Meter Down Economics

I was as usual stuck in the auto rickshaw 2 minutes away from office but the traffic was moving as though it would take me 15 minutes to get to work. Ironically these were two conversations I had at the same location, once in an auto rickshaw and the next time in a cab. As usual I quipped in an irritated and anxiety ridden tone – “What goddamn traffic this is!”. The first time I did that, this old auto rickshaw driver turned around and said “Sir, do you know why there is this problem?”. I wondered obviously this is because there are all these vehicles there, the digging of roads, Andheri is now a central hub for business blah blah blah. He said “This is because of the schemes all these banks are offering. They are giving all these great loans that everyone can now afford a vehicle. For a mere 1000 odd rupees a month I can own my own vehicle.” He continued to drive the rickshaw nonchalantly towards my office after saying that. I was taken aback for a while not expecting that response. Went to office with what he said in my head. It was more like Freakonomics that I was reading all this while except this driver wasn’t a Ph.D. The root of the problem like he said was elsewhere.

Next time again at the same location same situation, the taxi driver gave me the same reason. He then went on to say “Sir, why does the Government allow cars to everyone. People sit alone in their huge SUVs and Sedans and use so much of space on the road. Maybe they shouldn’t allow households with less than three people to own cars. They should be given two wheelers. Also like they do rationing on gas cylinders, they should do the same with cars. One household can own one or two cars maximum provided there are more than two people in the household. That way there will be less traffic on the roads.” I was amazed at the thought process. All I could do was listen, and take back my learnings share it on this blog.

Meter Down Economics I called it, I paid for the ride and for the economic insight. Conversations that I have had with these two drivers regarding why traffic jams occur in Mumbai and how to solve them led me to believe that economics is not sole property of the educated. The uneducated also have their 2 pence to contribute provided there is a ear to hear them.