We everyone at chennai knows how important auto’s are. Most of the auto drivers are quite good and they would help us to identify places even if we don’t know the proper address. Though, some of them are really worst in everything. I would like share my past experience with you are in a travel time.
One fine day, I booked a seat in a private bus for going to my native. I think I traveled for Diwali holidays. Myself and my friend started from a same place. It was already 8.20 and our bus is at 9 pm. We got an auto for 80 rupees which is very high fare for that distance. We don’t have any other way since that was a peak time. The traffic is very bad so it have taken double the time. We reached the private bus stand exactly at 9. The auto driver stopped at the entrance itself and asked us to go by walk. We brought heavy bags and we told him that this is cheat (we’ve already told him that he needs to drop us inside the bus stand). The fare we’ve given for that short distance was too much without dropping us inside the bus stand. We have only 100 rupees notes. We’ve given one 100 rupees note to the auto driver and asked him if he has any change. The nest moment we both saw inside the bus stand whether bus is coming. At that fraction of second, the buy ran away with 100 rupees note and gone away with his auto. My god!! We felt ashame of his behavior. This is a very bad experience in my chennai life. Others are very small small stories. Do share us your experience with chennai auto drivers and let us know how do you feel about it.
planemad
April 10, 2008 at 2:23 pm
thats autos in chennai for you, no surprise. But the drivers themselves lead a very tough life, barely making enough to support their own family. At times i do sympathize with them.
bizzhy
April 10, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I understand your point. I’m not blaming all the auto drivers. I met good auto drivers also. Will let you know in my next thread. However, the act like I mentioned was unbearable. It’s same as like stealing something.
Thanks for your valuable comment,
Bizzhy
anantha baskar
January 25, 2009 at 1:35 pm
As a resident of chennai for 40 years, I am pained and ashamed to say that the auto drivers in chennai are the ones who fleece and exploit the travellers. In sharp contrast to what I saw in Mumbai, from where I returned yesterday by air, I was received with the thugs and goondas right at the entrance of the airport, seeking tourists and passengers. They demanded a whooping Rs.350/- for a 15 km trip to the city. A prepaid taxi itself cost me only Rs.210/-. Neither the Police nor the Government have taken any efforts to curb this menace. They have failed to realise that these ambassadors are sending wrong signals to the tourists and visitors and to the foreigners. It is high time that all the Governments world over issue a travel advisory to its tourists not to hire a autorickshaw in Chennai. It has become the order of the day, both at the Airports and the railway station, for the brokers cheating ignorant passangers. While at the Railway Station, we have pre-paid system, there is nothing at the Airport. The best way to prevent this menace is to ban entry of Autorickshaws into the Airport.
dhana
February 25, 2009 at 4:32 pm
most (99%)of the auto drivers are cheaters in chennai only a few are good in character not in fares ,few days back i purchased something in ritche street and call for auto to reach porur through kathipara route which is 19 km away actual fare should be RS 116 according to gov meter but they ask RS 375 and others are asking 300Rs even in calltaxi fare willbe RS240 and even in call auto they charge RS 114+RS 40 as service charge, when i ask a auto driver to charge for meter rate he started to scold in bad words , so i ask every body to avoid to auto who is charging as per meter and try to use other public transport
dhana
February 25, 2009 at 4:35 pm
i ask every body to avoid auto who is not charging as per meter
Miskin
July 2, 2009 at 8:00 am
Everyone in Chennai will surely have a bad tale to tell about the Auto drivers here.
Let us find ways to nail this issue instead of cribbing.
Please come up with ideas and portals or something with which we can start a spark.
Suganya
April 18, 2011 at 11:19 am
I was away for a week to enjoy these holidays and came back to Chennai yesterday. Due to various reasons I could reach Chennai only at 11 PM. I got down at Ashok Pillar and have to goto Mambalam alone. I was too scared to heir an auto and travel all alone. I stood there for nearly fifteen minutes and none of the route buses showed up. I had no other go so bravely(?) took an auto.I kept talking to my brother in mobile for safety and prayed The Almighty to save. I must really appreciate the auto driver. He is very young and rough but such a nice person. I love Chennai auto drivers.
Anvesh
October 4, 2011 at 11:39 pm
I have been in all major south Indian cities, but the level of harrasment I faced with Chennai auto drivers is just unprecedented. Mainly because of them, I have a low opinion of general Tamilians also and tell everyone I come across never to go to Chennai. Unfortunately there are a lot of IT companies and I myself might have to go there in future. Even otherwise I think the city is the most unfriendly city I have ever seen.
deathmetal124
December 18, 2011 at 4:42 pm
There are lot of irritating things about Chennai, but the auto drivers take the cake. I stayed in chennai for 5 years and I was harassed so badly that I nearly stopped going anywhere which required auto. The buses are too crowded and there are no AC buses, like in Bangalore. Contrast that to mumbai where ALL autos run by meter regardless and I was only too eager to take an auto even when I could have taken a bus. That is probably one reason I visited a lot of places and restaurants because I dont have to worry about bargaining. They charge much lower but they are seldom without passengers. It is true that the auto drivers struggle to get by, but that is their own doing. They are idle most of the time waiting for passengers. Instead if they follow meter, they would have more passengers, and even though margins are less, they would still make much more. I have been threatened many times by auto drivers, so I have no qualms about saying that I really hate them. I hope to God I dont have to return to Chennai. If you are not a native of Chennai, you would have known what I am talking about.