The police will train some 40,000 auto drivers and counsel them to behave better with passengers. This is the right step as the police receive 200 complaints every day against auto drivers. If you compare the number against the population of the Bengaluru, this is a miniscule number. But 200 disgruntled citizens, who are willing to take the trouble of lodging a complaint, is quite a huge number. I end up having arguments with auto drivers, walk away fumingly and finally take out the anger on someone else. There may be more variants of my behaviour making 200 only the number of registered complaints.
Training is good to tackle this menace. As training in such a large scale means quite a lot of money, who is going to foot the bill? This looks like an exercise funded by the taxpayer’s money. But, why should the taxpayer fund this exercise? It is the taxpayer who uses the auto for moving across the city. In this process, the auto drivers always make sure the taxpayer is ripped off. There are many reasons to extract more money from the passenger – faulty meter, extra distance for the U turn in order to return back or plainly Rs 20 above the meter!
When the police scramble to arrange counseling, there is a silent player whom they have not considered; the auto driver’s union(s). When auto drivers strike, these unions are the driving force behind it. If the unions are for the betterment of the collective, then why are these unions not involved in this operation? As this is an initiative benefitting it’s members, shouldn’t they put in a part of the money spent in this exercise?
Picture Courtesy: http://rickshawchallenge.com
Just a ridiculous waste of money if you ask me!!
ReplyDeleteThe drivers who are nice from the beginning won't need it & the drivers who behave rashly or like goons never change!!
hmmm..chennai auto drivers can give training to any of their counterparts..how to use bad language and indulge in violence...
ReplyDeleteI must accept that it is a very god initiative.
ReplyDeleteAs for unions are concerned, they will outlive their utility.Did you hear of meter jam in Mumbai?It worked.
Non violent boycott within legal frame work is the answer
Good question. I am told that in my city, the police own most of the autos. Therefore any complaint is not taken up by them. So if this is true in the rest of the country, you can imagine what a wasteful exercise this will be. Besides, they should be taught to take a passenger to any destination and not allowed to decide if they want to or not.
ReplyDeleteTaxi drivers and auto wallahs in kolkata have this arrogant air about them. They will ask you where you want to go then they will sip their tea for a couple of mins while you wait as if your life depended on their response, which is a 'no'after a futile wait!
ReplyDeleteRather than counselling, why can't they just send out an order for auto drivers, that states the rules, and the penalties for going against the rules?!
ReplyDelete@Girish - Well, at least it is a constructive step.
ReplyDelete@Ramesh - All drivers are good at that irrespective of the place there hail from. :)
@BKC - No doubt it is a good initiative. But my point is on the leaning towards the police to take positive action! Why aren't the unions doing these? They should not only look outwards but also inwards.
@Radha - It is their right to refuse the service. To a certain extent, I agree with them (except it gets so difficult to get an auto). But always asking for Rs 10 or 20 above what comes up in the meter is swindling!
@Sujata - I hate that when they do it to me. I tell a destination and they wait for a while before they say "No"! But as this is a private enterprise, they have the right to say "No"! What a paradox?
@RGB - My hunch is they have already tried this out!