Navigating Stereotypes in a Tuk Tuk by Aaditha Edirisinghe

As the Sri Lankan economy collapsed around it, the transport sector was one of the hardest hits. Those of us in cities felt its effects thoroughly as we were pushed more and more to depend on public transport. 

As the crisis progressed further, I spent several days by the side of the road, sticking my hand out at any Tuk Tuk that passed expecting it to stop. The few that stopped said they weren’t taking any hires. 

This got me thinking. We associate every Tuk Tuk we see on the road to be one for hire. Those of us in urbanised settings adore the Tuk Tuk as our most favoured mode of informal public transport. However, we often forget that the Tuk Tuk means so much more than that to so many people.

It is statistically accurate to say that the majority of Tuk Tuks are for hire full-time, but for many, it is only a part-time occupation. For some, it is merely an affordable, personal mode of transport. 

Therefore, in a way, we have stereotyped the Tuk Tuk. Analysing this stereotype would not only lead to appreciating a hard-working class of people, but it will also lead to appreciating the nuances of stereotyping as well.  

No matter how convenient Tuk Tuks are for passengers, it is an undeniable truth that most passengers view Tuk Tuks to be a nuisance.

As Colombo’s traffic gets worse by the day, many (including myself at times) pin it on the Tuk Tuk drivers. However, do we really have the right to accuse the Tuk Tuks of being the root of all evil on the road? 

While the lack of road discipline among Tuk drivers is a very serious issue, many of us get off our high horse whenever we are in a rush to get somewhere. In fact, part of the Tuk Tuk’s urban appeal is grounded in its ability to slither through the rush hour traffic, violating every rule in the book.

Despite that appeal existing for decades, Tuk Tuks have never shaken off their negative public perception. Many perceive the Tuk Tuk subculture to be grotesque and at certain times even reprehensible. Owing to the fact that Tuk drivers surround themselves with expressions of that subculture more often than not, Tuk drivers are perceived to be thugs and gangsters. This gets them into trouble with the authorities while also barring typical Tuk drivers from participating in social activities fully. For instance, certain elite hotels prohibit Tuk Tuks from entering the premises fully. Guests taking the Tuk Tuk to the hotel are expected to get off and walk to the Hotel while Guests taking taxi-cabs (which offer the same service) are allowed to drive up to the hotel entrance. Thus, in a way, the negative stereotype associated with the Tuk Tuk is transferred to the passenger as well. 

Despite all that negativity, Tuk Tuks also provide a host of important social benefits, which quite often slips under the radar.

Apart from being an informal mode of transport for passengers, Tuk Tuks also serve as a personal mode of transport for people of lesser means. For those people, Tuk Tuks not only provide the option of full-time self-employment and a gradual move away from poverty but also an option of part-time work as they commute to and from their full-time jobs.

Furthermore, in many low-income communities islandwide, Tuk Tuks have literally been lifesavers as patients in serious conditions were able to be swiftly taken to hospitals on three wheels.

Tuk quotes, popularly known as “Three Wheel Waki/ Wadan” are also a very important contribution by the Tuk Tuk subculture to the society. While it is true that many Tuk Tuk quotes are quite cheesy, for each one of those Tuk Tuks there will always be another Tuk Tuk with a philosophical, eye-opening quote on its canvas. These quotes are undeniably a part of modern literature and one could argue that it is akin to the graffiti of the Sigiriya rock fortress.

In the broad sense, stereotypes are overgeneralized beliefs about a particular group or class of people. While stereotyping takes away individuality in almost all cases, it also allows us to respond to situations rapidly because we may have had a similar experience before. 

In modern socio-political discussions, stereotypes related to gender and race are extensively discussed while stereotypes related to class pale into insignificance. Thus, one could say, today’s political debates have stereotyped stereotypes. 

This exposé intends to break that stereotype by discussing a stigmatised class of people who have received a very negative public perception despite being an important cog in the modern, industrial city machine.

The purpose of this article is not for you to completely disregard your personal experiences taking Tuk Tuks. As mentioned earlier, stereotypes do allow rapid responses which can be a defining factor in life-threatening situations. The purpose of this article is to encourage the appreciation of individuality wherever possible. Not just when you take a Tuk Tuk the next time, but when you interact with anyone.