A Reddit post by a Bengaluru man has gone viral after he shared a troubling experience during his daily commute in an auto-rickshaw. What was supposed to be a routine 10-minute ride turned into a frustrating ordeal, as the driver couldn’t keep his hands or eyes off his phone throughout the journey.
(Also read: 'Namma Bengaluru': Outsider praises Bengaluru after auto driver returns lost keys without expecting money)
The post, titled “Can’t they keep their phones down while driving?”, has struck a chord with many users who face similar concerns on city roads.
Slowing down for Instagram mid-ride
According to the user, he had booked an auto for a short ride to his office, hoping to reach within 20 minutes for an important call. “The office is usually just a 10-minute ride from my place, so I figured I’d make it comfortably on time,” he wrote.
But things quickly went south. “As soon as I got into the auto, the driver briefly glanced at the map and then minimised it. I assumed he was familiar with the route,” the post read. “But to my surprise, he immediately opened Instagram and started scrolling—while driving with one hand.”
The situation worsened when the driver came across a post by actor Sreeleela. “He actually slowed down the auto right in the middle of the main road to open her profile and scroll through her feed,” the user added. “I was furious and felt completely helpless.”
{{/usCountry}}The situation worsened when the driver came across a post by actor Sreeleela. “He actually slowed down the auto right in the middle of the main road to open her profile and scroll through her feed,” the user added. “I was furious and felt completely helpless.”
{{/usCountry}}Check out the post here:
Online reactions
The post drew several reactions, with users sharing their own frustrations and echoing the sentiment.
“That sounds so frustrating! Slowing down in the middle of the road to check out a celebrity’s profile is just reckless,” one user commented. Another added, “Man, I’ve seen many auto walas slow down and pull over suddenly, and I notice they’re always looking at their phone.”
Others questioned the passenger’s reaction, with one asking, “Why did you feel helpless? Did you ask him to hurry and tell him you had someplace to be early or not?”
Several users also pointed out that the issue extends beyond autos. “It’s also a problem with guys on scootys as well,” one noted, while another remarked, “Almost every single driver I have seen on the road is on their phone. It is only the heavy traffic that is preventing too many accidents.”
One commenter suggested stricter measures: “Shouldn’t the auto drivers be on flight mode?”