Social media can be an interesting source of entertainment as well as offbeat information. Recently, industrialist Anand Mahindra tweeted one such report of a survey originally posted by Norwegian diplomat Erik Solheim. The survey was undertaken by Reader’s Digest and they purposefully ‘lost’ 192 wallets with cash and identification cards in 16 cities to gauge which would be honestly returned.
The report that originally aired in 2013 states that Mumbai in India and Helsinki in Finland are the two most honest cities in the world. Thrilled that Mumbai ranked high on the list, Mahindra tweeted of his joy.
Not surprised, but certainly very gratified to see the results of this experiment. And if you factor in the relative levels of income in each country, Mumbai’s outcome is even more impressive! https://t.co/uUdmhro7xC
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) September 15, 2021
Some desis online reacted to the news by sharing their own experiences with Mumbaikars.
In no other place I have seen Auto walas return 2 rupee for 18, when you give them 20, even at 2 AM!
Still remember this. Cousin was sick, and had to be taken to the hospital. 2 decades ago. 😁— Sundar (@SunDudez) September 15, 2021
This is for sure driven by the famous Mumbai auto walas. The most honest, and helping in the country. In no other place I have seen Auto walas return 2 rupee for 18, when you give them 20.
— vrk (@veranolluvia) September 15, 2021
In 2004 the minimum was ₹ 9/- & the autowalas would return 1 re back…I've experienced it several times in mumbai…same in kerala rural…
— Ranjan (@ranper7527) September 15, 2021
Sir, I have personal experience of Honesty of Mumbai Taxi Driver..I forgot my Nikon Camera in a Mumbai Taxi which I hired from Airport to Hotel..I presumed I lost the Camera..In the evening that taxi driver came to the hotel with camera…I was left stunned at his honesty👏👏
— Vinod Sharma (@ImVinod45) September 15, 2021
Mumbai is honest city people animals birds all are mostly helpful🥇🏆👍
— Vipul adani (@vipuladani) September 16, 2021
Yes ,People of Mumbai are most Honest and helpful. I remember in 2010 I was coming to Mumbai by Rajdhani express. Auto driver charge me 200 rs for bus stop to station and for same distance I have paid 32 rs in mumbai and auto driver took only 32 rs even I forced to keep change
— vivek sharma (@vivek01892) September 16, 2021
I'm frm Mumbai so I hate to rain on the parade. But if u're going to measure honesty by the no. of tyms a wallet is returned, then it's a very narrow-minded perspective. Only enuf to make urself feel gud.
If u account for conscientiousness, the results cud b quite different.
— Ashwin Hariharan (@booleanhunter) September 17, 2021
Some spoke of what the situation is like in other cities such as Pune, Bihar, Kerala and Bengaluru-
In Pune the auto driver will charge you Rs.20 and allow you to go from one end of rickshaw to another
— Vaibhav Garge (@meetvabby) September 15, 2021
Yes !!Three cheers for the Mumbai auto wallas !👏👏👏
Another city with excellent autos is Ahmedabad !
Bangalore n Chennai 👎👎— Meera Nair (@Bingo_mk) September 15, 2021
Please do this experiment in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
— Guddu (@guduuu) September 15, 2021
I second this. Exactly opposite to this are Auto wallas of Bangalore.
— sharad singh (@victorsharad) September 15, 2021
Absolutely.. it was the most prominent difference I noticed after moving out from Bengaluru after 8 years the other being landlords return your full deposit unlike Bengaluru where u never see ur full security deposit again. Mumbai ppl are generally honest
— trasmac (@trasmac1) September 16, 2021
You should try kolkata, just before the covid the people used 50 Ps coins as well….
— Ali Ahmed (@AAli0604) September 16, 2021
Pleased with the result, but if by any chance an experiment is done in India I'm sure Andman Island will get 12/12. You keep your luggage anywhere unattended for hours nobody will touch it. My personal experience.
— Nandini Joshi नंदिनी जोशी (@NandiniJoshi9) September 16, 2021
On the other hand, there were those who opined that the survey wasn’t thorough enough to ascertain honesty.
What does that imply??
It's selective and very narrow sampling…
This just doesn't prove anything…
In #Saudi Arabia they leave their shops open to go to pray without anyone in their.
Since the takeover of #Kabul not one incident of theft has occurred… So??
— The_Renegade (@noumi1971) September 11, 2021
Duh!! You carry the experiment in 16 cities and term it ‘honest cities in the World’!! Myopic survey. Try middle eastern cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Muscat and it’ll be a 100% honesty.
— Faizal Khan (@fzkh) September 11, 2021
What do you think of this survey? Tell us.