> Natives would never pay more than a dollar or two for a short ride, and never more than 10-20% more than the “fair” value. It’s even better in places like Mumbai, where everyone uses a standard meter.

Please. Autowallahs have their own versions of "surge pricing", which is even more frustrating and non-transparent. Night time ? Triple rate. Going to a residential area ? Double rate, because the vehicle need to return empty.