Why are these Autokarans/Autowallahs always disgruntled over something or the other?!! Right now, am not going to talk about the tampered meters, atrocious fares, bad language, worst sense of driving, or their lame reasons for the same from their point of view! Its all about what happens at the end of a ride in an auto!

The thing is, even if we agree to pay whatever these autowallahs ask for and take a ride in their auto, these guys find some reason or the other to grumble about! I dont know if any of you have noticed that, but many autorickshaw drivers start grumbling or murmuring if we ask them to take a few turns at the end of the ride when we are very near to our destination! If they start murmuring, then its a sign that they’ll haggle over the fare and demand more than what was fixed before! Man, Only Government Buses drop you in the main road and go. Autos/Taxis and everything else have to come in drop you near your place. If someone has agreed to pay you whatever you ask and then you go on and demand more, just beacuse you had to make a few left and right turns, thats really awful. Not that all drivers are like that, but most of them are! There are some good drivers as well, who stay cheerful and smiling. We can even give people like them, some extra money voluntarily, for being cheerful and spreading the happiness! I personally hate hiring Autos to go somewhere. Reason: All these reasons combined. It has been years since i stopped going by Autos. These days, not only Auto Drivers, everyone has become self-centered, money-minded and rude!

The reason am writing this post is the incident that happened yesterday… I go to Office by the Office Cab… My place is at the end of an alley and the cab has to come in and drop me and take a reverse to go back… The Cab driver would not be the same all days… But, for the past few days the same cab driver started coming… I used to be polite to him as always! Yesterday, that Cab Driver when he came to pick me up for Office started slowly talking about not coming into the alley bcoz as per their rules they dont go back in the same road that they entered! Come on man stop kidding! Konjam china paiyana iruntha, udane emaatha try pannuranga! If we are a little nice or polite to these guys, they start taking advantage of us. Being nice to them makes them think that we are meek! I told him sternly, I dont know about what rules you are talking about, i am working here for the past four months and all the drivers who have been here havent said anything about this! After that he became silent!

Its really very irritating when they do something like that (Taking advantage of someone, if they are nice! polite! Not only these Cab/Auto wallahs, people in general). Another time that cab driver talks to me about not coming into the alley, i’ve decided to escalate the issue to the concerned department and make sure he’s removed from the rolls or atleast that he does talk to me about not coming in! Ethana naalaiku thaan nallavana irukurathu!!!

This Trip to Mahabalipuram with ma frnds in Bike, was my first Road Trip out of City!

I had not informed my Parents abt the Plans, but eventually my mom found out abt it later!

It was during our Second Year in College… When we were sitting in the Workshop and chatting(as always), someone came up with this idea of Bunking College and going somewhere on a one day road trip in our bikes. We actually planned to go to Tada Falls… Initially, when we planned it in college, nearly 20-30 guys frm ma class agreed. But, after going back home, the guys started giving various reasons for not coming, one by one. The count went on decreasing. So, it was as good as cancelled!

The Next Morning i woke up to Tune of my N-Gage QD Ringing! It was my frnd Raja over the phone, who told me his new plans(Mahabalipuram)! I told him i’ll call him back after ascertaining the situation at my place. I had to check whether the atmosphere is conducive for Bunking or not! Thankfully, we had guests at home that day and mom was quite busy with them. So, after some time i informed ma frnds that i would be coming. And then, i got ready as usual and left home at around 7am.

Srinivas and Myself stayed in the Same Apartments. So, i went to the ground and waited for him. All the other guys were to come to our Apartments. We were 6 in all. Srinivas and Me. Naren and Hem Kumar. Raja and Senthil Kumar. So, we started from our Apartments which was in Anna Nagar and went via Maduavoyal to the By-Pass(200ft) Road. This 200ft Road was almost empty and we zoomed away to GST Road in No time. As the saying goes, Journey is more important than the destination. We enjoyed the Travelling part, which was the most exciting. Coming back to the journey, We took a left turn near Crescent Engineering College and went on till the end of that road. We were a bit hungry by then and had some snacks and water at a nearby Bakery Shop. Then, we went on to Mahabalipuram. On the way we had to pay at some Toll Gate in OMR. I paid for the three of us and kept the tickets in my pocket and forgot about it!!! On our way, Raja tried doing some stunts. He was so busy showing off that he drove over a fresh cowdung and it splashed all over his pant! And there were a lot of funny moments that day.

At Mahabalipuram, we parked our Bikes and walked to the beach! The beach was nearly empty as it was very hot! We roamed around the place. Climbed the Rocks. Caught some crabs. Played in the Water

It was almost 2pm by then. We took our bikes and started back home. Before leaving Mahabalipuram, we finished our lunch at a roadside dhabba. While returning we took the ECR route. Again while coming back we raced each other.

I enjoy driving fast, but thats only when i am in the Driver’s Seat!!!

Hmmm… When we were almost near Muttukadu, Naren’s Bike’s Engine got heated up and it stopped. So, we towed his bike along with us to the Muttukadu Boat House and parked our vehicles there. We had to wait till his bike gets naturally cooled down. We went to the Boat house and lazed around at that place. After some time, we were back on track and reached home in the evening.

I didnt say anything at home and was back doing things as i always do after going back home from college.

I went back to Routine and forgot about that incident. But, i had a surprise waiting for me! After a few days, my mom asked me how was the Mahabalipuram Trip? I was really surprised, how she got to know the place and all?! I asked ‘What Mahabalipuram?’ Like if i didnt know anything. But, am not that good at telling lies, and after some time i let it out, said sorry and asked her how she found that out?! Then, my brother showed me the Toll Gate Ticket! It was clearly written in the Ticket as “Mahabalipuram”! I forgot about the tickets entirely, and my mom found those papers while washing my pants.

Well, my mom didnt say anything, coz am back home safe and sound(the reason she wud not let me out, is reg my safety), and maybe also that what has happened has happened. My folks are not that strict. But still, i didnt tell them because, my mom is usually afraid of the speed at which i drive and if i had told them i would be going to Mahabalipuram she would definitely not have let me go, then!

Anyways, it was a wonderful trip that day. The Bike Journey was the most exciting maybe coz it was my first time! It also taught me a lesson in life(which is the Moral of the Story). You gotta experience anything to understand it! And i learnt from my experience that day! Innime, alert ah irupom la! lolz

Moral of the Story:

It’s Only Wrong if You Get Caught!

Thappu Senja Thadayam Illaama Seiyanum!