'ವಿಜಯನಗರ ಬರ್ತೀಯ?' (coming to Vijayanagar? )
'ಇಲ್ಲ ಸಾರ್. ನಯನ್ದಹಳ್ಳಿ ಅಷ್ಟೇ' (no sir, only till Nayanadahalli cross), told this cab driver at Banashankari. I had been waiting here for the past 15 mins.
"some distance covered is better than waiting in vain here", I thought and got into this white Sumo.
Welcome to the new world of night transport in a metro city like Bangalore. These vehicles, which otherwise work for some software company, also help to drop late night travelers like me, in non-official trips. Totally at the behest of the driver, who would want to earn little money, rather than driving empty. I say this service seems pretty good sometimes, when you are traveling late and do not have any other transport option.
But, at the same time, one must be careful before boarding such vehicles, especially during odd-hours, similar to mine, around 22:30. You might be unlucky and might fall into the hands of goons, sitting in the vehicle, who would snatch everything from you before you get down.
I was cautious enough, before getting into this empty one. Making myself comfortable in the front seat, I struck up a conversation with the driver. "My family would be waiting for me to join for dinner, am already late. Otherwise I would have dropped you to vijayanagar", he told. "I understand, hope I get a bus or so from there", said me, listening to his heartening reason. I learned that he stayed somewhere ahead the place I was intending to get down. The drive was swift, we would cover the 10 kms distance in not more than 10 mins, I thought. Sometime during the drive I found him shuffling through some paper folding from his shirt pocket. He slowed down a bit at the same time, carefully avoiding opposing vehicles. I wondered what he was doing.
He kept something in my hand. Before I could see it, he told, " ಇವತ್ತಿನ bus PASS. ತೊಗೊಳಿ. ಬೇಕಾದರೆ. (Today's bus PASS. Keep it, in case you use a bus)"
"Wow", I thought. He had given me the daily BMTC bus pass (25/-). Saving my ticket expense was his intention.
I knew it was not right, since the PASS is supposed to be 'non-transferable' !!!!
Felt good at the same time at the little possible help he did for me. But, alas, it was not of use to me. There no bus in sight where I got down, I had to take another one of those cabs to go further to my place.
The little paper piece was still in my hand, as I walked home, with his signature scribbled on it. I tried to read his name in it. That's when I realized, I should have asked him....
'ಇಲ್ಲ ಸಾರ್. ನಯನ್ದಹಳ್ಳಿ ಅಷ್ಟೇ' (no sir, only till Nayanadahalli cross), told this cab driver at Banashankari. I had been waiting here for the past 15 mins.
"some distance covered is better than waiting in vain here", I thought and got into this white Sumo.
Welcome to the new world of night transport in a metro city like Bangalore. These vehicles, which otherwise work for some software company, also help to drop late night travelers like me, in non-official trips. Totally at the behest of the driver, who would want to earn little money, rather than driving empty. I say this service seems pretty good sometimes, when you are traveling late and do not have any other transport option.
But, at the same time, one must be careful before boarding such vehicles, especially during odd-hours, similar to mine, around 22:30. You might be unlucky and might fall into the hands of goons, sitting in the vehicle, who would snatch everything from you before you get down.
I was cautious enough, before getting into this empty one. Making myself comfortable in the front seat, I struck up a conversation with the driver. "My family would be waiting for me to join for dinner, am already late. Otherwise I would have dropped you to vijayanagar", he told. "I understand, hope I get a bus or so from there", said me, listening to his heartening reason. I learned that he stayed somewhere ahead the place I was intending to get down. The drive was swift, we would cover the 10 kms distance in not more than 10 mins, I thought. Sometime during the drive I found him shuffling through some paper folding from his shirt pocket. He slowed down a bit at the same time, carefully avoiding opposing vehicles. I wondered what he was doing.
He kept something in my hand. Before I could see it, he told, " ಇವತ್ತಿನ bus PASS. ತೊಗೊಳಿ. ಬೇಕಾದರೆ. (Today's bus PASS. Keep it, in case you use a bus)"
"Wow", I thought. He had given me the daily BMTC bus pass (25/-). Saving my ticket expense was his intention.
I knew it was not right, since the PASS is supposed to be 'non-transferable' !!!!
Felt good at the same time at the little possible help he did for me. But, alas, it was not of use to me. There no bus in sight where I got down, I had to take another one of those cabs to go further to my place.
The little paper piece was still in my hand, as I walked home, with his signature scribbled on it. I tried to read his name in it. That's when I realized, I should have asked him....
