[ranjitkodali]

I work for a Indian unit of multi-national based out of Silicon valley. The cab services are well maintained. All the cabs are air-conditioned. The drivers have to adhere to the rules. Rash driving and non-compliance to rules is taken seriously by the transport desk. The firm advocates use of company cabs as this results in less pollutions and less traffic.

Drivers are penalized for not wearing seat belts, uniforms, stopping or parking in non-designated areas, use of cell phones while driving etc.

I hope all companies can adhere to such guidelines to promote road safety and awareness.

I think... I am expecting too much as most of the babus are still Indian.. who may be literate but uneducated

[rock18]

Looks like our company is doing all of us, a great favor by stopping the cab services for employees..We are left on our own to come to the office. I work from 16:30 to 1:30am and use my own vehicle. Company stopped providing cab.(cost cutting :-(

I can proudly say that our company does not sponsor any of these maniac drivers(pun intended).

On a serious note, Employees sitting in the cab should ask the driver to drive properly. when i used to come in the cab,I strictly instruct the driver not to use mobile phone while driving and also will advise them to buy handsfree for mobile..its available for 50rs in market.

Daily while coming at 1:30am from office, I can see taveras and sumos racing with each other..add indicas to that;its very sad to see employees sititng quietly saying nothing..

[Ranjan Sharma]

Originally Posted by rock18

On a serious note, Employees sitting in the cab should ask the driver to drive properly. when i used to come in the cab,I strictly instruct the driver not to use mobile phone while driving

You kidding me. I stopped using cab because these guys are way to arrogant. They come to pick you up at whatever time they wish. You got to call them back instantly after a missed call otherwise they won't pick you up. Tehse guys want to reach the office ASAP so that they can get another pick-up or chit-chat with their friend, and ultimately you will end up reaching office an hour before intended.

They play loud kannada songs on really cheap speakers. When you ask them not to do so they give weird looks and tend to pretend that they don't understand any other languages than kannada. I once had quite an argument when I was getting a call and this guy was not ready to reduce the volume.

To save myself from the torture I started bringing my own headphones to listen music of my own choice, but their music pierces the headphones and you end up listening 2 different songs at the same time.

One of the driver even told my colleague that they don't like these outsiders because they come and eat their job and they end up driving cabs I know that was over-estimating one self, but that's how they are.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by Ranjan Sharma

They come to pick you up at whatever time they wish.

I was getting a call and this guy was not ready to reduce the volume.

These need to be escalated to the transport dept first and if no action happens, then to the HR department.

I would be surprised if the HR does not act on such complaints by multiple employees, as a positive workplace is HR's area of concern.

[Ranjan Sharma]

Originally Posted by sbraj

These need to be escalated to the transport dept first and if no action happens, then to the HR department.

I would be surprised if the HR does not act on such complaints by multiple employees, as a positive workplace is HR's area of concern.

This no more happens in the cost cutting zamana bro..

Say this to an Hp employee and they will quote it in the "official joke thread".

[tharian]

Restarting this thread to share an experience I had this morning with a IBM cab.

I work in GR Tech Park on Whitefield road and was heading back home on my Bullet. I normally leave work ten minutes earlier so I avoid the BPO cab traffic which leaves together at the same from all the offices in the area.

Unfortunately today, I left sharp at 7 am and encountered traffice as soon as I reached Hoodi signal. I have been riding/driving to work at E-city and Whitefield for many years now and yes this is not the first encounter with one of these heros. I normally keep to the left lane when I am riding and it was the same this morning when this Sumo pulls out from the right lane, when I am almost parallel to him, so he could overtake a truck in front of him. I blast my horn, (which is quite loud)and the cab at first moves away . But in a second he is back pushing me to the kerb when he realized it was just a two wheeler. I jam the brakes to avoid hiiting the kerb or the cab and miss locking up since I was on the dirt on the edge of the road.

Next I overtake this guy and looked at him and pointed in the typical Bangalore -what the hell are you doing style. Which is all 5 fingers pointing at him. I should have shown him the finger instead. What he does next was un-thinkable! He just cuts left and side swipes me which made me loose balance and almost fall. For a second or two I was actually leaning on the Sumo. I lost it by now and overtook him and made him stop by parking my bike in front of his Sumo.

He jumped out and I got down and asked him what the hell was he thinking and he starts his nonsense argument. I realized there is no point in talking and go to the IBM employee in the cab and asked him which location the cab was from and he decides to keep mum!
By now the driver was threatening me saying he will push my bike off the road etc and I warned him not to touch my bike. By now, there is a huge jam behind and most of them were cabs, so I basically could not say much since these guys will support each other and change the story to favour them even if one of them runs over a biker or pedestrian.

I get back on the bike and rode a km and waited for him. He passed me and I followed him for few kms so I could make sure of the registration and complain. Smartly, he does not have the rash driving complaint sticker on his windows which I am sure is not there on purpose. I get the number off another IBM cab and get home and call to complain.

Give them the number and the lady on the line says it is not a IBM cab. I told her it is very much one and the driver himself said so. She gives it to another person and he says there are multiple locations in Whitefield and they need the route number which I did not remember, but had noticed. I hang up saying I will look for other ways.

I have a friend who worked in IBM for quite sometime and checked with him for numbers. His first reaction was, there is no point and to forget the episode although he said he will get the number to complain.

Supposedly IBM's cab service has the worst drivers who are uneducated and from rural areas. And their Transport Department is even pathetic and they have internal issues for which the cops were called often to settle. Therefore I am not surprised on how their drivers behave on road.

The cab was not a Bangalore one as well. The registration is KA 16 A 2816. I know there is no use even if I complain in this case as I wouldnt have a clue on what action was taken on the driver. In fact I am sure, If I complain to BTP(Blore Traffic Police), there would be a better response.

This is not my first encounter with a cabbie and actually havent had one for a long while since I keep away when I see one and I am glad my bike or me were not damaged this time around.
I had the anger to fist him with my carbon fibre knuckled riding gloves. But then, what difference would that make me from him, being a educated and civilized member of the society and a Bhpian.

[chandrda]

Originally Posted by tharian

Restarting this thread to share an experience I had this morning with a IBM cab.

I had the anger to fist him with my carbon fibre knuckled riding gloves. But then, what difference would that make me from him , being a educated and civilized member of the society and a Bhpian.

Its a unfortunate incident and there could have been serious injuries. I have first hand experience in handling these Cabs as I used to control a large fleet directly in my company. (Though it was not my responsibility)

It is run like a cartel, be it be Infant, SRS or Baghavathi Travels. Every month traffic police, RTO, BBMP and others get their share of bounty and no one raises their voice. So these cab drivers think they are above everyone and cut lanes, drive in one way, jump signals, over speed and what not. No Action will be taken against as the operator will get them out in no time.

Good you dint get into a fight, these cab driver are rowdy themselves or are brother, cousins or followers of some rowdys. Though there are good drivers also. Its just not worth it.

Regards

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by tharian

The registration is KA 16 A 2816. In fact I am sure, If I complain to BTP(Blore Traffic Police), there would be a better response.

Since you have noted the regn. no. file a complaint (attempted hit and run) at the police station where this incident occurred. You could also write about this on the BTP page on fb.

Originally Posted by tharian

I had the anger to fist him with my carbon fibre knuckled riding gloves. But then, what difference would that make me from him, being a educated and civilized member of the society and a Bhpian.

+1. Good that you took the wise decision to play it cool and not get violent. If you had hit him, the other drivers would have joined in and beaten you up and/or even lodged a case of assault against you.

I wonder why the employees in the cab keep mum. That only supports and encourages such behavior.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by chandrda

Good you dint get into a fight, these cab driver are rowdy themselves or are brother, cousins or followers of some rowdys. Though there are good drivers also. Its just not worth it. Regards

This is exactly what my friend who worked in IBM told me as well and it is better to move on and leave it as a bad memory.
Yes, there a some very good drivers as well. Both in their driving and mentality. There was this one time a cab driver stopped and got me a bottle of water when my bike skidded and I fell off , past midnight. But they are so very hard to find.

Also have to mention that the Infosys transport is much better managed to handle complaints. Few years back when I was travelling to E-city in morning peak traffic, one of their bus bumped me from behind, I was on my bike again. Since it was a signal and traffic was high, I did not stop.

I went straight to the Infy bus depot and spoke to a Traffic Inspector who in turn informed the Transport Supervisor who was at the main gate. They instantly call the bus driver and his vendor and asks them to come to the main gate and explains the matter. Since there was no damage to the bike, the bus driver was asked to apologize and be careful henceforth.
That is a closure which we look for in these cases which I know will never happen .

Originally Posted by n_aditya

Since you have noted the regn. no. file a complaint (attempted hit and run) at the police station where this incident occurred. You could also write about this on the BTP page on fb.


I wonder why the employees in the cab keep mum. That only supports and encourages such behavior.

I actually left the scene and rode towards the Police Station next to Phoneix mall hoping I will see a traffic cop on the road, but it was too early for them I guess.

Yes, I will put this up on Fb, although most of the posts there go un-seen.
Since there are no scars on the bike or me to remember this, I can forget it soon and hope me or other people on the road don't experience the same.

I guess the employee was half asleep or in shock and did not know how to react when I asked him. He was on the side the cab hit me, so he would have had a good view of what happened and probably was freaked out and moreover he will need to travel in the same cab again tomorrow and it would be uncomfortable for him sitting next to the same driver if at all he had answered my questions.

[mpksuhas]

The real issue is lack of skilled/ sensible drivers available. Our company has a fleet of mini- buses which is operated by a big travel agency here in Bangalore. The buses are driven my a bunch of morons who who indulge in speed racing between each other. Yesterday that almost caused a crash between two of our buses when the one in front stopped at traffic signal. Our HR says he is helpless since they can get the driver changed but not the moronic manners. Seems the operators have a pool of drivers and they keep rotating them.
The drivers change job often and operator who is always in short supply of drivers turns a blind eye to all the complaints unless driver is causing any financial loss.

[PM - B]

n_aditya

I am not sure any good will come out of trying to file a complaint.
~ month and a half ago, a friend of mine was coming out of the Manyata Tech Park office of IBM at 9.30 PM. He was following his lady colleagues in his car as it was late.

He notices a car coming at high speed and for some reason he moves out of the lane in to the right. The car (turns out to be a cab) continues to come in at speed and hits the car in which the lady colleagues are driving.
This results in the enitre hatch(door) being damaged, thankfully nobody is injured.

By now my friend has stopped and on asking why the cab hit the car, the cabbie states that the car ahead braked hard and they were moving slowly.

Short end of the story, it turns ugly, my friend insists on filing a police complaint.
With a lot of abuses (By now other cab drivers have assembled) and threats everybody proceeds to the corresponding police station.

The SI there reports that he gets at least 20 complaints a day of this kind and he is fed up with these guys.
My friend insists for a FIR, the SI dissuades him from filing a complaint (There are at least a couple of reasons for this).
By now the fleet owner has reached there and he starts abusing the friend and how nothing will come out of it and how well he is connected and how powerful he is and it goes on ALL OF THIS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SI. Who is keeping QUIET.

Now the friend has a contact in the DGs office and he calls him, who calls the SI and asks him to comply.
To cut a long story short, because of the call from the DGs office the SI finally files an FIR. Turns out that the cab driver did not even have a license to drive.

Now how many of us have contacts, how many of us in the face of complete adversity will go and fight to get a complaint registered and follow through.

As shared by chandrda above, the fleet owner would have greased the palms of the RTO, COPs and all related sundry.

This unfortunately is the story of our people and they take pride in being the way they are, they will identify/create loopholes to get away with anything. I do not see any change anytime on this topic.

As stated earlier the travel desk is again managed by the cab company representative and not from the entity that it has been aligned to. So the numbers that are stuck on the glass are almost useless.

[n_aditya]

Originally Posted by PM - B

I am not sure any good will come out of trying to file a complaint. ~ month and a half ago, a friend of mine was coming out of the Manyata Tech Park office of IBM at 9.30 PM. He was following his lady colleagues in his car as it was late.

Sad state of affairs. Why does IBM hire such goons to transport their staff? Are they not concerned about the safety of their employees?

[speedmiester]

I think the company hiring these cabs should be held responsible for the cab driver's behaviour.

Only when things get tightened at the bread earning end, will these operators sit up and take notice. Almost 80% of the cabs plying on the roads will not be having proper set of documents, may it be valid insurance, PUC certificate or driver's license.

I have personally complained to my transport admin about the rash driving of my cab's driver. He was immediately replaced and the new driver is a far better driver. So it is up to the employee who avail cab services to ensure that their cab driver drive safe and follow traffic rules.

The thread title says it all, that IBM has contracted the worst cab operator. Hope someone working in IBM point this thread to their higher ups and get this issue under control.

[invincible7]

The problem is no one wants to actually curb the issue by finding a solution to the problem. Drivers are like this but then they should be trained how to drive and behave and I believe its the responsibility of the organization who employs such vendors to make them their foremost point to get their drivers trained on road behaviors.

I am sure its not difficult to organize such events for the drivers, but yes there has to be an intent of doing this which is where the organizations lack.

More so I think on similar lines I think similar trainings should be imparted to the auto walas and bus walas from the respective state transports and these should not be one tmie trainings but something which has to be done over regular periods.

Its a slow process but I am sure it will help for sure.

[PM - B]

invincible7

This has nothing to do with training. But all to do with what one can get away with.

Unfortunately, "laatho ken booth, baton se nahi mante". This will never happen, ie they will never get to pay for their misdeeds.
They will getaway everytime. So there will be no change.
Till the Police that is protecting them & companies hiring them are not held accountable, That is why.