We dont need METERJAM... we need DISCIPLINE

Yesterday was the "MeterJam" day. A lot of noise have been created over this. There is facebook, twitter, and t-shirts. Today the papers scream of it being a success. Its "AHHH POOOOH". It you were at Andheri Station in the morning, it was everyday chaos. People were stepping out of the railway station and running behind auto-rickshaws. The rickshaw drivers were refusing almost all the fares till they get one to the place of desire. And considering the number of people, each rickshaw found a fare to the place of desire. But the same cannot be said of the people trying to hitch a ride.

Compare this scenario with the one that existed prior to the construction activity at the same location. There was a auto-rickshaw stand next to the station. A RTO officer diligently forced every auto-rickshaw to join the queue at the rickshaw stand. People stood in a queue in a disciplined manner. It was a first come first served case. No rickshaw driver ever refused. Well, there were some exceptions. But then the collective public force and the RTO officer presence resolved it in favour of the public immediately.

When the construction activity started, the rickshaw stand was disbanded. That brought out the Darwinism in each one of the people. Everyone started running after the rickshaws pulling into the station area. It was survival of the fittest.

Nobody thought of redefining the rickshaw stand at a different location and showing the same discipline.

Let me think from the perspective of the rickshaw driver. I am trying to maximize my revenue for the day. And most probably the rickshaw does not belong to me, in which case I need to submit my daily rentals for the shift of using the rickshaw. This maybe anywhere from Rs. 100 to Rs. 200. I need to fill in petrol (or CNG) before I return the rickshaw. After this, any leftover cash is my earning for the day. When I think of it, its probably sufficient but not enough. So when I start my rickshaw shift, I am thinking the minimum I need to earn and the maximum I can earn that day.

Over the period I have learnt the flow of people traffic and have set up a pseudo algorithm in my brain. So when a person asks me to drop him at Sahar Road, I quickly analyse my past experience. I realize that after this trip, I would not get another trip from Sahar Road. I may have to either wait for a fare (wasting precious time) or drive to another point of demand (wasting precious fuel). Now another person asks me for a trip to Saki Naka. I realize this is longer trip and I will definitely get another fare from there immediately. So I prefer this person over the earlier one.

This is very much what a corporate would do. Given a choice of different customer needs cluster, it will select the one that would give higher revenue over the lifetime. But nobody would cry foul. No METERJAM for the corporate.

I don't think METERJAM was a success. Neither do I think it is any solution. What we need is public discipline...which is so lacking in our country. What we need is appointed rickshaw stands at every alternate block or street (not more than, say, 5 to 8 minutes walking distance). Like Singapore, a rickshaw should only be allowed to pickup and drop customers at the stand (unless he is travelling to a private area such as the society compound .. in which case the fare is extra Rs. 5). This is what will solve the problem. Not boycotting rickshaws and taxis.

Looking forward to your views.