My sister and I got into a taxi from Dadar station on 28th November around 11 PM. Apart from the taxi driver (TD1), another guy (TD2) sat on the front seat, to which we didn not pay much attention then. Here is a quick account of what followed:
TD1 : “Sir, can you please give change of 1000. I need to pay 500 bucks to some random guy here”.
Me: “I don’t trust 1000 notes, sorry.”
TD2: “We will get you change later on, don’t worry. Please give us change now”
Me: “In that case, take this 500 note and return me later.”
TD1: “No sir, give me two 500 notes, I will return you later.”
Me: “How does it matter, I trust you, you can give me my 500 back later.”
TD1: “Sir this 500 note is torn, this won’t work”
Me: “Ok, take this one.”
TD1: “You have given me 100 note, I needed 500.”
Me: “How is it possible? I gave you 500!”
TD1: “No Sir, see this, you gave me 100 instead of 500.”
Luckily for me, I had settled some transactions just about an hour back so I knew for sure that I had two 500 notes in my wallet. I thought through again and figured that there is something wrong here.
Me: “Sir, I have you 500 note. You replaced it with a 100 note.”
TD1, taken completely aback: “What are you saying Sir, you gave me 100, I showed you also!”
Me: “Its your bad luck, I know for sure that I had two 500 notes, you have swapped the notes.”
TD2: “No Sir, you gave 100 only, you are mistaken.”
Me: “No problem, lets go to a police station, we will figure it out there.”
After 4-5 minutes of fighting, turning taxi around, and me not giving up on my stand, the guys came up with a bright idea.
TD2: “Sir, please search your wallet again. The note might be there. Or it might have fallen down.”
Me: “Fine, stop the car near the street lamp, I will check.”
Promptly the car was stopped, and there it was, lying by the side of my feet, my precious 500 note. I was so embarrassed.
TD2: “What Sir, you would have sent us to jail. You have no trust. What do you think we are thieves?”
Me: “I am sorry! My mistake.”
TD1: “No, what mistake! You are careless and then you blame us.
Me: “I am really sorry. But such stories are very common, many people get cheated in Mumbai like this. Its not your fault, my mistake, sorry.”
TD2: “There are terrorists in Mumbai also, does that mean I am terrorist too?” We will not take you anywhere. Please take another taxi.”
My sister: “We are very sorry. We will go with you only. Please take us.”
TD2: “No way, halfway through you will frame us for murder!!”
I was sensing something wrong here and anyway got fed up of the guys incessant ranting, so I just got out of the taxi, banged the door and we shifted to another taxi. There were two policemen also standing right there.
Just as we left from there, I realized my stupidity. The thing was that my wallet did not have any 100 note for sure. So there was no way I could have had two 500 notes and a 100 note in my wallet (which was the case right now)!
The TD1 guy had swapped my 500 note for a 100 note. But when I threatened of police and all, they got frightened. The TD2 guy had slipped a 500 note in the dark near my feet (Mumbai yellow taxi, there is gap between the front seat and side of the car). So basically I got both by 500’s back besides the 100 note extra which the TD1 guy had swapped. Net net, I got 100 bucks instead of losing 400!
Afterthoughts:
- Explains why two people were sitting, more the people, more strong is your argument. Plus, damage control (like in my case) is easy.
- Explains the insistence on asking two 500 notes, its very difficult to pull off the same trick when asking only for one 500 note
- Explains the torn note. TD1 tore it so that he can ask for another one. They were desperate to make their 400 bucks.
- Explains why they refused to take me. They were scared, plus they might have thought that I will figure the whole thing out soon.
- I wish I been a little smarter and figured this earlier, at least I would have left on a “you bast***” note rather than “Sorry” note!
10 comments:
i will say you managed the situation quite well, interesting incidence for other to learn.....
Didnt he tear one of ure 500 rupee notes? In that case uve effectively lost one of those notes right?
@ Deepak: That was the idea, so that people are aware such things happen. Although, I don't think my blog would have readers in double digit :P
@ Pranay: He tore it only a little, its already back in the big bad world. He could not have pulled it off if he tore it completely.
Interesting to say the least. Similar thing was told by Hari also - about Bangalore Rikshawallas. Apparently it was a trick of hand where that Rikshawalla changed notes and hid them in the sleeves.
Though I think you are still a bit too angry about it. Two weeks have passed since the actual incident and one from your grumpy narrating. You made a fortune of 100 bucks, more guys learnt to be skeptic. Let the good part remain good. Let go. Please make sure you don't take it against other taxi-drivers (Like Hari was doing to Rikshawallas).
And thanks for making me skeptic.
Cheers,
@ Kartik:
I am not, I wrote this so that more people get aware. I wanted to write it that day only, but didn't get time. So I thought lets go back in time, get back in the angry mode, and then write it :)
Its not easy to win in such incidences. It can only be handled. Just a thought, talk about politics to them or how bad the government is. That is definitely a win-win situation :D
Read ur blog.. u know when I was in Mumbai, I took a cab from Dadar station and when I reached my destination (night time), the guy said that pay me 170, my meter isn't right etc etc.. It should have costed 100 bucks only. Then when I paid him with a 100 rupee note, he says ki ur note is torn. I thought maybe my wallet had a torn note. I replaced the note and then as I was leaving back, he again says innocently - arey sir, yeh bhi fata hua hai, note toh sahi do. I saw both the notes ki same style mein they are torn! I said to him - Please keep this note only. You have torn it. (Luckily, he had to keep the second torn note which he had torn even more than the first one :) )
Hey man it grt way to handle such incident ..good going, in mumbai i also faced a incident like this
This 'gimme a 500 rupee note' is a regular trick in Mumbai cabs these days, more so on Southies and non-hindi speaking junta. Tearing the notes themselves and related ruses are even more rampant. I was on the 400 losing side once. It was an early morning - i was half sleepy and didnt know how many notes and what notes i had myself and was travelling alone (sure fire victim attributes) - chanced upon your blog and Glad that you have blogged it so well - Put it on a more attention gathering platform (facebook or something) - junta has to be aware of this - Malar
This 'gimme a 500 rupee note' is a regular trick in Mumbai cabs these days, more so on Southies and non-hindi speaking junta. Tearing the notes themselves and related ruses are even more rampant. I was on the 400 losing side once. It was an early morning - i was half sleepy and didnt know how many notes and what notes i had myself and was travelling alone (sure fire victim attributes) - chanced upon your blog and Glad that you have blogged it so well - Put it on a more attention gathering platform (facebook or something) - junta has to be aware of this - Malar
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