If you stay in Chennai like I do, you have probably come across a share auto. If not, this should give you a hint. Even if you’ve not lived in Chennai, you’ve probably heard that Auto rickshaw drivers in Chennai can fleece you better than a professional shearer does a Merino.
When Bajaj came out with their Ape, a few enterprising gentlemen in Chennai felt it would be a sound business proposition to ride the Ape over short fixed distances, allowing up to 5 passengers to travel on one trip. The fare per head is fixed, but in effect, the total fare is shared among all the passengers. (Later they found out they can get away with seating 10).
Now, while this is a win-win situation for both passengers and driver, a Share auto ride can be a tiring experience.
The rear seat was designed by Bajaj to seat 3 medium sized people comfortably. The auto driver insists on squeezing in one more. As a result, the passengers have to sit in a staggered fashion. In other words, only half the posterior of two of the passengers is on the seat. You’re not actually sitting, but it sure beats hanging from the foot board of a bus with the strength of your little finger being the only thing separating you from a flattened head.
Some enterprising share auto drivers exploit the design of the Ape. They remove the bolts keeping the rear seat fixed to the chassis and push the seat back into what was intended to be the boot. Voila! The extra space on the floor can now seat 4 other poor souls. Apart from being squeezed in like sardines in a can, they have to suffer the added insult of a muddy posterior once they disembark.
But that is not all. One person gets to sit next to the driver. He (only males are accorded this privilege) is only slightly better off than his co-passengers in the rear. While the rear passengers get to sit with half of both butt-cheeks on the seat, the poor guy in front has to sit with just his right cheek on the seat. Obviously, the driver gets the lion’s share of the seat. Also, he has to hang on to whatever part of the Ape frame he can get his hands on, to prevent himself from being thrown out of a speeding auto rickshaw.
There is more. When the rickshaw driver needs an extra bit of money to make ends meet, he assumes the half-posterior position and he invites another poor chap to seat his left butt-cheek on his right. The Ape is now fully loaded.
While in neighbouring Kerala, these huge rickshaws function as regular auto rickshaws, ferrying just 3 passengers, Chennai Auto-wallahs have found a way to earn while making people feel good about travelling in a rickshaw by cramming in ten.
But, Hell, you can’t live without them. I’d rather sit on one cheek than pay through my nose for a regular rickshaw ride. Try one if you are ever in Chennai. More than a tourist attraction, it is a useful mode of transport.
Cheers!
That was made an interesting read. just want to say Jai Ho!!
didn’t read it properly before commenting read minus ‘was’ from the above.
I dint know about ‘share autos’ until I saw one in Hydbd.
I remember how difficult it is to get autos when my friends and I go out – some auto drivers refuse taking 5 ppl in one ride. They say the police would impose a fine for having more than 3 passengers.
Don’t these ‘rules’ apply to share auto??
Perhaps you should click on the picture of the Ape. It can easily seat 5. There are rules against loading more than 5, but after 10PM,the cops turn a blind eye.
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