Tuesday, October 18, 2005

The B.E.S.T. of Mumbai…

It is one of the lifelines of Mumbai. The B.E.S.T. network is highly efficient and connects almost all the remote places in Mumbai. If you have lived in Worli or any South Mumbai places that are disconnected from the local train network, all 25 years of your life, only then can you fight for the case of B.E.S.T. buses vis-à-vis Mumbai’s other lifeline: the Local Trains.

Apart from the highly positive aspects, there are a few things that still irk me when I’m traveling on the road. So I thought I’d list a few of the inherent birth rights our dear BEST Conductors and Drivers tend to exercise:

  • The Right to own the road
  • The Right to cut the lanes as per their whims and fancies
  • The Right to drive in the middle of a narrow road with 2 lanes so that the vehicles behind can never overtake them and clog up traffic behind
  • The Right to give the auto-rickshaw guys a fright every time they come near the bus
  • The Right to necessarily overtake you from the right side
  • The Right to tell you that if you have a crash with them it is but obviously your fault
  • The Right to bully smaller vehicle owners
  • The Right to drive fast and screech during the night time
  • The Right to get the bus started before the last person has alighted from the bus
  • The Right to have no change whenever the passenger asks for one
  • The Right to curse the passengers for keeping no change with them
  • The Right to ignore passengers who do not render exact change
  • The Right to halt the bus either before or ahead of the bus-stop
  • The Right to decide not to halt the bus at a bus–stop whether the bus is crowded or not
  • The Right to dissuade the passengers from getting into the bus by telling them that another bus is coming from behind (90% of the times that bus is also equally crowded)
  • The Right to strike the bell just in time so that a passenger who has been running like mad to catch the bus, misses it; knowing well that there won’t be the same number bus coming for another half hour
  • The Right to fling away the ticket holding metal box such that it hits the passenger on the seat to which the conductor is leaning onto
  • The Right to drive as slow as possible during peak hours
  • The Right to pay no heed to passenger complaints

Got any more?

P.S: Most of the times my experience has been good, but these are a few things you tend to come across once in a day :-)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Running like mad" - hehe !! Liked the last few the B.E.S.T. Spot on.

Anonymous said...

The Right to break lights and get away without paying the fine.

They get on my nerves....!!!!

Sheks said...

good one.it's the same story out here in chennai.buses spewing smoke,vying with electric trains,desperate attempts to beat the green signal b4 it turns red etc.hell of a life out here.

BTW i'm shekar.came here thru desipundit.

Minal said...

@Anshul: :-)

@Sakshi: Will add that one;-)

@Shekar: I actually forgot to ask what's the story in Delhi, Kolkatta, Blore, Chennai. Not much difference:-)
Btw could not help notice, maddy fan are you?

Kaps said...

Minal,

Blogrolling.com seems to be down.....and as a result of this, all our links are not being displayed. I'm also facing this problem.

Minal said...

Hey Kaps,

Thanks, I was wondering if only I was facing this problem. Looks like things are restored hopefully!

Janaki said...

Hey minal.. but seeing buses in delhi am missing mumbai BEST tremendously. they are still reasonably safe, well connected and clean....

Minal said...

@Jaygee: I've not experienced Delhi buses but been to Blore, Mlore, Pune and seriously Mumbai's public transport rules! From what I hear I'm sure BEST is more safer:-)