Autos in chennai and other places

I read a post about Chennai autos. I am moved to add my two bits worth to the serious issue of condemning Chennai autodrivers. The only other place comparable for auto-athiyachar is Coimbatore.
They not only overcharge you terribly, but are rude to boot.
When my son as a toddler, an auto I hailed asked for more-than-usual extortionist fare. I protested..he replies " Edhukku niruththinema?" "then why did you stop me?"
If you are carrying a large load of shopping bags, or have a little child, they are more extortionate.
Last summer, one auto driver charged me 100Rs to go to Annanagar HP service centre. I protested, but he told me it's so hot. I said,well it's hot for me too. He says you sit in AC office so you can pay. That really made me furious. I am going to a service centre to get my laptop repaired and getting back to a very much non AC place. In any case, where's the logic?
A few years ago, when my daughter was a young girl, we were going by an auto, I just wanted to stop and let her get down on the other side of the road with a quick U turn at aproper signal...
The auto driver had the cheek to say " ennamma unnoda thollaiapochu" meaning..you are a big nuisance....
By chance, a few meters ahead, by a strange quirk, the ignition key just fell off from the auto. He was forced to stop and retrace searching for the key. I just let him have it...never enjoyed ticking off someone so much.
Of late, there is a slight improvement...not much though.
Nowhere else have I seen such unreasonable auto drivers as in Madras.
Here, where I live, they may ask for 5 Rs extra when the traffic is bad, or if you are going to a place where they dont get return passengers, but nothing like charging 100% extra as in Madras. Secondly, here if you dont want to pay, they are polite to you...they just go off...in Chennai, you get a lecture on the miserliness of people...or how people will buy stuff for 1000 rupees but not pay a poor auto driver 50 Rs (for 2 km)....
Here, I have had nice chats with auto drivers....one asked my opinion on whether he did right in not forcing his son and daughter to do engineering, but study for a BA social service instead. I heartily congratulated him...specially since his children were both working for Helpage.
One auto driver asked me for financial advice......my children laughed the whole evening.