Foreigner teaches Indian auto driver a lesson; Watch video…
While many of us would have either argued or walked off fuming from auto rickshaw drivers who refuse to charge by meter, an American professor did something hilarious.
The incident happened when Christine Fair got into an auto-rickshaw after auto-driver refused to switch on the trip meter installed in the vehicle.
It seems the professor has a good command over Hindi language who started recording a video of the driver after he refused to take her to the destination. She also told him that she will spend the entire day inside the auto as it was her off day.
In the video, the foreigner is heard speaking fluent Hindi and is even heard singing Hindi songs ‘Mujhe Need Naa Aaye’, Chein Naa Aaye’ and ‘Yeh Zindagi Usi Ki Hai’.
Later, the embarassed auto driver is seen taking her to Charminar.
Christine Fair, later posted the video on YouTube saying, “This is how to handle a scoundrel taxi or autowallah who either doesn’t want to take you to your destination (for whatever fazul bahanna he offers) or use the meter.” Now, that is a lesson he learnt and will never forget.
Read her post below…
“This is how to handle a rascal taxi or autowallah who, in this case, doesn’t want to take you to your destination (for whatever fazul bahanna he offers) AND/or use the meter. It’s taken me some 20 years to figure out this technique to get an auto or a taxi driver in India to take me to my destination with the meter on.
You can see this man has been utterly defeated. I need to carry with me some song sheets. Note that I have used this technique now in several cities. It has worked every time. No need to get mad. Just toss away your shame…and wait out the miscreant. I suspect it will work elsewhere in South Asia. Post Script Please note that some of folks seem to think that is just about the meter and that I “bullied” a poor auto wallah. This is not the full story. The meter was the least of the issues. I had been walking for some distance in the sun. While I had decided to walk to Charminar knowing it would take more than two hours, I finally gave up because I had lost my way. Whenever I asked for directions, persons said “Namumkin. Auto pe jayen.”
He was the the only auto in the small street where I was utterly lost. Also I did not have access to a 3G network where I could call Uber. I always use Uber when possible so that I can to avoid such situations. The chap outright refused to take me to my destination in the Old City. I first asked to go to the Mecca Masjid. He first said he didn’t know where it was. Then I asked about the Falaknama Palace. He said he had no idea. This is clearly nonsense. Of course he knew as these are very famous places in Hyderabad. He did not want to go to the Old City. He offered various excuses for not wanting to go BEFORE I informed that I was filming and began doing so. When at last he agreed to go, he insisted on not using the meter. So this is not just about the refusal to use the meter…it’s about refusing to go to a particular destination. I believe both of these are illegal. Do correct me if I am incorrect. Have a great day…and good luck in dealing with the autowallahs and taxiwallahs you encounter!”
