Rickshaw Nation by Cinthya Quintana

There is a great skit by the comedian Fluffy about his experience while traveling through India.  The best part is when he talks about the traffic.  It is hilarious!  The most honest line in the skit is when he says something to the extent of even though there are three lanes there will be ten autos, cars, scooters, cows, etc. across the road.  The lane lines are there to more or less tell you the direction in which you should be going.

And this is true but nonetheless, the best way to see India is on the back of an auto rickshaw (aka auto).  As synonymous as the elephant is to the Indian jungle the auto rickshaw is to the big city.  Riding on the back of a rickshaw is the most much fun and the best way to really get to know India by her sights and sounds.

The easiest way to get a rickshaw is by just standing outside.  There seems to have been thousands of rickshaws in every city we visited in India.  I am sure the number is in the millions but I found no concrete number in my research.  In order to sit back, relax, and enjoy your ride below are some tips and information to get you ready for that first auto rickshaw ride.

Traffic chaos: point of view from the back seat of an auto.

Auto rickshaws are safe.  Yes, there are accidents in India; and yes, some of those include auto rickshaws.  However, the traffic (which is super crazy) is part of a dance all motorists and pedestrians do on a daily basis.  I felt no more in danger in a rickshaw than I do everyday while driving.  Apart from jumping out of a moving rickshaw or extending limb out of the side you’ll survive many a ride.

If you are too shy to just pick up an auto rickshaw on the corner try UberAUTO.  Just like the app in the US UberAUTO allows you to choose the closest rickshaw to your location.  And what’s best, it allows for cash payment.  Just download the app and order when you’re ready.  According to a press release by Uber the prices are calculated locally by transportation standards (more on this below).

#AutoSardines… six people packed into an auto.

Speaking of prices be prepared for a few things.  First, rickshaw prices are negotiable to a certain extent.  It all depends on the time of day, the distance, whether or not you’re local to the area, how many people are riding the auto, and how good of a haggler you are.  First, the price of a ride is higher during the night when far less autos are available.

The easiest way to pay for a ride is to get a rickshaw with a meter.  In my experience this is the easiest.  In fact, there were many billboard signs all over Hyderabad saying that meters in autos are the law.  However, sometimes the meters don’t work or you’re willing to pay more of an even number to get somewhere.  With the dollar being close to 60 rupees my group and I mostly decided to pay an even number.

On average it seemed to costs us about 27 rupees per kilometer.  However, when speaking to locals and checking out some travel blogs it seems the average price for a local would be 25 rupees for the first 2 kilometers and 8-12 rupees for the rest of the ride.  If you are comfortable enough haggling you can haggle based on locals recommendations.  If you’re not, paying approximately 20-30 rupees per kilometer seems the average for a tourist.

Video of fast and quick morning rush hour traffic.

If you happen to meet a driver who you trust and mesh with get their number and call them to pick you up when needed.  When we met a driver on our first day that seemed nice we asked for his card.  We would call to get picked up for school, from school, and for our evening activities.

Lastly, be as prepared as you can be.  Sometimes drivers won’t know where the place you’re going is.  Sometimes they say they don’t but they don’t.  If you search the area online, take a screen shot and have it with you.  It will be easier for you to reach your destination with less frustration this way.