Yesterday I did a lengthy Post on the three-wheeled passenger-carrying vehicle called the TEMPO.
Sorry TEMPO .. I really do love you BUT .. here in India .. the KING of personal mass transit three-wheeled passenger-carrying vehicles is:
The AUTO RICKSHAW!
"We KNOW Captain! For more information than we can possibly retain in our minds you suggest to all of us that we go to WIKIPEDIA! Most of us will NEVER even get to the bottom of the WIKIPEDIA Autorickshaw page because it is so long and extensive!" /s/ 'Zilla with an !
And if you have never seen one! Below is your first glimpse of an Auto Rickshaw!
The 'rated' capacity of the Auto Rickshaw is three passengers in the rear plus the driver.
It is hard to see BUT two additional people can squeeze into the front on either side of the driver! They need to be 'small' and 'nimble' but I myself have successfully ridden up front with the driver! With part-of-me hanging out!
"Like the left side of my body 'Zilla!"
My bags and myself fill an Auto Rickshaw completely when on-the-way to a train or bus station.
Below to the right is the 'driver's world'!
" 'Zilla airplanes can't fly either! I can NOT explain how two adults can get up front with the driver except that they can and they do and I MYSELF have done so!" .. "I agree 'Zilla! There ain't NO WAY!" .. "Yes 'Zilla it is a 'tad cozy' with the driver!"
"C'mon Baba! Please take my photo Baba!"
Note in the left rear background is the Pondicherry Main Post Office!
The fare varies from:
'As you like' (Translation: There is a good chance that you will pay me more than I have the guts to ask you so YOU name the fare after we get there! IF however when you name the fare I do NOT like your number .. stand by for an argument you cheap-uncaring-fellow!) You want to avoid this arguing at all costs. The driver will get the Police or other bystanders or other Auto Rickshaw drivers and make-a-fuss! You risk things getting ugly fast and your personal well-being becomes at risk!
The fare varies to:
'The Outrageous!' Want an example? In New Delhi .. it was 5AM on a dark rainy morning and I was walking my bags to the railway station as I always do in New Delhi. I KNEW the 'going rate' as well as you know your own name. 50 Rs (a good number) .. 75 Rs (an honest number) .. 100 Rs (too high a number).
Well it was raining and I had a-way-yet-to-walk so up came the 'criminal'. He smiled and I said "How much?" .. he replied "Twenty!" ..
As I had my bags loaded halfway into his Auto Rickshaw .. some voice in my head told me to get out my wallet and hand-him 20 Rs then-on-the-spot!
Which I did. With steely cold eyes he said .. "Twenty DOLLARS U.S.!"
He actually wanted me to pay him 1,000 Rs for a 50 Rs to 100 Rs fare!
I mean I 'cussed-him-OUT' because I had wasted my time and gone-to-the-effort to get my bags almost fully into his Auto Rickshaw!
Young backpackers have-been-known to simply turn an Auto Rickshaw over onto its side when they got into an 'upset' with a driver. I felt like doing this myself I was so upset.
Now aren't they all 'kindda pretty'!
As you can see above .. most of the drivers really take pride in their 'little buddies'!
I shot the below photo from the front seat of my TEMPO the other day.
Notice please the lack-of-traffic!
Well? .. Did you notice in the above photo the lack-of-traffic! Why don't you 'scroll back up' and re-study the lack-of-traffic!
Look carefully at the below photo .. find the third Auto Rickshaw to the right! On the driver's left .. is a rather 'full figured' lady in the front! Her left side is hanging out looks-like-to-me!
"Below? That's traffic Captain!" /s/ Crocodile Dundee !
There-are-those who say: "The Auto Rickshaws CAUSE traffic jams!"
I count nine (9) Auto Rickshaws in the below photo.
Will you just look at that traffic!
I am NOT counting the black roof in the center of the lower edge of the above photo. It could be (90%) and it may not be (10%) an Auto Rickshaw.
Call 'it-a-wrap' Captain! ..
Sorry TEMPO .. I really do love you BUT .. here in India .. the KING of personal mass transit three-wheeled passenger-carrying vehicles is:
The AUTO RICKSHAW!
And if you have never seen one! Below is your first glimpse of an Auto Rickshaw!
The 'rated' capacity of the Auto Rickshaw is three passengers in the rear plus the driver.
It is hard to see BUT two additional people can squeeze into the front on either side of the driver! They need to be 'small' and 'nimble' but I myself have successfully ridden up front with the driver! With part-of-me hanging out!
"Like the left side of my body 'Zilla!"
My bags and myself fill an Auto Rickshaw completely when on-the-way to a train or bus station.
Below to the right is the 'driver's world'!
" 'Zilla airplanes can't fly either! I can NOT explain how two adults can get up front with the driver except that they can and they do and I MYSELF have done so!" .. "I agree 'Zilla! There ain't NO WAY!" .. "Yes 'Zilla it is a 'tad cozy' with the driver!"
"C'mon Baba! Please take my photo Baba!"
Note in the left rear background is the Pondicherry Main Post Office!
The fare varies from:
'As you like' (Translation: There is a good chance that you will pay me more than I have the guts to ask you so YOU name the fare after we get there! IF however when you name the fare I do NOT like your number .. stand by for an argument you cheap-uncaring-fellow!) You want to avoid this arguing at all costs. The driver will get the Police or other bystanders or other Auto Rickshaw drivers and make-a-fuss! You risk things getting ugly fast and your personal well-being becomes at risk!
The fare varies to:
'The Outrageous!' Want an example? In New Delhi .. it was 5AM on a dark rainy morning and I was walking my bags to the railway station as I always do in New Delhi. I KNEW the 'going rate' as well as you know your own name. 50 Rs (a good number) .. 75 Rs (an honest number) .. 100 Rs (too high a number).
Well it was raining and I had a-way-yet-to-walk so up came the 'criminal'. He smiled and I said "How much?" .. he replied "Twenty!" ..
As I had my bags loaded halfway into his Auto Rickshaw .. some voice in my head told me to get out my wallet and hand-him 20 Rs then-on-the-spot!
Which I did. With steely cold eyes he said .. "Twenty DOLLARS U.S.!"
He actually wanted me to pay him 1,000 Rs for a 50 Rs to 100 Rs fare!
I mean I 'cussed-him-OUT' because I had wasted my time and gone-to-the-effort to get my bags almost fully into his Auto Rickshaw!
Young backpackers have-been-known to simply turn an Auto Rickshaw over onto its side when they got into an 'upset' with a driver. I felt like doing this myself I was so upset.
Now aren't they all 'kindda pretty'!
As you can see above .. most of the drivers really take pride in their 'little buddies'!
I shot the below photo from the front seat of my TEMPO the other day.
Notice please the lack-of-traffic!
Well? .. Did you notice in the above photo the lack-of-traffic! Why don't you 'scroll back up' and re-study the lack-of-traffic!
Look carefully at the below photo .. find the third Auto Rickshaw to the right! On the driver's left .. is a rather 'full figured' lady in the front! Her left side is hanging out looks-like-to-me!
"Below? That's traffic Captain!" /s/ Crocodile Dundee !
There-are-those who say: "The Auto Rickshaws CAUSE traffic jams!"
I count nine (9) Auto Rickshaws in the below photo.
Will you just look at that traffic!
I am NOT counting the black roof in the center of the lower edge of the above photo. It could be (90%) and it may not be (10%) an Auto Rickshaw.
Call 'it-a-wrap' Captain! ..
