Going self-driving! Opt for right car
New Delhi, June 7: Self-driving has become a popular concept in India, especially in the metros. More and more people nowadays prefer to rent a car to explore a destination rather than opt for cabs, trains, buses, or flights so make sure you are opting for the right one.
Aditya Loomba, Joint Director, Eco Rent a Car and Manheer Singh Sethi, Co-founder, Travkart, share their inputs and quick tips to follow while choosing a self-drive car.
♦ Get the right price: A self-drive car is normally charged on an hourly basis, but rates tend to soar during the weekends! In fact, rates can differ significantly depending upon whether the car one chooses comes with fuel, or without. The with-fuel option would definitely be more expensive in terms of cost per kilometre, whereas, in the without-fuel plan, the customer will bear the cost of fuel but won't have to worry about how many kilometres he/she is driving.
The best way to decide which one to go for is to know the distance you want to cover. If you have a lot of driving on your mind, it may be best to choose the without-fuel plan. Rental plans that include fuel expenses are better for people who seek the car for travelling within the city.
♦ Which type of car should I pick? : Self-drive companies have been offering a wide range of vehicles such as hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs etc. from different brands. As per the choice, one can also take luxury machines and sports cars categories, for driving enthusiasts willing to experience the thrill and adventure of driving in big, fast cars. However, for a middle-class consumer, the smarter way to decide is based on the number of travellers, luggage and the comfort level expected during the trip.
For instance, four adults planning a long journey with minimal luggage should ideally opt for a diesel hatchback with manual transmission to reduce the overall cost of the journey, as a diesel car would give them a good mileage. Meanwhile, for intra city travel, people can opt for automatic cars for convenience during congestion and traffic.
♦ Don't ignore the ‘Other' costs: When you are getting yourself a self-drive vehicle, you are not just paying for the rent. The car companies also ask for other charges such as the refundable security deposit, cost of damage, and other penalties. The security deposit usually ranges between Rs. 999 and Rs. 5,000, with the damage costs deducted from the deposit.
If the damage claim amount goes higher than the deposit, the consumer has to pay it at the time of returning the vehicle. There are many companies that also charge penalty for over-speeding. If the user is a repeated offender, the fine amount increases, as do the chances of getting blacklisted by the firm. Wondering how they would get to know if you're driving rashly? These new-age companies have smart technologies in place to track instances like over-speeding and sudden braking at high speeds. It is therefore advisable to adhere to the legal speed limits to keep your rental costs to a minimum.
♦ Check the network at your chosen destination: Before opting for a self-drive car to head to a particular destination, make sure to check the network coverage of that area. After all, while you are roaming around in that particular city, you would need to stay constantly online to keep a tab on the nearby places and stay connected during emergency situations.
♦ Check the parts, toolkit and stepney before you hire: Many of you might not have prior experience of renting a self-drive car. Although you can be assured that the car rentals will not make any mistake, it is better to be on the safer side by doing a quick check on various parts of the car yourself and to start with, one must not forget to check if the spare tyre and stepney jack are in place. Afterward, examine the brakes, engine, and battery of the car, along with its condition so that the drive is comfortable without any hindrance.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
