When a bunch of motor-fans sit together, their talk almost always move around Mercedes, BMW's or Audi's and in some cases Hayabusas, Apirilias or may be Yamaha R15s. So what I mean to say, when we discuss something about IC engines it is invariably two wheelers or four wheelers but has anyone given a thought about our own three wheelers-- The black-yellow cubes with, a “i-am-macho’ attitude driver, running from one street of the city to the other? Yes, I am talking about our own Auto-Rickshaws, the ever nuisance in a busy city ...so irritating yet the necessary evil.

Today I am sharing one of my PG's discussions with my readers. I am discussing about problems faced by Bangalore citizens because of auto persons. Many must be thinking is it a topic to discuss? Well of course yes yes yes. I stay in one of the expensive areas in Bangalore, Indiranagar. The moment I utter “bhaiya, Indiranagar challenge kya?” Auto rates plummet to exospheric heights. Let me first tell what the auto rules here (in Bangalore) are. Auto must use a meter, which charges 7 rs per km, the minimum amount a customer has to pay is 14 RS no matter how much distance you travel, from night 10 pm to morning 6 am, the charge is 1 and a half of the actual meter charge. So these have been fixed by Government to be followed strictly.

Now I am reproducing a lively discussion about the autos in Bangalore verbatim.

A Monday evening, no electricity in the house, ten girls (no prize for guessing, I was one among them) sitting at in the room!! What can be better a place to gossip! At 8.45 pm, enters the 11th sadist, with a furious face and wtf kind of expression. As we have nothing better to do, we decided to pull her legs.

Chorus: What happened Priya any problem? (Though we know from her face that she was so irritated that given a chance she will cut the whole world into 500 pieces).

Priya: Ayo, kadavale (god), yena Bangalore pa, auto walas are rascals out here.

Chorus: Who Priya, why are you scolding now, again he dropped you in 1st cross?

Priya: Then what else sumanaa,(that’s how she calls me, Tamilian can't help it !) I pay him full money know, first only I told 10th cross, then he said he'll take 50 rs, I thought OK fine and came, in 1st cross only that idiotic guy told me “Na barela ma nivu hogi” (I will not come madam, You can leave now).

(The distance from the 1st cross to 10th cross is some 1.5 km and autos don’t prefer to move to 10th cross because they fear they might not get a return passenger!!)

Rasmi: Girls! Priya's case is at least manageable as it is once in a while and she can walk and come back (Priya shouting from background, “but i pay know ressmi”), my office is only 2 km from here, so for such small distance these people do not want to go. When I ask them, frankly when I nag for an auto, those people as if I am asking them lift, make hopeless faces and leave. I literally tell them “bhaiya 20 rs dungi, acha thik hai 25”?

Rekha: Mine one is also hopeless. First of all, I have traffic jams in my route as a routine, but me getting late to office is not enough that these people charge extra money just because of traffic. (Everyday half an hour delay, leads to weekly 1 day half day and LOSS OF PAY). As though salary was overflowing, in that loss of pay, huh!)

Suman: Same with me girls, my office is 4 km and ideally it should be 28 right? Till date I have never traveled in meter, always minimum is 50 bucks. All my hard earned money goes like that...

Priti: babes, generally I prefer using public transport, only in rainy season I depend on auto. But then, I guess i have faced the maximum. For covering a 11 km distance, they charge me 200 bucks, in which I can actually go my home (Chennai, 161 rupees for a sleeper class train ticket, Laloo ji ki jai ho!)

Rohini: My time is 9 pm. Everyday I pay one and half charge, I now feel I work for call centers.

Honey: I just do not understand my own situation! My office is exactly 7 km away and I pay different fares each day. Someday it is 49 rs, some day it is 64 and some day it is 72! I don't understand how can the same place measure differently in different days. Is it is a case of tampered meters? If yes whom to complain? They have no fear of police.

Madhu:- Dudes! You talk about this fares and all, but how can you ignore how misbehaved those auto guys are. They look at you as if they are going to eat you up. Daily I have to travel 12 kms by auto in a some what lonely road and am the victim of many nasty stares. One day, the auto guy was driving real rough. I asked him “Bhaiyaa thora dhire drive karo.” And that guy says, “Aap to pregnant nahi dikhti ho, dhire drive karne ke kya jarurat hey.” Can you imagine how misbehaved lot these auto guys are?

Problems abound and so also the complaints against the auto-Rickshaws. But are there any real solutions to it? How much the law enforcing authorities can do? Auto rickshaws are such a nuisance in Bangalore or Hyderabad or in Pune because they enjoy a certain amount of monopoly due to lack of any other good transport. (Not surprisingly Autos are not such nuisance in Mumbai or Kolkata or even in Delhi-Noida-Gurgaon). Pre-paid auto stands are not a complete solution to the problem. As long as the auto rickshaw drivers don’t learn to respect their customers, nothing can be done. Customer-friendliness is an ethic that should develop from inside. And till date it is not developed, Auto will remain a nuisance in Bangalore, as I mentioned a necessary evil.

After the hours long discussion the electricity came and we thought to break our session with scolding the auto guys in beep words!

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