One of the visible signs of the cheapness of labor here are the rickshaws, three wheeled bicycles which are used as taxis. The cycles have no gears to help the drivers, and the drivers themselves (who are also the engines) usually look thin and malnurished.

Dolly and I have only taken these twice, both at times when we couldn't find an auto. The rickshaws are popular because they are cheaper than autos, but it is hard to watch the poor driver struggle to keep the vehicle moving. Both times we got off before we reached our destination, and gave the driver something extra - the first times in rupees, and the second time in chicken curry.

The emotonal reaction to watching the drivers work is strong, but I often wonder how appropriate it is, and if the right reaction is to not use their services.

When passing by the corners where the drivers wait for passenegers, they are often actively hustling for fares. This is how they earn money, and for them it seems that having a customer is better than not having a customer - if the opposite was true they would just quit their jobs. The prices are low, usually around 30rps for the 4-5 km we are usually travelling. That will buy 10 eggs, a kg of flour, 2 kg of dal, 1-3kg of vegetables, or a half-dozen samosas, so its a small amount, but easily covers the calories they burn (not that that should be the standard for compensation). It is also fairly good compared to the gov't jobs program NREGA which pays 100rps for day of manual labor, or at least is supposed to (there is corruption and inefficiency in the system). Although that is rural work, where things are often cheaper. Additionally, the rickshaws are zero pollution vehicles, and the autos are high pollution vehicles.

Anyway, right now the sight of these drivers pulling their loads is too much for us to be part of, although I will be wondering if we're being more cruel by walking by the waiting rickshaw drivers to hop into an auto.