Mumbai auto-rickshaws are the three-wheeled heartbeat of the city's transport network.

There is an incredible convenience afforded by this 3-legged black-and-yellow creature. These drivers offer a daily dose of chaos, philosophy and unscripted comedy on three wheels. They are badass, bindaas, funny, and kind, all rolled into one, famous for their fearless driving, sharp street smarts, quick humor, and hidden hearts of gold.

Somehow, we Mumbaikars have a love-hate relationship with these auto drivers: -

The Hate:

Every Mumbai story starts with an autodriver saying “Nahi Jaana." How many times has the heartbreak from an autodriver left you feeling down? Well, if we sit and count that, this lifetime will pass and a new eternity will begin. As someone rightly said, “Thappad Se Darr Nahi Lagta ……….. Auto Refusal Se Lagta hai."   

Begging every morning for auto guys to do their duties is not a Mumbaikar’s idea of starting his/her day. Commuters are forced to battle constant refusal by drivers, sometimes even waiting for 30 minutes to find an auto for what is not even a "Chota Bhaada" (11 km).

One thing these auto guys must remember is that we have money, but no time. I am sure many will agree that they prefer taking Ubers / Olas because rickshaw drivers refuse rides. These guys literally say “No” to every place if it doesn’t align with their choice of destination... no matter how tired you are or even if you are in a hurry, they won’t budge. How frustrating is it when you are in a rush to go somewhere, are frantically looking for an auto-rickshaw, and everyone blatantly refuses to take you? The destination is either too close for them, too far, or in the opposite direction. And if by your good fortune, a rickshaw driver agrees to take you, he will want a fare as per his wishes, not determined by the meter. Their all-time silly excuse that they will have to return 'Empty' has become so ridiculously overused that one no longer has sympathy for these fellows. Even for hyperbusy places, they use this silly excuse. Once, I asked one of the auto guys out of curiosity, "Which place do you actually want to go to, he pretended not to understand me as if I spoke something in Arabic and ran away.  

Haggling with rickshaw drivers requires top-level patience. It is an intense, thrilling activity. Every encounter with a rickshaw driver feels like a high-stake business negotiation, an absolute battlefield. A simple "Bhaiya, Chaloge?" rarely gets a plain "Yes" or "No"—instead, it invites a silent stare, a philosophical head-tilt, or a disappearing act that leaves you standing on the road questioning your life choices. In fact, the classic dramatic Mumbai auto guy’s refusal isn't verbal. It is an Oscar-winning performance where the driver looks you dead in the eye, shifts into first gear, and rolls away so smoothly that you think he's turning around to pick you up. Whether you offer extra cash or your best smile, these drivers operate with a sense of pure, unbothered enlightenment, prioritizing their desire not to go to a certain area over any incentive. You may offer them Rs. 50 extra, but still they won’t budge… Kyunki… Hamari Marzi… Hum Nahi Jaana Chahte. It is an experience that can make anyone feel entirely powerless. They are so selective about their destinations that you had to think they were organizing luxury travel itineraries. 

Some of these guys drive like a maniac. They will make your life miserable by their aggressive, erratic driving habits that choke peak-hour traffic, reckless U-turns, wrong-side driving, blocking buses, causing damage to cars, brushing past two-wheelers, stopping snappishly wherever they want, fitting into tiny gaps between cars and buses, breaking/ignoring traffic signals, spitting gutka everywhere, changing lanes abruptly, halting in the middle of the road, coming in the opposite direction without a shred of fear…and if you even dare to say anything, they will start yelling at the top of their voice. Some are always busy watching reels and videos while riding on highways. They drive so fast...come on yaar, “Ek Pal Ka Jeena” doesn't have to be taken so factually!! Once I remember, an auto guy dropping me off at the office… He wasn’t driving. He was actually flying. I asked him to slow down. He replied, "Madam... Aapko Office Jaldi Pahunchna Hoga." I told him “ Agar Main Office Der Se Pahunchungi Tho Koi Baat Nahin... Lekin Mai Itni Jaldi Bhagwanji Se Bilkul Nahin Milna Chahathi” ("It doesn't matter if I reach the office late... but I certainly don't want to meet God so soon.")

A lot of times, these auto drivers gather around at auto stands/landmarks and just twiddle their thumbs with absolutely no intention of plying. You will find most of them, while their time is reading the papers and watching videos on mobiles, the least bothered to help us. The other day, my friend had to wait for 40 minutes for an auto for a 3 km ride in the rain from Metro station, when there were at least 2 dozen of these nuts standing by, doing nothing but refusing passengers and/or quoting three hundred bucks to just start their machine. And then they are the same guys who will threaten/assault app-based taxis and their customers for "taking away their livelihood" or may create a ruckus demanding a ban on app-based taxis, asking for fare hikes and what not.  

At the exit of most of the railway stations, one will find autos blocking the road and footpath. Drivers stand at the end of the foot over bridge, trying to coax passengers into traveling in their autos, thereby blocking the easy movement of people. The drivers often stop their vehicles in such a way that it becomes extremely difficult for passengers to board the bus, especially during peak hours. It is infuriating when an autorickshaw stops right in front of the bus stop and the driver keeps on asking, ‘Kahan Jana Hai.'  

Sometimes, commuters are at the mercy of share auto drivers. The charges are as per demand and availability of autos. During the peak hours, they charge Rs.30-Rs.40 per seat, which is almost the same as what one would pay in a regular metered rickshaw. These share auto drivers are milking the passengers further by seating more than allowed. They ferry extra passengers, and to avoid getting caught by the traffic police, any passenger sitting on the front seat is asked to get down at a traffic signal, walk across the signal, and get back in the front seat. Most of these share auto drivers don’t wear uniforms, don’t display permit badges, are unkempt, and have vehicles that are in poor shape and unclean.  

The Love and Respect

No one will humble you quite like a Mumbai rickshawala. One has to respect them for their services of dealing with angry customers and heavy traffic, and yet they keep doing their work of taking us to our destinations safely. They are always available for us, be it any season—summer, winter, or monsoon—or at any time of the day—early morning, morning, afternoon, evening, night, or even midnight.

I agree they refuse commuters. But maybe it might be time for the driver to end his shift in 15-20 minutes, and the place where you want to go may be in the opposite direction. At times, they may even have prior commitments—some rickshaw drivers pick up school kids when their schools end, and they would not want to be late for that appointment. They may know (or might expect) that there is high traffic in a particular area and want to avoid it. Sometimes they don’t know the area well, and instead of following the passengers’ directions, they prefer refusing. By the way, some passengers are really terrible at giving directions—some have left-right direction disability. Some mention just when the turn comes up—"Bhaiyya, Yahaan Se Right Turn Lena,” when you are in the extreme left lane.      

App-based rickshaws get rides based on the current location they are in, and most of the time they have a return ride. But non-app-based rickshaws don't have that surety of getting a return ride back to their aligned stands. If the driver thinks he may not get a return ride, he will not think of doing the first ride itself. It is a 50-50 situation for the driver, and most of the time they return empty.

Though they work very hard, everything has a weight, and they need to carry the weight of the passenger and put in a lot of effort to safely carry the passenger to their destination. They know how to drive the auto on any road, even when there are potholes on the roads or there is a speed breaker or there is a crack in the road.

Most of them have their lunch under a tree or along with their auto driver friends or sometimes alone. They don't have washrooms or ACs like us in the office. They can’t run back home for little things. If it's sunny, they bear the heat; if it's raining, they are almost drenched. Mumbai weather isn't that favorable. Sometimes they might have to use the washroom or have a medical emergency at home or have a part of the auto that has failed, due to which they have to take the empty ride to a destination/garage.

Many a time, on their way back home, passengers may stop them for a ride, but they refuse, as they have to come back home. Now every time a passenger stops them, at such times, they can't keep telling them the reason behind not stopping the vehicle and accepting the ride. So the best option for them is to say no or just take away the vehicle. Always remember that even the auto drivers have a family, and they have to reach their house too.

There are some dishonest passengers who manipulate or fake "Payment Successful" screens on their phones via Google Pay or other UPI apps without actually transferring any money, leaving drivers short on their fare. When network issues delay payment confirmation notifications, drivers often let passengers go, only to find out later that the transaction failed or was never sent.

Personally, every time I ride an autorickshaw, I have learned something new. I have had brilliant conversations with so many different drivers. I have met people who have helped me out when it was raining heavily to go out of their way and drop me at my destination, kindly saying “Koi Baat Nahi” when I did not have enough money for my fare.

There are several auto drivers who are commendably committed to the job, but I also agree there are far too many rotten apples. Let's stop generalizing “ALL” drivers as monsters. They are humans too and earn for their family just like everyone else. Just because you pay them doesn't mean they can’t say no. Even if their work is not as prestigious as ours, let's give the hardworking men of Mumbai some credit.

It's really sad how we simply say hurtful things about certain sections of people just because it's normal to get frustrated with them. But at the end of the day, they are humans too—just trying to survive in a harsh, unforgiving fictional world—in this city of nightmares.