Meter down: Jammers vs drivers

Driving, my father told me, is a necessary evil. For years together, he could never convince me to learn the ‘art’ of manoeuvring a vehicle. But as luck would have it, I finally succumbed to the pressure and reluctantly dragged myself to driving school.

My reasons, then and now, have remained the same. Mumbai’s traffic is only going to get worse, and I don’t want to be a direct victim of the same. I don’t really want to take up honking as a hobby. I would rather move around in a chauffeur-driven vehicle or hire a cab.

Having studied and lived across the length and breadth of India as an army kid, I can proudly say that Mumbai boasts of the best public transport system in the country. The local train system is truly Mumbai’s lifeline. And don’t forget the black-and-yellow taxis and autos. Their occasional strikes don’t make much of a difference as long as they charge by the meter. Try flagging a rickshaw in Chennai or New Delhi and you’ll know the difference.

The auto and taxi drivers in our city are definitely not saints. Citizens must have got replies like ‘nahi jana hai’, ‘gas nahi hai’, ‘khaane ka time hai’, et al. So, when I heard about the Meter Jam campaign, my first reaction was, “At last, it’s payback time.”

Media professional Shefali Mehta can’t wait to hit back. “I’m excited and will definitely support the campaign. Some of the drivers arerude and don’t ply short distances. I just want to say no to them and teach them alesson.”

However, there is another bunch of people who feel that the idea won’t work. “I don’t think all of us are going to refuse taxis and autos,” feels Gaurav Phanasgaonkar, digital group head at an advertisement agency. “Will someone who needs to get to office on time reject a cab? We are too dependent on autos and taxis,” he says.

I just hope that it teaches the errant drivers a lesson and makes a difference.

I don’t refuse commuters anywhere
I have heard about this campaign. I never refuse a passenger unless I am waiting for someone who has gone for some work and has asked me to wait. I don’t mind going anywhere, whether it is close by or far away. That we refuse to go anywhere without any reason is a misconception and people need to stop generalising. Sometimes I don’t stop my car because traffic hawaldars fine us if we stop in a no-stopping zone.  I’m sure drivers have a reason for refusing a passenger a ride.
Kamlesh Yadav, taxi driver

People don’t understand our reasons
I am aware about the campaign, but I don’t think it is correct for people to do this. Passengers should understand that we have reasons for refusing them. Mine is a hired taxi and I can only use it from 7am to 7pm. In the evening, I have to return the taxi to the owner in Andheri, and even if I want to take a passenger, I can only take those who are going towards Andheri. If I get late, I’ll have to pay the owner a fine. Moreover, there are not enough taxi stands in the city for us to wait for passengers.
Lal Mohammed, taxi driver

This will teach them a lesson
All of us have to use an auto or a taxi sometime or the other. However, eight times out of 10, we get refused by either of them. And even if they comply, they demand fares according to their wishes, especially in areas like Dombivli. Why should we beg them to take us to our destinations? Aren’t we paying them for their services? I’m glad that people came up with this campaign and I’m sure many people will support the cause. It’s high time we gave the taxi and auto drivers a taste of their own medicine.
Rafia Kulkarni, administrator

Drivers refuse to show fare card
I completely support this campaign, because most taxi and auto drivers often refuse fare. Moreover, I have been over-charged many times, especially since I’m not yet familiar with the new rates charged by them. Some of them even refuse to show the new fare card. They hardly show sensitivity towards commuters and their problems. I avoid travelling by taxis or autos, and don’t rely on them for my everyday commute. I think they are unhelpful and just add to the traffic on the roads.
Rashida Arsiwala, media professional

Commuters must get good service
Taxi drivers give me a tough time whenever I travel from my Cuffe Parade residence to my college Jai Hind. I have often reached late for lectures because of this reason. They complain about the lack of taxi stands, but have often refused to ply even when told about the nearest taxi stand. I often have to argue with them before getting to my destination. It’s frustrating to complain everyday, so I will be supporting the campaign.
Urvi Desai, student

Fares have risen. Why grumble now?
I don’t have any choice but to support the campaign. I don’t know why the authorities don’t do anything to curb this nuisance. My office is at Colaba and I stay in Andheri (West). Reaching the station from my residence near Navrang cinema itself is a tedious job, as I never get an auto easily. They never agree to ply to or from my house. They continue to grumble even after fares were raised after the strike. If they don’t want to ply short distances, then why are they on the roads?
Prashant Talpade, research analyst

Tired of looking for a taxi for hours
I support the campaign, as it is necessary to make auto and taxi drivers understand what happens when they turn down commuters. I work in Colaba, and none of the taxis agree to go to CST station. It is not a minimum-fare distance and yet none of the cabs want to go there. Every day, I end up wasting around 25 minutes waiting for a taxi. There is a police station near my office in Colaba, and only after we complain to the police do the drivers agree to ply us to our destinations.
Trupti Prabhu, account executive