I have always cribbed about Auto wallahs being rude and cheats .I am talking of Mumbai Autos (and not Delhi, Pune, Bglr etc autowallahs who think cheating is their birth right)... But this incident makes me think a little differently... I was waiting for an auto from Powai to Thane (Yes, autos can now ply between Thane, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai with a single permit) and it was drizzling. My health status only made my life a bit difficult when I finally found a auto who agreed to cross Mumbai border into Thane. The rains only started get worse when the auto broke down on the Eastern Express Highway (The patch between Vikhroli to Mulund is virtually uninhibabitated and stretches for about 7 kms). With only speeding cars in sight and no sign of help, my auto driver gets down in rain to check the mechanical. He comes back and puts the meter in NON WAITING mode (the rates for waiting are Re 1 per minute). The auto starts, he again starts the meter after noting the previous amount. After sometime, the auto breaks down again in an isolated spot. He again repeats the same thing, only that he puts the NON WAITING mode before he gets down. When the auto starts, he says, "Sir let the meter run without waiting amount. You dont pay for my auto breaking down" Not a single time, he asks me to get down and catch a new auto as he was completely aware that I would not get any ride of any form for hours on the road we were on, nor does he think of charging me silently for the waiting. I am not sure if this would be the case in other metros where they overcharge in the best of times. But it just reinforces - All Autowallahs are good but all Autowallahs are not bad either. Some are are excellent.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 04:26:15 +0000