Techie Vs Autodriver
By Bala Shah

Technopark is the key tech hub in Kerala.  It is hugely successful and the growths in its software exports are surpassing tech hubs in other parts of India.

Technoparktoday.com is mandatory reading for everyone who is associated with Technopark. It covers all local events and is even a popular jobs forum.

Technoparktoday has just published an article titled ‘Modern Day Highway Robbers’ in which a software engineer describes how an auto tried to charge him Rs. 5 extra.  But the techie refused to compromise his principles of only paying the ‘normal’ fare.  In this case it was Rs. 25 but the auto driver wanted Rs 30.

One argument, physical jostling, police summons at work and compromise at the local police station resulted in him paying only Rs. 25. 

The article in Technoparktoday makes for fascinating reading part of which is reproduced below:

“
I took an auto from the Technopark campus that had just dropped a customer near the Technopark back gate. As I travel very frequently by auto, I got into this auto and directed the driver to leave me at Kazhakuttom. We traveled via the back gate, through outer Kariyavattom and he dropped me at a hotel very near the Kazhakuttom police station.

It was then the drama started.

The normal fare from Technopark back gate is Rs.25 (which itself is a bit exorbitant - it should be minimum fare). This guy asked me for Rs. 30. I said I stick to my principles and would not pay anyone more or less than the standard. He refused to accept the Rs. 25 I gave him. He asked me to come to the police station, as if that was his friend’s house. I refused to give him the Rs. 30, and neither did I think had any business to be in a police station. So I told him, if you want to lodge a complaint, please go right ahead. A policeman was standing nearby. When I tried to gain his attention, he just pointed his fingers to the police station with a lack of interest.

Since I could not deal with this person anymore, I gave up and entered the hotel for supper. I saw him standing outside the hotel calling on his mobile, most probably other fellow drivers.  Soon this driver entered the hotel, caught me by my company tag and loudly read my name. When I protested, he let go and left.

……………….
“