R for Rip-off

Mar 2, 2011 | 20 comments

I open Blogger, and the new post box, stare at it for a  while, until suddenly a topic/word pops into my head and voila, i have my post and some more!! Today, it is dedicated to Rip offs that we come across on our daily lives…

It could be a shop keepers.. the cobbler… the auto guy… or the tailor… you get my drift, right?



Raise the bar some more, wont you

He: Where do you want to go?
I: Go to xyz place [which is abut 4kms away]
He: Cost you 80Rupees
I: Sorry, cant do… 
He: how much will you give?
I: 40 maybe… 
He: No ma’am, cant afford.. give me atleastt 70
I: No thanks, if you are not ready to come for 40, pls go ahead, no worries , i shall find another ride
He: but you dont understand, i have to come all the way and return without a guest
I: Its ok, thanks but no thanks
He: Alrighty, give me 60 bucks.. 
I: [walking ahead nodding my head in negative]
He: But ma’am, understand my position also please
I: hullo, i am not stopping you.. please go ahead, am sure you will find someone ready to pay your desired sum.. but i cant
He: Drives off mumbling or agrees for 40bucks and comes… 

This is a scene i am used to and totally unaffected by these days.. Early on, would argue with them, give them logic and all that, but now i just keep walking on… to Hell with them. if need be, will walk all the way home or take the bus till closest spot and then walk it down…  As much as i love Chennai, the auto guys here drive me wild.. 



He: Madam, will cost you 120bucks from here to Chetpet
I: hullow, i dont want to go to Pondicherry, only here, 6kms away
He: No ma’am, cant afford it
I: Shall i drive? you can sit behind…
He: Gapes

There are so many who demand unreasonable sums, and to top it off wont even know the destination i have mentioned. I hop into the auto, and then he starts asking for directions. I have lost it many times, and walked out of the auto. 

Yes, it is difficult not having my own transport, but its not something that weighs me down too much.. I keep planning, atleast thinking and then it goes off my mind! I have been lucky to have friends who give me a ride to or back, and for the rest there is the Public transport system= trains and buses included!! 

A stitch in time saves none…

Nothing complicated, nothing extra and the bill was Rs900.. Dang.. this is too much for my little wallet was the only thing running through my mind…


Am talking about the Tailors in town. They are charge like crazy for nothing but plain stitching… Am tired of running from one tailor to the other, each one charging more, taking their own sweet time and talking big talk… The past decade has seen me try more than a dozen tailors, each one giving me a different style, fit and price, but only thing common is they are RIPPING ME OFF… cant afford this!! 

There is a saree blouse tailor in Purasaiwalkam.. He was referred by an aunt who came to know of him through her friend who came upon him through her friend.. You get my drift.. Anyways, he is good when it comes to “oh my god, i have to wear a saree tomorrow evening and dont have matching blouse” kind of emergencies. But, be prepared to shell out as much as the gift you have bought for the wedding!! nope, am not kidding.. For a normal blouse, he charges 150bucks, and with lining, then the rate doubles- Whoop, going through the roof…. He has quite a clientele, and has been reccomended by x y and z and some more… For a family wedding, i was in the above mentioned situation and had to visit this tailor to get me out of this soup.. He did stitch well, he did deliver on time, but sigh.. the price i paid was heavy….!! 

20 Comments

  1. Anu
    Anu on March 3, 2011 at 3:35 am

    good one, aarti! chennai auto drivers really take the cake! esp since i am used to paying by the meter here, the rates there are so unreasonable, it gets almost impossible to go around anywhere unless i am accompanied by someone who knows the bus/train routes, or who has a vehicle!

    Reply
  2. UmaS
    UmaS on March 3, 2011 at 4:26 am

    ha ha ha Aarti, u spoke my mind. When I shifted to Chennai, I used to be like that – logical and trying to reason out with those auto fellows. Now, that first conversation holds gud for me…when u put in that line, that many auto fellows will come for that money, they grumble and come. So, I've switched to bus or train, whenever possible and leave these stupid autos.

    And oh, can u please refer me to a tailor….I've been searching for a reasonable and good one since the time I shifted ???? 😉

    Reply
  3. Prats
    Prats on March 3, 2011 at 9:26 am

    I have been in Chennai for two months, and I was handling distribution of a mobile service provider. So I can claim I have traveled to every nook and corner in Chennai. There are only two problems I faced language and AutoWallahs. The language is still manageable but the Auto Wallahs are complete jerks and make me dread the city which I really liked (http://prats.co.in/21/)

    Reply
  4. Anonymous
    Anonymous on March 4, 2011 at 12:15 am

    You do know my woes of the autowalas. I did the same, walked on; the guy follows me asking to pay more. It just gets me so worked up!!!
    The tailors…well!!! They charge a bomb, they don't deliver on time and off late, the ready made clothes I buy fit me better making me wonder why did I bother going to a tailor. The tailor/dress maker does not even have the imagination or knowledge of what would be good for you or the cloth. Choose a neck pattern. Ok…you are done!!!!I could go on and on!!
    Anyways…I always did think…for a blouse with lining, the guy can charge double…after all, he stitches 2 layers of cloth meaning he cut 2 layers, he put them both in alignment under the needle and put pedal to the metal! 😀 double the work supposedly!! 😉 so double the charges?!? OK…don't murder me here!

    Reply
  5. vishesh
    vishesh on March 4, 2011 at 6:21 am

    4 kms 50 bucks is decent, 60 if there is traffic. To be fair, these people have to sustain as well..of course some just quote insane prices.

    Reply
  6. Anonymous
    Anonymous on August 5, 2011 at 7:43 pm

    great article! thanks for posting 🙂

    Cynthia G.
    Vent

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