Jhumritalaiya jayega??!!

The most painful part about living in any Indian city and not having a car/bike is haggling with the autorickshaw walas. I was once watching a Travel and Living show called Travellers and they were doing a piece on kerala. They said that to drive in kerala u need the following:
good horn
good brakes
good luck

I think the above mentioned applies more to Bangalore than any other place I have ever been to. Parking, driving through cramped roads and fuel prices add to stress of owning a vehicle of your own. So you decide to throw out the car dreams and stick to auto- zindabad!

But nothing comes easy.These auto driving monsters have rules about everything.

They will not go close distances (less than 2 kms) even if it means they travel the same stretch empty. If you are desperate, you have to bribe them; sometimes 3 times the original amount.

If you ever have the mosfortune of taking a rick from an autorickshaw stand, you are doomed. They have all got their meters rigged, which means that you are easily about to pay atleast 20 bucks over the actual fare. Its always a better to flag a passing auto on the road. Again, thats just a safer bet.. nothing more.

I have observed that autos taken from areas such as Jayanagar, JPnagar, Bannerghatta, Banashankari etc cost more for a particular distance. For the same distance, autos from MG, Indiranagar, Richmond, Residency, Cox town etc cost less. Bottomline, auto walas from jayanagar and around areas are, mostly, all crooks.

Another observation I have made is that Muslim auto drivers are generally honest and have their meters working picture perfect. In an emergency, if you ever have to take a rick post 10 pm, you are most likely to be safest with them.

What else?! Oh! You are in luck, monetarily at least, if you select an auto with a digital meter. And if you do have the misfortune to get stuck with an old analog meter thats seems to go "clink" a lot faster than you fancy.. say your prayers.. u might as well have been looted by pirates.. it feels just as lousy!

One advice.. Dont feel shy to yell at them if you feel cheated beyond hope! If needed.. threaten to take them to the police.. better yet.. take them to the nearest traffic cop.

The good news is that.. well .. there is no good news when it comes to autos :D
So chin up and dont crib!