Wednesday, February 4, 2009

I am such a loser - Part 2

For those of you who don't know why I am a loser, read I'm such a loser.

This time around, I have lost my wallet and all the important stuff in it... Important stuff includes debit and credit cards (blocking them and applying for a new one is easy), and also my original Driving License and my original PAN card. Yes, I can hear you telling, "Which idiot would carry all important documents in the same wallet and that too in original?"... That is Sandhya for you!!!

Applying for PAN card is a rather simple procedure - fill up a form, give a xerox copy of your PAN card that you lost, an address proof (copy of passport), 2 passport size photographs and Rs.67 for the application... That is it. You'd get it within 15 days. I am so thorough with the procedure because I have already lost it once in May 2007 and applied and got a new one and it was this new one that I have lost now. Anyways, losing it earlier made me know the procedure for applying for duplicate PAN card.

But driving license... This is the first time I am losing that one. They say I'll need a copy of the driving license and an FIR that I had filed at the local police station. Well, there lies the problem - 1. I had gone to the movie 'Luck By Chance' on Monday afternoon, bunking office and I had lost it there (by the way, the movie was okay!!), 2. The police will behave very badly when I go to give a complaint (saying I shouldn't have gone and all that crap that can't be changed now!) and 3. I don't know why the police treat the victims like culprits (It happened earlier when I had gone to complain about the loss of my handbag at the beach)...

The following is the transcript of the conversation I had with the police inspector when I went to complain that my handbag was stolen at the beach.

Me: Sir, I want to give a complaint. I lost my handbag at the beach last night.
He: Why did you go to the beach in the night?
Me: (What????) Sir, I had gone in the evening and it was late when I returned. I returned by 8pm.
He: Who is this? (Pointing to my friend who had come with me to the station to give the complaint)
Me: Sir, he is my friend.
He: Had you gone to the beach with him?
Me: (What is your problem??) Yes.
He: That is why... Anyways, how do you two know each other?
Me: We are friends from college.
He: Oooohh.... Working in software industry-ah???
Me: Yes.
He: Where are you from?
Me: I stay here at Thiruvanmiyur in a house with my friends.
He: No, I am asking what is your native place?
Me: Coimbatore, sir.
He: (To my friend)What about you?
My friend: I am from Palakkad, sir.
He: How is this connection between Coimbatore and Palakkad??
Me: (through NH47...) I told you, we studied together...
He: (Like he is doing us a favour) Okay okay, you give a complaint and go. Come after 15 days and collect the FIR.

After 15 days...

Me: I had given a complaint about the loss of my handbag 15 days ago. I have come to collect the FIR.
He: Oh ok, wait a minute.
(Goes and takes a pile of FIRs and asks me to take mine from it. I do so)
Me: It is this one, sir. Thank you.
He: Actually, you have to bear the expenses of conveyance for taking it from here to the station where we get it filed.
(Like he took mine alone and went. He took all the complaints in one go and now collects conveyance from everyone who comes to collect FIRs)
Me: Hmmmm, so how much do I have to pay, sir?
He: Actually it is not in the rules ma, you give how mcuh ever you can.
Me: (How sweet of him!!!) Sir, I have never given a complaint before this; this is my first time. So I really have no idea how muchI should give.
He: How much do you have?
Me: I have 50 rupees sir.
He: 50? You software people must have 500 rupee notes in your wallets.
Me: (Yeah right!!) I have only 50 sir. Then I have my debit card and there is no cash in my account also.
He: Okay ma, give that 50 bucks and go...

It really disgusts me to think of going through all these things again. But yeah, instead of taking my friend with me, I am going to take my brother with me this time around and hope it'd do less damage. I am going to give the complaint tomorrow.

Applying and getting all these documents back is going to be a bit of (read: hell a lot of) headache!!! Wish me good luck!!! :-( Anyways, I am really the greatest loser. Like Monica says in F.R.I.E.N.D.S, if there was an award for the worst loser, it'd be called 'The Sandhya', no doubt!!!

27 comments:

  1. :)
    that was a nice experience for you then....

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Sandy

    Hmmm last time you lost the chain i consoled you, but this time around its not gonna happen! You seem to be so damn careless. Wonder when you gonna lose your mobile phone next, its really surprising that you haven't lost it yet being so careless(Don't tell me that you have lost it already). Hope you get your cards and license back pretty soon. And even i keep all my stuffs like original license,PAN card and debit cards in my wallet. I will be more careful from now on.

    And so the movie is not good huh??

    I don't think you are a loser yet, but if this keeps repeating then you will be named one, so be more cautious being in Chennai(any place for that matter)!

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Vaisakh

    What irritated me the most was not the tedious procedure to get the DL and PAN card. It was the behaviour of the police personnel, who treated me like I am wasting their time and the ridiculous thought that I myself might've stolen my own handbag!!!

    @Rahul
    No, by God's grace, I haven't lost my cell phone yet(not even once!!!) That is like a big boost to my 'loser' attitude. But yeah, I'd suggest you take photocopies of the original documents and carry with you the copies. I hope I am careful from next time. God help me!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Don worry sandhya..

    I'm der for your company as always..but a lil diffferent i lost my DL twice and holding my Third license..(But this time i made three color Photo copies(a.k.a Xerox)and laminated them..enough is enough..fourth license will be too much thats y )

    And here I’ll give the procedure for applying DL.



    Step 1. You have to file a FIR.



    Step 2. You take the FIR to an RTA Agent (where you took the license) he’ll charge you approx 1000 bucks (including his commission of 100 or 150 bucks). If you don want to go to an Agent and want to enjoy adventurous ride into a RTA office go to step 3.



    Step 3. Go to the RTA office where you got the license and get a form for new DL application and mention that as lost DL and enclose a Photo copy of the FIR complaint.



    Step 4. Then you have to pay DL fees of around 750 to 850 bucks (I don’t know how much they’re charging there now) they’ll take a new photo and will give you the DL to

    You the same day if you went through step 2. or else it will be sent to the address which you mentioned. This is how I applied twice

    Personal suggestion: I'd suggest you to go to RTA agent


    PS: Hope it solved your doubt rather than manifolding it;-p

    ReplyDelete
  5. Also i lost Tamilnadu DL and as well as Andhra Pradesh DL :-(

    ReplyDelete
  6. Also if you get caught by the police you can show the FIR and I managed lik that for almost 6 months(changing the dates and taking a fresh photo copy ;-p)

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Karthik

    Thank you so much for the procedure. Now I guess I'll be able to guide others too!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yo!!!, Amazing.., Sandhya, Why dont you document all the processes that we gotta follow in India upon losing stuff ? I'll give u the list.

    1. PAN Card (Already Available)
    2. Passport
    3. Ration Card
    4. Debit and Credit Card
    5. Driving License.
    6. School & College Certificate
    7. Marriage Certificate (Am damn sure, guys dont want this)
    8. Railway/Bus ticket (Just for experience)
    9. Feel free to add any more..., let sandhyaiyer.blogspot.com be a one stop access.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This post is turning out to be an FAQ.... :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Dhinu
    Enough man... Making so much fun of me. I don't lose everything, you know. I have never lost any bus/train ticket or my mark certificates or my passport (so far).

    @Vaisakh
    Really, it is becoming an FAQ and I am proud of that; but not to the extent of going ahead and documenting the procedures as Dinesh has suggested...

    ReplyDelete
  11. ya.. i was going to say that.. if it turns out to be an faq... it woulb be too boring

    ReplyDelete
  12. @Vaisakh
    Yeah, I shall upload it if there is enough demand. I'll upload it as an attachment. If anyone wants they can download the file and read it... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. @Vaisakh
    It will not take more than a few mins toprepare it already. Half the stuff is there in this post and the subsequent comments. How long is it gonna take to copy&paste it and upload it on this blog?? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. "Copy & Paste"..
    haa.. it seems you understand the true purpose of a software engineer :D

    ReplyDelete
  15. @Vaisakh
    I seriously don't know anyone who doesn't use copy&paste in the IT industry!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. its sad that police behave this way..

    hey ur friend is from palakkad!!! me too :P where in palakkad??

    ReplyDelete
  17. @sawan
    It is not just sad, it was humiliating.
    My friend is from Mannarkkad.

    ReplyDelete
  18. i get frustrated at the thot of women gettin inside police/ or jus interacting with them!
    jerks!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. @Anand
    It happens yaar... Now I have successfully given the second complaint of my life. It was better this time coz my brother was with me... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ironic..what a post to stumble upon ..I have gone through teh same experience as well ..nice to know there are others ..lolz..nice post

    ReplyDelete
  21. @Rohit
    Oh, so I am not alone. Thank God there is someone as careless as me and I hope my mom is reading this coz she has been telling me that I am the most careless girl on earth... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. You: Sir I lost my handbag.
    ...bla bla
    ...bla bla

    Police: who is this?

    Did that guy look like your handbag for Mr.Police'kar?

    ReplyDelete
  23. @Deepak
    Don't even get me started on that again... I'll talk about it nonstop for days together!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sandhya,

    I really wonder how on earth you thought of going to Police Station ? Cops? Ask me.Third rated B*******(not all) who don't leave a single chance to exploit people.Hat's off to your guts and I am sure that you will never do that again with that kind of experience.

    K.Kiran.

    ReplyDelete
  25. @Kiran
    Yeah, there a few good people too. Actually, I am more afraid of cops than of culprits...
    Anyways, I enjoyed the over-all experience.

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete

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