Rickshaw Adventures...

Hello again...Aaron Here...

So one thing so far critical to the Bangalore experience is transportation in auto rickshaws.  Lets just say it's not your average taxi ride.  The adventure begins in acquiring a ride.

So lets be up front here, we are white, we are American, we are targets and everyone knows it.  Rickshaw drivers may not know we are American but the first one alone qualifies us as targets, the target of course is our pocket book.  Each auto rickshaw is equipped with a meter similar to the one shown on the left.  These meters start at a minimum of 14 rupees (around 50 rupees to the dollar) and after 2 kilometers starts going up at 7 rupees per km.  This as I said is the minimum and the first thing almost every driver will try to do is squeeze more out of you...sometimes the offers are relatively outrageous...100 rupees for a ride that should only cost 30 or 40.  Sometimes the driver simply wants another 10 rupees thrown on to the meter at the end.  Our goal each time is the meter and the meter only.  I would say we are successful with this about 90% of the time.  However, it usually does take around 3 to 4 attempts before drivers behind see you walking away from other autos and realize that you aren't as easy of a target as you may look.  (All this being said certain events do dictate higher rates for everyone such as nighttime, rain, heavy traffic, or many other reasons)  So after hiring the auto, hopefully only for the meter, the real adventure begins!

In my estimation, rickshaw drivers as a collective bunch are fair, safe, and honest.  However there are some bad apples in the bunch.  The following stories will help illustrate that.  Already while in Bangalore we have had the following; a driver from "The Fast and the Furious," an attempt at the classic bait and switch, and a crooked meter.


"The Fast and the Furious"
So Monday night we spent the night at James and Anita's and the following morning James helped us hire an auto.  He was a young driver maybe 20 years of age with what looked like some pretty trendy jeans.  We made record time.  The driver flew down straight aways blowing by cars and bikes with an extreme herky jerky lane change method.  He would get really close to something (a person, a cart, another vehicle, etc.) and make it appear like he was going to hit them, and swerve out of the way at the last second.  Each time I noticed him looking at me in the mirror trying to gauge my reactions, which I am sure were not mundane.  At one point we hit a speed bump so fast that both Laur and I went airborne in the back seat!  So Tuesday morning got off to an adrenaline pumping start!

An attempt at the classic bait and switch...

On another occasion Laur and I were walking around commercial street (a market/shopping area) and decided we had had enough.  Having expended some energy walking there we decided to get an auto to a coffee shop at another location.  We followed the usual attempts at the meter at which point a young man, dressed far to nicely for a rickshaw driver in hindsight, approached and asked where we wanted to go.  After we responded he waved us in his direction.  After weaving in and out of a few rickshaws he booted a driver out of his and pointed us towards the seat at which point he said he would charge only 10 rupees for the ride (no meter even) this obviously raised red flags.  Lauren and I both hesitated for about 1 second and decided to get out.  Later after talking with James he told us this is a scheme used to bring people to shops to try and get them to buy some things.  Your destination has nothing to do with the price.  This was in fact a deal to good to be true.

The Crooked Meter

Yesterday Laur and I spent some time at a shopping mall called The Forum.  Afterwards we once again went looking for an auto.  After one attempt a man approached us and seemed to agree upon the meter until we were in the back seat at which point he looked at us and said "double the meter".  After a few exchanges and attempts at leaving the rickshaw he agreed to only the meter.  So after cruising along for maybe 30 seconds or perhaps 1/2 a km the meter started ticking away. Remember the meter isn't suppose to start until the 2 km point.  I pointed it out to Laur and we both watched as the meter then proceeded to click away at at least double the normal rate.  I told the driver his meter was wrong and he responded with "correct, no?"  From talking with him earlier I knew he knew more English than that. After saying "correct, no?" 3 or 4 times we told him to stop we got out of the auto, I gave him 20 rupees (which I probably should not have done) and waved him on his way.  While driving away he maintained a very unhappy glare at me which I returned :).  Immediately after we got out a man who looked to be about 60 and incapable of hurting a soul pulled up.  We hopped in and found our way home safely and with a story for only the price of the meter!

So those are just the first of many Rickshaw adventures that I am sure we will experience in our remaining time in India.   So long for now...

P.S.  I have seen Judith (Jame's and Anita's Daughter) at the end of two rickshaw rides.  She was sound asleep.  So apparently some people find them very relaxing : D

Funny sign near Auntie and Uncles...See JP if you want to see many similar examples...