COMMENTS

The only reason I don't commute to office in BMTC bus is - just dont want to haggle with autos every morning and evening. Bagmane Tech Park to anywhere in the evening, rates depend on their mood. A threat to call in and comnplain gets them to attack you (almost happened to me, two weeks ago, and once earlier as well). All I asked for was - put the meter, I just want to see if how much extra you are charging me, Rs 50 was his offer, till Benigannahalli which is max 2-3 km via a shortcut.

Sad thing is people can't even take part in such auto boycotts, because there is just no other option.

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I live in an apartment along the sarjapur signal. Total mall is about a kilometer from there.

One day, myself and my husband came after shopping in Total, with rather large shopping bags in hand (which, i guess, told the auto drivers - "Here comes your prey").

We asked for a drop to our apartment, and many of them demanded Rs 50/- we were not willing to pay that.. So started walking home, meanwhile waving at other autos coming by. One guy stopped and agreed to go for Rs 30/- 

Thus we agreed to the fare, and got into the auto. He stopped at the main gate to the apartment. Our home was a good 400 meters away from the gate, and he refused to go further without paying him Rs20/- extra. He argued that we asked for the apartment, and he fulfilled his part of the agreement by dropping us at the gate, and we should pay the Rs 30/- as our part of the agreement. For any additional distance we have to pay more.

I felt as though I was cheated, although what he said was true.

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Disgusting behavior by the auto-wallahs ! Unfortunately, nothing much can be done since the state of public transport is also poor. I use the auto sometimes for last mile - most of the drivers are demanding 20/- now as minimum after the fare hike.

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We are doing an extensive protest against drivers and as said there is a Meter Jam on 12th Oct.

http://www.facebook.com/meterjam

an even has also been created where people have started pouring in left and right

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157268970963601

I wish I knew  Krishnaraja Marakini, could have roped him in with our protest and wuld have supported him to the core

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For Bangloreans, verbal spats and arguments with auto drivers have become the norm. But, Krishnaraja Marakini’s experience is a matter of concern. The IT professional was abused and assaulted by some auto drivers for refusing to pay over and above the meter fare.
    
The alleged assault took place on September 30. The 42-year-old resident of Malleshpalya commutes by cab every day, but was forced to opt for an auto that day. “It was around 9 am. The cab was late. Since I had some emergency work in office, I decided to take an auto till Silk Board from where I planned to board a Volvo bus to my workplace in Electronic City. I walked to the auto stand. When I boarded an auto, the driver made it clear that I need to pay one-and-a-half times the meter fare. I refused,” Krishnaraja says.
    
As he was getting out of the auto, the driver told him to ‘pay the minimum fare for sitting in the auto’. Krishnaraja alleges, “He also demanded to know why I sat in his auto if I did not have money for the fare. I was taken aback by his aggression, but refused to pay.” Even as he was backing away, five to six other auto drivers allegedly surrounded him. They abused and pushed him around.

For the full report in the Bangalore Mirror, click here

Everybody has had some unpleasant experience or the other with the auto lot. And, of course, there are the odd cases of criminal acts, like even with cab drivers - the Pratibha rape and murder being a case in point. But, when something like this happens, and at 9AM on a week day, it is as if the mafia has taken command and is throwing a challenge to the Society. One hopes the Commissioner, the tough cookie that he is, takes note and shows this lot in their place.
 

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