So I had given my car for some minor repair yesterday. I got a call that the car was ready to be picked up from the garage. I decide to take an auto. Little did I know how fun it would be.
First auto I ask says he is not interested in taking me on such a small ride. This has been a problem in Bangalore. There are no buses on a few routes and the distance is not walkable. For 3 to 4 kms we have to hire an auto and most of them dont agree for such short distances.
Even though Bangalore Traffic Police have been going on drives trying to get these auto drivers to drop passengers on short distances, it hasnt helped much. Had a good mind to note down the number and complain on the BTP page. But I did not bother.
So after a 30 second explanation of where exactly I was headed an old man of maybe 70 agrees to drop me off. Starts the auto and starts riding in the direction of the longest route. I keep quiet thinking he at least agreed to come.
As we are chugging along in the old auto, I have a sudden realization. This 70 year old man could have been an amazing pilot. On a two lane road he maintains the center line (middle of the road) exceptionally well. He tries to overtake a bus stopped agonizingly close to the middle of the road at a bus stand. But by the time he is able to reach half the length of the bus, at a top speed of 30kmph the bus starts to move. He curses the relatives of the driver and brakes.
As we continue our journey I see a car parked on the left of the road occupying most of the lane with its hazard lights on. A skoda octavia with nobody in it. There is an auto, absolutely hidden behind the car, trying to take a u turn. He suddenly turns without looking and a few bikers quickly maneuver out of his way onto the right side of the road. No indication whatsoever. The only way anyone to the right of the bikes would have avoided an accident would have been based on their driving experience in Bangalore.
As we chug along we come to a signal less junction (Ashwathnagar) where we have to take a right turn. But wait. There is a bus stop just after the junction on Sanjaynagar main road. Two buses one behind the other have stopped. The bus stop has so been so badly placed that the first bus itself would block the road coming from MS. Rammaiah hospital. The second bus has now stopped behind it with it now blocking the left side of the road also. Our man stops waiting for the buses to clear. No indicators, but has just stopped in the middle of the road. Cars behind are blaring their horns. Vehicles in the front cannot move forward because of the buses and have decided the only way past the buses and the auto driver is by coming onto the right most side of the two lane road that is onto the oncoming traffic. As the buses move out of the way after 5 minutes there is a traffic constable standing behind just watching as if nothing was wrong.
Next we reach a red light and a free left.But our Maverick decides to go on the left side of the waiting traffic to skip the traffic, Hence blocking the free left. I am sitting there wondering whether I should ask the driver why exactly couldnt he have waited with the rest of the crowd behind. Suddenly two goons on a dio wriggle their way in the gap between the auto and the footpath to cut across to the front of the waiting vehicles in the signal. All the left going traffic has now come to a stand still because of the maverick and his dio friends.
The cop at the sginal tries to clear off the traffic from the opposite side before giving us the signal to move on. All the vehicles start blaring their horns, A few curses to his relatives follow from the maverick.
Finally I reach the destination. Thankfully in one piece. What was supposed to be a 3km ride now displays on the meter as a 4.2km ride. What was supposed to be Rs. 40/- shows as Rs. 52/-. I give him a hundred rupee note wondering if he really would return any change. And Voila.. he returns Rs. 40/- and without a word starts the auto and drives away!
Wonder when we would start respecting road rules in India!
First auto I ask says he is not interested in taking me on such a small ride. This has been a problem in Bangalore. There are no buses on a few routes and the distance is not walkable. For 3 to 4 kms we have to hire an auto and most of them dont agree for such short distances.
Even though Bangalore Traffic Police have been going on drives trying to get these auto drivers to drop passengers on short distances, it hasnt helped much. Had a good mind to note down the number and complain on the BTP page. But I did not bother.
So after a 30 second explanation of where exactly I was headed an old man of maybe 70 agrees to drop me off. Starts the auto and starts riding in the direction of the longest route. I keep quiet thinking he at least agreed to come.
As we are chugging along in the old auto, I have a sudden realization. This 70 year old man could have been an amazing pilot. On a two lane road he maintains the center line (middle of the road) exceptionally well. He tries to overtake a bus stopped agonizingly close to the middle of the road at a bus stand. But by the time he is able to reach half the length of the bus, at a top speed of 30kmph the bus starts to move. He curses the relatives of the driver and brakes.
As we continue our journey I see a car parked on the left of the road occupying most of the lane with its hazard lights on. A skoda octavia with nobody in it. There is an auto, absolutely hidden behind the car, trying to take a u turn. He suddenly turns without looking and a few bikers quickly maneuver out of his way onto the right side of the road. No indication whatsoever. The only way anyone to the right of the bikes would have avoided an accident would have been based on their driving experience in Bangalore.
As we chug along we come to a signal less junction (Ashwathnagar) where we have to take a right turn. But wait. There is a bus stop just after the junction on Sanjaynagar main road. Two buses one behind the other have stopped. The bus stop has so been so badly placed that the first bus itself would block the road coming from MS. Rammaiah hospital. The second bus has now stopped behind it with it now blocking the left side of the road also. Our man stops waiting for the buses to clear. No indicators, but has just stopped in the middle of the road. Cars behind are blaring their horns. Vehicles in the front cannot move forward because of the buses and have decided the only way past the buses and the auto driver is by coming onto the right most side of the two lane road that is onto the oncoming traffic. As the buses move out of the way after 5 minutes there is a traffic constable standing behind just watching as if nothing was wrong.
Next we reach a red light and a free left.But our Maverick decides to go on the left side of the waiting traffic to skip the traffic, Hence blocking the free left. I am sitting there wondering whether I should ask the driver why exactly couldnt he have waited with the rest of the crowd behind. Suddenly two goons on a dio wriggle their way in the gap between the auto and the footpath to cut across to the front of the waiting vehicles in the signal. All the left going traffic has now come to a stand still because of the maverick and his dio friends.
The cop at the sginal tries to clear off the traffic from the opposite side before giving us the signal to move on. All the vehicles start blaring their horns, A few curses to his relatives follow from the maverick.
Finally I reach the destination. Thankfully in one piece. What was supposed to be a 3km ride now displays on the meter as a 4.2km ride. What was supposed to be Rs. 40/- shows as Rs. 52/-. I give him a hundred rupee note wondering if he really would return any change. And Voila.. he returns Rs. 40/- and without a word starts the auto and drives away!
Wonder when we would start respecting road rules in India!
