A man from Chennai – Mr. Parthasarathy – just set his Ather 450X electric scooter on fire yesterday after facing repeated issues. Bystanders quickly doused the flames and prevented a larger fire. Mr. Parthasarathy claimed that the Ather service center was unable to fix issues and that he was absolutely fed up and frustrated with this. He said that he’d paid Rs. 1.8 lakh to purchase the Ather 450X electric scooter, and that he had persistent issues soon after taking delivery. He added that this was the reason why he set the scooter on fire outside the Ather showroom. Here, watch the video.
As is evident from the video, there’s an Ather 450X lying on the ground, with its panel partially burnt. A tall, bespectacled man, Mr. Parthasarathy, is seen arguing with a woman, who seems to be his relative or a person known to him.
The conversation is in Tamil, and soon, there are police officials, one of whom is a sub-inspector, on the scene. Mr. Parthasarathy is seen explaining to police officials as to why he set fire to his Ather 450X.
Following this incident, traffic piled up on the road as a crowd assembled to watch the matter unfold. Ather showroom officials were seen pacifying the man, and requesting him to come to the showroom so that they could discuss and sort out the issue.
Initially Mr. Parthasarathy refused, stating that he wanted a resolution right beside his partially burnt Ather 450X. Later, he relented and was seen going to the Ather showroom, at which point the video ends.
Is this the right approach to resolving issues?
Absolutely not. Setting a vehicle on fire can lead to a bigger fire, and in the worst case, an explosion. Doing such things on a busy road is just stupid, and risky. Also, insurance won’t cover such acts as they’re deemed arson, and intentional damage. At the end of the day, the person doing this is the biggest loser as she/he will neither have a vehicle nor money from insurance to buy a new vehicle.
The need for anti-lemon laws
However, the other side of the story is about the resolution mechanisms that companies, especially vehicle manufacturers, have. In many cases, the customer is left to the mercy of dealers, who are unable to sort out issues. They cannot issue a refund of replace the vehicle even in case of manufacturing defects or a faulty vehicle (known as Lemons abroad).
This is because India does not have a strong anti-lemon law that protects the customers, replacing faulty products or paying out hefty compensation. The only redressal for aggrieved customers in India is approaching consumer courts, and in some cases, actual courts, and filing a case against the dealer or manufacturer.
These cases drag on for years, and cause significant financial and mental burden on the customer. Large companies have a battery of lawyers, who’re experts at prolonging cases. The average customer doesn’t. It’s David vs Goliath, and unlike the mythical story, it’s the David who generally loses in the real world.