Unlike London, I doubt if there is any road map tests these drivers have to pass before becoming a certified auto driver.

Haylo

That is not the entire picture, the International Terminal has been around for just a little while, yet on my last day we had a taxi driver who had to stop and ask directions at least half a dozen times - from Vasant Vihar, which is hardly a complicated route!

Ah, well there is a good reason for that. Before London black cab drivers can get a licence they spend at least a couple of years driving round on mopeds getting "the knowledge" in peparation for their stringent exams.

I figure that if they tried that in Delhi traffic, the attrition rate would be so high, they'd only have one live prospective auto / cab driver pass every year!

PeakXV

Autorickshawers and their many forms of gamesmanship are the thorn in the butt of many a traveller to India - often without them/us/we even knowing it.

So, actually, there can be great fun had in getting much needed retribution by jabbing that sharp thorn right back up their smokin' tailpiped backside ..... ahhh now didn't that feel goooood!

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Haylo

Not really, I doubt if any auto drivers are regulars on IndiaMike and if there were they'd probably be highly amused by what we say about them.

In my view, if retribution is not done in person, it doesn't count!

PeakXV

Are you sure? Rumour has it our own Capt Mahajan has even taken the wild wheel! <hmmmm I wonder if he provided change for himself >



full thread here


What a classic - Alwarpet,Chennai gets my vote!

flagpolecorner

I can appreciate that but it's drivers who know that they don't know the roads yet agree to take your money. I've had a few occassions where a driver has agreed to take me somewhere (quite far so guaranteed a very decent fee) but has got about 10 minutes down the road and is turning back asking for directions. There are copious amounts of auto rickshaws in Bangalore so from our point of view there will usually always be someone willing to go the distance but converseley because the market is so saturdated, some drivers are so keen for the money they will go somewhere despite knowingly being ignorant to even landmarks in the area. If they dont know then they shouldn't come is all i'm saying.

PeakXV

That's fuel for another thread - what is the richshaw driver's most annoying & shameless scheme?

That old 'Hunh Gee no problem Yes Yes I know get in get in get in take off stop turnaround where is it you are going sorry not knowing sir!?' trick is in the top three on my auto pet peeve list. Unfortunately the onus is really on you, the passenger, to quickly quiz the driver, beforehand, as to his general knowledge of the area you will be going to - if at all possible.

pam3lia

Mysore! Its even more impossible to get across the road than usual, because as soon as you stand still at the side of the road to cross, a rickshaw pulls up in front of you and the driver says "rickshaw?" No! I'm just trying to cross the road! Happened ALL the time to me last time I was there, drove me crazy...

Nick-H

That happens in Chennai too. Infuriating!

I don't mind that they don't know the place; they just have to stop and ask directions. What makes me laugh is when they haggle over the price, and having agreed one, then ask you where the place is!

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kristinm

Agreed on both counts - especially in touristy places, you can't stop for a minute and have to have all your conversations with your travelling partners on the go.. so many times we were trying to cross a road, or work out which way to go and up would pull the rickshaw and up he would start talking over the top of us... And the price haggle before they know where - too true, and then asking for more money when its further than they thought originally!

Nick-H

... I only ever give that if it turns out to be further, or take much longer, than I thought!

In which case it's only fair.




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lallsons

Chennai

brishti

bangalore.


:brishti

MSchalk

Bangalore - for cheating
Ernakulam - for bad driving