My first encounter with him did not set off so well.
During my internship here at Mumbai, I have been going from Powai to Santa Cruz airport everyday for my work. I take an auto everyday and the rates usually are between Rs. 65-70. On one of the days, I took an auto and the meter read Rs.80, waaay before we even reached our place. There was a heavy traffic jam. I was quite irritated that the autowalla was using a wrong meter and hence I gave him the money, told him that the meter was way too high and I got down and angrily walked to my office.
Then the autowalla followed me and kept asking me to get onto the auto and told me that he would drop me off free of charge for the remaining distance. I thought his guilt was pricking him (as he used a wrong meter) and so he tried to pacify his guilt by dropping me.
I decided he is not getting away with his folly that easily and did not get on to the auto and kept walking.
A few weeks passed.
Today, I got onto an auto and after reaching the office, the meter read Rs. 75. I gave him the cash, and the
autowalla said "Sir, please tell me exactly how much it takes to reach here as you travel everyday in this route."
I said "It takes about Rs. 65-70"
Autowalla : "In that case please take back this Rs.5. You travel here often so you know better than the meter. The other day I brought you here and you got down and walked all the way as you felt the meter showed a very high value. That auto was not mine. It was a hired auto, neither is the auto I am driving today mine. I have informed the owner of that auto to check the meter the other day"!!!!
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2 important lessons learnt
1) Anger never yields a good result.
2) Never accuse without full information
8 comments:
Lesson 3: Mumbai rocks!
Mumbai autowallas rock!! Chennai autos suckkk...
Whats the probability of that happening in Chennai?! ZERO. Instead that autowallah will react as if he did you a favour by bringing you to the place you wanted to reach anyway!
@ Sathish and Mysorean : Could not agree more! I think the Chennai autowallas should be given a traininig session in Bombay on "nermai naanayam and ganniyam"
Really touching story. Too good to be true. Keep sharing such positive experiences!
@Bhavesh: Thanks man :) will sure do
So true, about the situation in Chennai. It is pathetic. Hats off to people like Harikrishna Misra.
CB, Nice post. The auto driver is a great guy..... Some Auto meters keep counting the "waiting" time too. So if you are in a traffic jam, the meter still keeps ticking, albeit at a slower rate. This thought came to my mind, because you had mentioned that there was a heavy traffic jam during the first instance. But whatever the case of the meter be, the driver seems to be a gem!
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