I have heard autos referred to as rickshaws also. I associate rickshaws with British colonial times. My memory tells me that they were pedaled rather than motorized. According to my friend Abdul Shakour who took me to Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens today, there are about 1 million of these fellows driving around the city looking for a fare.He says that he makes about 600-700 Ns. daily (13.33 USD to 15.55 USD) and spends about 200 (4.44 USD) of that on LP gas to power his rig. He says that they have 200 cc motors. He says that he gets a three-year license (I have forgotten the amount, but he told me.) He said he had been a car taxi driver prior to being an auto driver and interestingly, he told me that driving a car taxi is less profitable due to the higher overhead.
These autos have meters. Some drivers say right away, "on the meter" when I ask how much the fare will be. Others want to negotiate right away. That is when my 9 years of negotiating skill, gained living in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, kicks in. Additional sources of income for the auto drivers are advertising placed on the autos and, as I discovered, agreements between drivers and souvenir shops to deliver foreign tourists to have a look at the goods in the shop (all done with a smile).
These vehicles are highly maneuverable and it seems from what I have seen at night, tail lights are optional. They carry goods and people both, sometimes at the same time. They compete for space on the streets with motorcycles, motor scooters, and motor bikes. There are a few buses and cars around too.
Interesting! They don't make much money. Or is that enough? Do they have second jobs, do their wives work?
ReplyDeleteAre you using dollars or rupees? Where and when do you exchange your money?