Which ever form of long-distance transportation you use in India, keep an eye out for the taxi and auto drivers who come running towards you offering their faithful services with seemingly altruistic demeanors. If you're new to the city you're traveling to, speak to them at your own financial peril. However if you know your destination city like the back of your hand, or know how and where to go, you can linger around them for an amusing session in numbers and pitching.
I only need look back 2 days to give you 2 examples. I was traveling from Pune to Trivandrum, with a stopover of one night at a friend's place in Bombay. I know Pune and Trivandrum like the back of my hand and I know Bombay decently enough to know how to get around. My itinerary in a nutshell: I traveled by Bus from Pune to Bombay and flew down the next da to Trivandrum. I got off the Bus at Dadar East, and started to look for a taxi to take me to Lower Parel. I chose to humour the couple of taxi drivers who flanked me like bodyguards the moment I stepped off the bus. After 2 minutes of pretending to be not interested in their services I told them my destination.Taxi-driver 1 nodded benevolently and waved me towards his taxi.
He said politely - "Only 170 rupees."
I burst out laughing. It was worth it to see him quote that amount with a straight face. He tried to bargain after this, but it is always a pointless exercise after such an amount has been quoted. Besides, taxis in Bombay are supposed to be famous for charging fare by a meter. So I did some wtf-ing and told him I wasn't going to sit in his car. Eventually I waved down a passing cab and got to my destination for the princely sum of 40 rupees. I saved around 3 times the amount. Muahaha.
The next day I stepped out of the airport at Trivandrum. Here I was comfortable. Knowledge of the local language gives me added advantage when it comes to bargaining. The hitch here is that there is practically no other transportation from the airport to the city unless you have the patience to wait indefinitely for the one city bus that runs every few hours.
"250 rupees", came the quote from the middle aged seasoned looking rickshaw driver. Straight faced again.
"It's the correct fare sir, it costs 7 rupees a kilometer now. "
"Boss, I said take me to Medical College (around 10 kms away), not Attingal (a town half way between Tvm and Kollam).
"OK fine give 150 rupees. Come", he stated with an air of finality.
I kept walking and approached another auto outside the airport gates.
"Medical College. How much?".
"You're from here right, heh heh, you know right how much it costs, heh heh..."
"Yeah I know, but clearly you won't agree to accept standard rates. So, how much?"
"How can I say sir, you know this place... heh heh... "
"80. "
"Aaah, pattilla sir.. tch.. heh heh... "
"100".
"Heh heh.. OK".
Twenty something bucks over the standard rate. Not too bad.
Like I said, it can be fun if you know the ropes where you're going. Else boss, lag jayegi.
