Ha. I bet you thought I was going to give a lengthy discourse on darwin and his theories. Guess again I am talking automobile evolution.
Ever since the first man learned to put a set of wheels together, the aim has been for better and faster. From the humble bicycle to the awesome bugatti veyron we love the thrill on wheels.
In this mechanical evolution there has been the in betweens. Contraptions that still have vestigial remains of a bike and have not yet evolved into a four wheeler. I refer to the missing or rather incomplete link in terms of automobile evolution the humble autorickshaw.
I am sure indians everywhere have this vehicle firmly engraved into their psyche. From a very young age the auto or rick or tuk-tuk as it is known in some countries is an integral part of travel lore for every indian.
Of late however having travelled across some of the southern parts of the subcontinent I like to think of the rick as a creature which cannot accept its two wheeler nature but aspires to be a car. With the advent of diesel and lpg versions available autos have taken on the personalities of their jungle creatures.
The chennai auto (auto aevalum) is adept at stalking its prey from afar. With a sly charm you are unwittingly led into its innards where the driver traps you in his web of fares. Three autos to the same destination have often charged three different rates. You know what they say the prepaid the better. Since lawlessness prevails on the roads these creatures fit perfectly into urban jungle.
Kerala autos have evolved into three sub species. The north auto (auto decentus) the central auto (auto violentus) and the south auto (auto whatthef@kus).
The auto decentus is mainly found roosting in the kozhikode kannur and kasargode districts. Its quite
easy to spot them. Well behaved meter specific fares are its identifying characteristics. Coupled with a spate of exterior protrusions and interior design that would put dc design to shame. Be it night or day rates are what's on the meter nothing more nothing less. Change too is tendered exactly.
Auto violentus is is usually found hanging around the railway and bus stations of cochin and surrounding districts. Woe to the man who asks for meter fare or who dares to argue with such a creature. One will receive a hitchhikers guide to the choicest abuse in malayalam.and then some.
auto whatthef@kus is very prevalent in the capital and surrounding districts. Meters are considered to be appendages which give you a guideline to the fact that the wheels do turn after all. Fare is calculated as the square of the circumference of the distance travelled and adding a factor of ten if the passenger if from out of state.
But I guess that these living fossils still carry some practical value. What that is I am still to find out.
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