Let's start off with a bit of a confession. Rather, I will make the confession and I am sure that most of you reading this (and working) will have had this question once ( or for the unfortunate ones, many times!)...
The question would be...
Did I make the right career choice?
I like to think at times that I have, but there are times when I look at other options around. And constantly, and consistently, my mind zooms in on this potential, rewarding, low risk, high gain career option;
The "Ricksha Wala" aka "Auto Driver"
I am not kidding. Lets gets serious about this;
Auto rickshas are one of the most common sights in India, and in many of the south asian countries. "Tuk Tuk" is another word for it. The Tuk Tuk is an extraordinary vehicle, and its handling and maneuvering qualities are second to none. I cannot count the times that I have admired the ability of the Tuk Tukto maneuver itself through open roads and traffic alike, like it were outrunning a GPS enabled missile. The great turn radius of the front wheel allowing it to fit in gaps between vehicles, which you wouldn't dare to think, existed while in your four-wheelers.
But what are the career prospects, you ask?
Since you don’t know, let me break it down for you.
First, you get to ride a vehicle. Most people in the initial days of their career cannot afford this luxury. The choice of the vehicle is completely yours. You can choose from luxurious, wheel steered high-five diesel autos to the normal handle steered petrol autos. Oh, and the choice of the engine: the loud 2 stroke, or the quiet 4 stroke! Also, these days, you get these green topped Eco-friendly autos which are a little smaller than the usual ones, nice!
Next, YOU GET TO BE YOUR OWN BOSS. This job unlike the ones in IT/software sectors doesn't come with a always-the-bad-imaged boss. The boss can't force you to work extra, can't subject you to humiliation for not being able to work extra and can't use you as a sink for his “the wife-at-home problem” . Your education qualification doesn't matter either. Even if you hang up your degree certificates inside the auto, the fact still remains the same.
Your own boss auto
In the good old days of Tuk Tuk-ing (yes, that is a word I just made up), making money was quite easy. Each Tuk Tuk comes with its own meter for calculating fares. In the olden days, this meter was a mechanical, any-time-break-down, every-time-run-fast device. It could be tampered to extraordinary lengths. From small increments to the amount to making it go 0-100 faster than a superbike could was possible.
How to do it? Remove a particular screw, tamper it, and use your hand to keep the 'meter' increasing.
For troubleshooting, you get free expert advice from your colleague in the nearby 'auto-stand'.
Alas, these days, the digital revolution has taken over.
Maybe there is a way... hmm.
Lets get to some of the extra fun options this career choice can potentially offer:
If you are a fan of racing and like the sound of F1 and MotoGP, you can do the same with your Tuk Tuk. You can always add kerosene to petrol. Experimenting with different ratios for gives varying the tunes/frequencies and for the modern 3-D racing-game like 'smoke-effect'. Smoke color can be changed from pure white to dark black with the same technique. Never mind that the smoke can cause someone behind you to black out from the fumes.
If you are a fan of racing bikes and stuff, you can get to do that too! Try out the 'sitting-on-edge-of-the-seat-while-driving' to impress passengers with that 'MotoGP-like-turning' effect. Hang our head out a little when taking turns to imitate the latest styles the kids are doing on the race track these days.
Customization options of your Tuk Tuk are unlimited. Here are a few examples below:
Low Rider Tuk Tuk
Helicoptor Tuk Tuk
From stickers, to tying trees on your vehicle and decking it with flowers on special occasions there is a whole variety of options out there. Your customization is only limited by your ideas. For pro tips, play Need for Speed Underground a few times to learn of the potential for customization.
You get to see all parts of the city on your job. You will become a better service than google maps. In case of an accident on the road, you get to fight on the side of your choice. Sometimes if lucky, you may even end up hitting a shot or two to the opposite guy. The opportunity to flex and stretch your muscles is quite many.
A few years back, there was this 'poom-pom' horn which you had to squeeze with your hand. If that gave you a pleasant feeling, you can still prefer that over the electronic one (I don't see the fun in pressing buttons).
Also, the back seat is a nice and comfy place to catch a good sleep when there is no work, and all your friends can hang out in the back, just like old times.
Now, nostalgia is really getting me convinced.
If you liked this post, please upvote, resteem and comment. If you liked the humor, tell me in the comments below what other career choices you would have wanted to do. Cheers!
Image sources: Pinterest + Photoshop
