6th Nov 2011. My cousin and her husband were in the city for a treatment at VIMS. This morning, I thought to accompany them. We planned to get an auto.
“VIMS, Whitefield”, I enquired to an auto driver.
“Rs 150”, he replied.
“Let’s go by meter”
“No it’s out of city limits, won’t go by meter”
“Okay, then drop us to HAL signal, I believe that is within city limits”
“No, I won’t go there”
Had couple of more arguments before I walked for another auto. This one demanded additional twenty over meter fare. While riding in this auto, I took out my mobile and started noting down the no of earlier auto. That auto driver shouted, came running behind the auto and guess what…
…He snatched mobile from my hand. I was shocked.
I got down from the auto and told him, will you return my mobile or should I call police? After intervention of few localities, he returned the mobile. I thought to complaint once but ignored later on.
Ten months later, I was standing at same place and asking an auto for Total Mall which is about 4kms. By this time, auto tariff was increased and by new tariff the fare would have been Rs 44. He demanded Rs 80. I said “F*** off” and moved on. After walking a km, I reached a railway crossing, where there were two traffic cops managing the traffic. I asked another auto for the same destination. As I had already walked a km, the distance had decreased to 3kms. This person asked Rs 100. I immediately got down and said I am going to complaint to the traffic cop. The auto driver, smirked and responded confidently, “Go and complaint”.
I went to the traffic cop and explained him the situation. He gave me an ear but didn’t respond. After making me wait for five min, he says, the auto has to cross the border to go to Total Mall (I don’t know which border, may be he referred to his police station limits or RTO limits), so he can’t say anything to the auto driver. He further told me to pay Rs 80 for 3 kms.
I felt helpless and defeated by these turn of events. I crossed the auto again but couldn’t see in the eyes of the driver. Walked another half km and asked another auto. The demand was same. I said “F*** off” again and asked a biker for a lift. Thankfully, the biker dropped me to my destination.
Had it been a place in Bihar, first thing you’d have got cheaper transport in terms of shared auto. Even if you would have wanted to hire complete auto, the driver wouldn’t have dared to demand more, that too arrogantly. At a slightest display of arrogance, he would have beaten shit out of him. And had it been a cop and behaving the way he did it here, he would have been beaten as well. And you say it was jungle raaz in Bihar…
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