Canceling Vehicle Hypothecation

The information given below is specific to RTOs in Bangalore. My RTO is in Yeshwanthpura.

I cleared my vehicle (car) loan of three years and had to cancel the hypothecation in the RC (Registration Certificate) book. Since I was “free”, I took the responsibility of getting this work done by myself. Below is the actual procedure, followed at Yeshwanthpura RTO.

Required Documents:
1. Original RC book
2. Original Cover Letter from the Finance Institution
3. Original Form-35 (2 Nos.) given by the finance institute
Note: The address of the finance institution in these forms should match the address in the RC book. RTO will not accept the application if there is a mismatch in the address. Call your finance institution and get this matter resolved if you do not want to waste time at the RTO.
4. Copies of Vehicle Insurance and Emission Certificate (Bring originals for verification)
5. Fees (Since the RTO is issuing smart card, you need to pay for it as well)
6. Envelope (available at stalls near RTOs) and stamps from the post office worth INR 12 (the RC book / smart card will be sent to your residence)
7. File cover (available at stalls near RTOs)

Procedure:
1. Fill in the required details in the form - 35.
2. Paste the stamps on the envelope and write the address where you wish to receive your RC book / smart card.
3. Arrange the documents as per the order given in the required documents.
4. Mark the insurance expiry date in the photocopy of your vehicle insurance.
5. Enclose the documents in the file cover.
6. Visit your respective RTO office and hand over the file to the concerned supervisor responsible for your vehicle registration number. (The supervisor will be responsible for vehicle numbers for some range. Ex: registration number from 0 to 5000.)
7. The supervisor verifies the documents and gives you further instructions on the fees. (Be ready to be treated like trash.)
8. After the verification, take the file to data entry counter.
9. Thereafter go pay the fees (which will be written by the supervisor on the submitted documents. Do not be surprised if the fee is rounded off to the nearest hundred. Actual fee is INR 100 hypothecation + INR 147 smart card, but I was asked to pay 300).
10. Attach the fee receipt in the file.
11. Hand the file over to the clerk who issues an acknowledgment for receiving the documents.

As per the clerk, the smart card should reach you within 15 days.
Be proud of yourself for not going to an agent who usually charges INR 1000 for the same job. Flip side is the arrogance you have to endure from the personnel at the RTO.

The Cobra - Frederick Forsyth

The master storyteller’s eagerly awaited latest book, "The Cobra", has all the elements for a successful Forsyth novel. The plot is humongous, the characters are plenty, and the story unfolds in different continents. The plot involves the US SEALS, the British SAS, the premiers of these two nations, the CIA, the DEA, the FBI, and various other governments and their agencies. There is also a mention of Karnataka and Goa states from the Indian sub-continent. Forsyth has brought in two of his main characters from "The Avenger", Paul Devereaux and Cal Dexter. The duo (though they weren't best of pals in The Avenger) team up in this novel to end the multi-billion dollar cocaine industry.

The story begins with the death of a young teenager, due to drug abuse, in a slum (yes, you read it right, it is a slum) in Washington D.C. The death starts a chain of events, which supposedly should culminate in the end of the drug mafia. The destruction of the cocaine industry and thereby other drugs is the crux of the novel. The message on drugs from Forsyth is loud and clear. I will quote his exact words "That is what drug abuse does to a young mind. It destroys it". So simple, yet so striking. The lead duo plans and executes an operation, which ultimately destabilizes the mafia.

The story is gripping from the word go. The narrative is swift, except at a few places where the author takes time to describe the environment. There are no emotions involved, just plain "facts". You would love to hate the ruthlessness with which the mafia deals with their "betrayers". There is no chasing amongst the characters, no personal adventures and hardly any individual contributions. The story only deals with the system and the characters are just part of the scheme of things.

The climax to such a magnum opus plot is dull. Just like in "The Afghan”, the ending to the story is pretty lame and doesn't meet the build-up created by the entire plot. It even has a nasty twist for which there is no reasonable explanation. You wonder why would a reptile turn turtle (no, it is not the correct usage of the idiom, but you will understand when you read the novel).

Overall, it is a good book to read and definitely one to add to your personal library. Go grab the book if you haven't done so already.

My "Inception" ;-)

I woke up even before the alarm went off (this is a surprise even to me since I usually snooze the alarm and wake up only when it goes off the second time). I got ready and stepped out of my house to catch the bus to my workplace. Surprise! The streets were spic and span, there were full grown trees on either side of the road, host of sparrows (group of sparrows is called host; confirmed at Wiki Answers) were flying from tree to tree, the sunlight was just right, the climate was pleasant and there was peace all around (listening to the fluttering and chirping of birds is peaceful for me).

I just rubbed my eyes but, did not pinch myself. This was too good to be true and would be too bad to spoil even if were to be my dream.

People were jogging and walking on the streets (it is OK; 7.30AM is not so late to exercise), greeting one another. Everyone knew everyone and they all had the time to talk to each other. I continued my short walk to the bus stop feeling good about the environment, greeting everyone on the way. I didn't expect any more surprises for the day. (This would eventually turn out to be false as you read further.)

More surprises!!

The main road (we categorize our roads as cross roads, main roads, state highways, and national highways), now a 4-lane express highway, with service roads on either side, accompanied by the now familiar trees, was a treat to watch. The surface was smooth and the traffic was minimal. The public transportation seemed to have multiplied 10-fold. There were hardly any “personal” vehicles. There were designated lanes for bicycles and the footpaths were conducive for the pedestrians. The bus shelter was air-conditioned, had information kiosks and included a small library comprising of newspapers and magazines. There was an electronic information board which displayed the arrival time of all the buses to various destinations. A swanky new bus arrived at 7.37AM on the dot and I wasn’t surprised that it was the bus to my workplace. I settled down on a plush seat and turned on the in-bus entertainment (swalpa jaasti aythu/too much exaggeration). I had an endless choice of songs, movies and news channels to choose from. I selected black and white melodies and closed my eyes with the intent of taking a nap.

The good old melodious song suddenly changed into the alarm sound of my mobile. I cursed the sound (I usually follow this “ritual” whenever I wake up early morning (early morning to me need not be early to others)), stopped the alarm and woke up. Final surprise!!! I had not pressed the snooze button of the alarm.

And Thereby Hangs A Tale - Jeffrey Archer

First, let me be frank with you all. I am neither a professional book reviewer nor an expert critic. I am just a fan of Jeffrey Archer. I have read most of his books and look forward to reading many more in the coming years. The best book so far, for me, has been “A Prisoner of Birth” (based on this information, please align your tastes with mine before you read the review). The review given below is only my personal opinion.

The “collection” of short stories by Archer is definitely not amongst his best works (that is a huge disappointment, especially for me). You get the feeling of “been there; done that” after reading most of the stories. The volume of the book is less compared to Archer’s other short stories collection. It is hard to digest this fact after being used to reading the huge voluminous novels from the renowned author.

The book contains a total of 15 stories out of which 10 stories are based on true life incidents. The other five stories are the direct result of Archer’s genius. The endings are generally happy but you do get to feel sorry for some of the characters in some of the stories. The signature style of ending the story is an unexpected manner is the high point in this publication. The reader has to ponder over the things that might have happened after the story ends. The emotions amongst the characters are rightly captured. The characterization is apt and sufficient for the short story genre.

An ordinary citizen helps the Scotland Yard to capture a terrorist network. The mix-up (rather the goof up) is only realized when the Commander speaks about the actual terrorist.

The CEO of a company sells his soul to the devil on the pretext of having a second chance with life. He exchanges his life (and livelihood) with an employee of his own company fearing his eminent death. Alas, the exchange is a waste, just because the CEO did not ask the right question.

When one sensory organ does not work the rest of the sensory organs become more active and help the individual to cope with life. A blind man uses his senses to “evaluate” his fellow-beings and cross-verifies this information with a normal human being. He is pleased with his guesses on most of the occasions. But for once he meets his competition.

Overall the book is a good read but it definitely lacks the “what happens next” itch.

Go grab the edition if you are a true Archer buff. Enjoy the stories. Let us hope that Archer comes out with even better tales in the future.

PS: Am I missing something or is there really a lack of logic? How does person who dives into a large swimming pool with shallow water end up on a wheel chair? And thereby hangs a tale…

Awareness - Vehicle Service

I recently got my four-wheeler serviced at a prominent authorized service center. My previous experience with the same service center was exceptionally good and I expected similar, if not better, “service” from them. As the person (service adviser) who attended to my vehicle during the last service was moved to a different section I had to be satisfied with another service advisor. Being from the same background (I have done my Diploma in Automobile Engineering), I usually take interest in the necessary services to be carried out on my vehicle. In-fact, when I take my two-wheeler for its service I know what is being done (thanks to my initial work experience in the service centers) and where are the un-necessary services being offered on the vehicle. Somehow this time around I was sort of “duped” (read as services which are not actually required, but, offered for the prosperity of the service center) with some extra-care maintenance work. It is needless to say that the matter was resolved and a refund for the said activities obtained (wasting precious time and not to forget the three trips to the service center). Here are some “guidelines” to follow when you take your vehicle for its regular service (preventive maintenance).

1. Schedule: Read the owner’s manual of your vehicle. There would always be a section purely for the maintenance activities to be carried out on the vehicle. This section would specify the frequency of the service as well as the necessary replacements which should be made based on time/km run. The general norm for a two-wheeler service is 2-3 months or 2000 km, whereas it is 6 months to 1 year or 6000 to 10000 km for a four-wheeler; whichever is earlier. The periodic maintenance schedule will stipulate the time-gap between regular services. Vehicles under warranty must follow the schedule strictly; if not the manufacturer’s warranty will be void.
2. Service centers: Always take your vehicle to an authorized service center, more so if the vehicle is still under warranty. The manufacturer’s warranty will be negated if the vehicle is serviced in an un-authorized service center. It is also advisable to get your vehicle serviced at the same service center (chances are that the rapport built will make sure that unwanted work is not carried out on your vehicle; you might also get preferential treatment ;-)). Though the cost of service would be a little higher, you can be assured of genuine spares. There is always an option of “calling on the manufacturer” if/when there is a problem with the service [you can expect wondrous assistance if you know whom to contact, and what juicy words (never insult, just embarrass) to use].
3. Appointment: Most service centers offer the value-addition of booking a prior appointment for the vehicle service. Use this if you do not want to be sent back sighting flimsy reasons that the vehicle can’t be serviced because of excess inflow, shortage of staff, etc. Make sure you get the contact details of the service advisor while booking an appointment.
4. Service: It’s not possible to write on this important aspect using numbered list. So, please refer the paragraph below the numbered list.
5. Vehicle delivery: Taking delivery of the vehicle is as important as the service itself. This is the time to thoroughly inspect the vehicle for any defects (both in terms of functioning as well as the vehicle appearance). Failure to inspect the vehicle may lead to some serious guilt later on when you discover extra scratches on your vehicle. Service complaints can always be taken care of at a later point of time. But, if you miss to “capture” the new scratches/dents then chances are that you will be blamed for them. (Likelihood of fresh scratches is more during the servicing of a vehicle.) Try to take delivery during daytime. Check for the functioning of horn, indicators, brake light, head light (high beam and low beam function and focus), and tail light. Insist for a test drive if you want to check whether a particular complaint of yours has been rectified. Go through the receipt and demand explanation for charges which are not regular. You are also at the liberty of collecting the replaced components of the vehicle [don’t ask for the used lubricants ;-)]. Keep the receipts safe at least for a couple of weeks. If you replaced a component which comes with after sales warranty then the receipt has to be kept safe until the warranty expires. Components like battery, speedo-meter, tires (American English :-D), etc., have warranties of their own starting from the day of purchase.

Service

Again, I rely on the periodic maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual which gives a clear picture of what needs to be inspected, adjusted, and replaced. Most automobile manufacturers have a detailed schedule on the above mentioned services. Any doubts with anything mentioned in the job-card (the work-sheet where-in the complaints and the work to be carried-out are listed) should be clarified with the question “Is this part of the recommended service?”. If the answer is no, then probably the mentioned work is not required for your vehicle. Beware of some "catchy" terminologies like engine decarbonising, wheel truing, silencer cleaning, shampoo wash, Teflon coating (some prefer to spend money on this job), etc. Ask for an estimate of the entire service. It would always be better, if you make a list of the vehicle complaints and ask your service adviser to specify all such complaints in the job-card. Don’t hesitate to mention even the silliest complaints; it is the duty of the service adviser to give plausible explanations to your complaints. Make sure that the fuel available in the vehicle is specified in the job-card. All the scratches and dents should be “listed”. The service has to be recorded in the manual, if there is a provision.