Rants & Roasts: The great Hyderabad auto auction
Booking an auto in Hyderabad isn’t transportation. It’s a daily negotiation with fate. The same 4-kilometre ride can cost ₹90, ₹140, ₹180 or ₹250 depending on the time of day, the weather, the driver’s mood, Mercury being in retrograde, and perhaps the alignment of the Charminar minarets.
Every morning I conduct a small research project before leaving the house. I check Uber . I check Rapido . I check Ola . Then, just to stay humble, I ask an auto parked outside. The apps confidently promise me a ride for ₹98. I feel victorious for exactly twelve seconds. A driver accepts, I pick up my bag, lock the door, and watch the booking disappear before I’ve even reached the gate.
The second driver accepts. The third one cancels. The fourth one doesn’t move for seven minutes. At this point, my destination feels less like a place and more like a life goal. Then comes my favourite part, the map. The little auto icon starts driving in the opposite direction, circles a junction, stops for two minutes, and convinces me it’s still coming. Eventually, the ride gets cancelled. Hyderabad believes every commute deserves a plot twist.
I give up and walk towards the autos waiting on the roadside. The driver quotes almost double what the app showed five minutes ago. Strangely, I don’t even argue anymore. After three cancellations, the overpriced auto has somehow become the cheaper option. The funniest part is how quickly my standards collapse. A ride I would’ve called daylight robbery at 9:00 becomes a festival discount by 9:20.
Every morning I conduct a small research project before leaving the house. I check Uber . I check Rapido . I check Ola . Then, just to stay humble, I ask an auto parked outside. The apps confidently promise me a ride for ₹98. I feel victorious for exactly twelve seconds. A driver accepts, I pick up my bag, lock the door, and watch the booking disappear before I’ve even reached the gate.
I give up and walk towards the autos waiting on the roadside. The driver quotes almost double what the app showed five minutes ago. Strangely, I don’t even argue anymore. After three cancellations, the overpriced auto has somehow become the cheaper option. The funniest part is how quickly my standards collapse. A ride I would’ve called daylight robbery at 9:00 becomes a festival discount by 9:20.
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