[TMRT]

Helmet enforcement should be strict on highways and we should have a zero tolerance policy on highway or where it makes sense. But I believe the enforcement should be relaxed on local roads where we know the speed won't exceed a certain limit. How many times do you take out your activa to drop kids to school, pick up some grocery where car is simply not an option ( especially in Andheri Parle area) due to parking and sheer amount of traffic on the road. It's a great inconvenience. I would suggest we should have some provision for helmet free bike travel within your neighborhood or certain radius of your LICENCE / registration address (except highways and may be some more designated roads of course )


I strongly believe wearing helmets is a safe habit although helmet alone is not the only safety measure though most effective and important. I would think it should be enforced where it makes sense and leave common sense to riders and allow them some freedom and weigh in convenience and safety at least until bike lanes become super fast or traffic in peak hours is drastically reduced. Why do I need a helmet in my galli?

[ariendj]

creating awareness with a strict enforcements only works.they go hand in hand.
the latest trends in kerala are suspension of license for 1 month for not using a helmet.
and if you do not stop for inspection when signalled by the police,then its suspension of license for 1 month plus 1500 bucks.

the above laws and other changes have seen a drastic change in number of people taking care of safety.

the local newspapers are playing an important role in creating awareness by talking and sharing stories related to motorcycle accidents and also mentioning how many offenders were caught everyday.

only thing is to keep this going for a longer period of time so that its imprinted into the heads of 2 wheelers.

[gops2009]

Originally Posted by PratikPatel

While I agree with both the above posts, there are certain things that can and should be done. As culture, our nation puts very little value to the cost of life (don't shoot me, this is my personal view). Most of us do not consider safety a priority. People who make safety a priority are mocked and made fun of. Traffic in Mumbai is increasingly chaotic and its anarchy. Traffic signals are broken by everyone with impunity and no thought is given to personal and other people's safety. If you obey traffic laws and stop at a signal, people behind you honk, shout and curse you for obeying the laws . They get into arguments and some even threaten to get violent .

I fully agree with this view point, we as a race are perhaps culturally programmed to believe that disaster is something which happens only to the other fellow; and this attitude is reflected in following traffic norms may it be wearing helmets, or wearing seat belts or having infants on the front seat of the car. This attitude can be seen even when mandatory fire drills are conducted in offices- no one here seems to be serious about safety !!! You will be stared at and abused if you choose to follow the norm of stopping at a signal that is unmanned but is red!!.
IMO, it is not so much about law or a structured approach that can get these dim wits to wear helmets, it is more in the attitude of being responsible. In the absence of this basic sense of responsibility, the only way that this can be assured is by defining clear zero tolerance zones and promulgating a law where riding without helmet is not a traffic offence but a criminal offence- If you know the consequences, if the state has to bear the responsibility of the aftermath and the surviving family has to undergo lifelong trauma is this not a crime ??

[am1m]

Originally Posted by TMRT

I would suggest we should have some provision for helmet free bike travel within your neighborhood

Why do I need a helmet in my galli?

Hmmm, I thought so too, until I realized that the car driver trundling along behind me might also be interpreting the law as being relaxed about using a cell phone while driving in his own neighborhood. Of course, he agreed that we should have a 'zero-tolerance' about using a cell phone while driving on the highways. But in his own galli, why?!

So then, if his reactions are slowed down because of the aforementioned cell-phone usage (in his own galli only of course!) while driving, he MAY just bump me gently from behind if I have to brake suddenly for a dog (dogs and children run across the road in gallis too, not just the highway). Then, the distance I have to fall from the bike to the road remains the same, even in my galli. So, I dunno about you, but I'd rather have my helmet on at that time!

You see, I'm a fantastic rider, the Rossi of my galli , the bike responds to my very slightest thought, but even I can't control how others drive or cross the road. The helmet is my insurance against their stupidity. (Funny thing, insurance, you can never take it immediately after an accident, or just before an accident, and hope it helps, you apparently need to have it covered always!)

Ok, jokes apart, I'm not learned enough to quote statistics and studies that prove helmets help, or to dictate public policy. All I can offer are my own experiences and observations. I commute to work on my bike almost everyday and at least once a year, I take a bike trip through a couple of states. And every single fall I've had (so far!) has been during the daily commute and never (touch wood!) on a highway ride.

For me and any pillion that I care about, that helmet stays on, no matter how short the ride!

[Divya Sharan]

Originally Posted by TMRT

Helmet enforcement should be strict on highways and we should have a zero tolerance policy on highway or where it makes sense. But I believe the enforcement should be relaxed on local roads where we know the speed won't exceed a certain limit. Why do I need a helmet in my galli?

Highway or neighborhood roads, 2 kms or 2000 kms, helmet is a must at all times. A fall at 25 kmph and a hit to the head is enough!
One can never say what may happen the next moment on our roads. In fact, I do preach the concept of ATGATT, a good helmet is the most basic need. (not the 150 rupees ones)

[smrtdvl]

Are there any special helmet for 3+ year old kids? Any pointers on where to source them? Need one for my daughter when Wifey drops her at her nursery.

Mods please delete / merge this post accordingly if you feel if this isn't the right section.

[TMRT]

Originally Posted by am1m

Hmmm, I thought so too, until I realized that the car driver trundling along behind me might also be interpreting the law as being relaxed about using a cell phone while driving in his own neighborhood. Of course, he agreed that we should have a 'zero-tolerance' about using a cell phone while driving on the highways. But in his own galli, why?! So then, if his reactions are slowed down because of the aforementioned cell-phone usage (in his own galli only of course!) while driving, he MAY just bump me gently from behind if I have to brake suddenly for a dog (dogs and children run across the road in gallis too, not just the highway). Then, the distance I have to fall ....

....I can't control how others drive or cross the road. The helmet is my insurance against their stupidity. (Funny thing, insurance, you can never take it immediately after an accident, or just before an accident, and hope it helps, you apparently need to have it covered always!) Ok, jokes apart, I'm not learned enough to quote statistics and studies ......... For me and any pillion that I care about, that helmet stays on, no matter how short the ride!

This argument totally destroys any attempt to relax the safety...... at the cost of convenience.! FRIENDS THE HELMET MUST STAY ON!

[am1m]

Originally Posted by TMRT

FRIENDS THE HELMET MUST STAY ON!

Your head will thank you for it man!

I'll tell you how I learnt my lesson. I worked in Hyderabad for a year and over there, at least in the outskirts where I was staying (Madhapur), no one seems to wear a helmet. Maybe because of the heat. One weekend afternoon, I was walking back from the supermarket when I saw a man on a bike skid and fall because he had to brake suddenly when he saw another bike in front of him take a sudden turn. It was a low speed fall, the kind of toss one would, 9 times out of 10, just get up and walk away from. But this guy unfortunately hit his head on the road. Someone immediately called the 108 ambulance and till they came, there was nothing any of us could do, except watch him go into some sort of fit. His eyes rolled up and he started shivering violently. One need not be a doctor to realize that it happened because of the blow to the head.

Even if one can't wear all the gear all the time, the head is vital and must be protected. And guys, please make it a full-face helmet not one of those half-face or those 'tin-hat' kinds. Recently, I was in Goa with my wife and we went to visit the parents of an old friend of mine. His dad is a retired Naval doctor and when he saw the ridiculous 'Vespa-type' helmet that I was carrying (we usually hire a bike when we go to Goa and some of you guys must have seen the pathetic helmets the rental guys hand out with the rented bikes), he started yelling at me. He said he had seen countless cases of Navy guys who were brought to him because they had crashed wearing inadequate helmets and he couldn't understand why riders didn't see the obvious safety measure of wearing a full-face helmet and carrying one for the pillion.

A full-face helmet can mean the difference between getting up after a fall, dusting yourself and walking away, or having to go to the hospital to get broken bits of your teeth, nose or chin fixed!

[TMRT]

Originally Posted by am1m

...
So then, if his reactions are slowed down because of the aforementioned cell-phone usage (in his own galli only of course!) while driving, he MAY just bump me gently from behind if I have to brake suddenly for a dog (dogs and children run across the road in gallis too, not just the highway).

Feel pity on that dog or that pedestrian or the bicyclist who might be hit by that cell-phone using car driver. Even these victims could be saved by a helmet.

First of all thanks to rk206, the initiator of this thread.. for giving out technical details on the pictorial views depicting how helmets can save lives.

I can't imagine a world where helmet makers are reaping out our pockets apart if we get into such situations. In my gallis the speed is just 10/15kmph.... no more than that.

Please note:
My thoughts are in no way trying to imply helmet free bike ride. Apart from safety it's a good way to protect your privacy.

[Sabareesh]

Originally Posted by Sabareesh

85% of riders don't even buckle up their helmets.

Gentlemen, I regret to share this news.

We had a get together for Diwali at a collage friend's place. After the function, one of my friend wanted to drop his fiancee to her house. He borrowed an acquaintance's bike and went to drop her.

While returning back, he lost control while crossing a nasty speed breaker. An eyewitness told us that he fell backwards and back portion of his head hit the tarmac.

He is not with us anymore.

Cause of death ?? Excessive bleeding, Damage to hind brain.

I still remember that night. While he was leaving, we told him repeatedly to wear helmet. He shrugged us off saying that he will be driving sedately. How I wish he had listened to us. Had he worn a helmet, the damage would have been much less. At least he would have been with us today.

This incident has made me more determined to do something and at least make my friends aware of consequences of not wearing a helmet. There's a very thin line between buckling up and losing a life.

RIP my friend. You will be missed.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

Highway or neighborhood roads, 2 kms or 2000 kms, helmet is a must at all times. A fall at 25 kmph and a hit to the head is enough!

Year - 1989 Time - 9.45 AM

Bike - KB100 RTZ

Location - Hubli (Club House Road) going down towards the court

Speed - ~60 kmph

An oncoming tractor trailer (from Kittur Rani Chennamma circle) takes an abrupt right turn.

It hits the KB100 side on.

The rider is thrown off about 10 feet to left of the road.

Right leg broke into two and the hip joint is also fractured.

What prevented certain death or permanent damage to head was the 'STUDDS' helmet.

Victim? Me.

Damage? Six months bedridden, a permanent damage to the hip.

Later on, I came to know that the entire frame of the bike had got bent, the forks and handle bar broken. Got the bike repaired and used it till 2004...

NEVER DRIVE WITHOUT A HELMET - it should be compulsory for pillion riders too....

[sajo]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

NEVER DRIVE WITHOUT A HELMET - it should be compulsory for pillion riders too....

Agreed.!

I am having a hard time convincing my wife to wear a helmet while riding pillion on my bike.
She used to be a rather strict helmet user when she used to ride her scooterette earlier , but somehow has the opinion that now that shes a pillion, she doesnt need one.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by sajo

I am having a hard time convincing my wife to wear a helmet while riding pillion on my bike.

Two things (among the numerous other things) I'll never understand about women have to do with 2 of their extremities: 1. Why they subject themselves to the pain of wearing high-heels (feet) and 2. Why they fight so much to not wear helmets (head)!

I had a hard time getting my wife to wear the helmet I bought for her too. And the job was harder because when we were in college, our whole gang used to ride around merrily without wearing helmets (the follies of youth!). I just began refusing to start the bike till she put it on. We've had arguments, a couple of times we've ended up not going where we wanted to go, we've ended up taking the car instead of the bike even though the bike would have been more convenient (I make sure she's the one who has to drive through the pain of Bangalore traffic in those times!). But it worked, now she picks up the helmet herself when we have to take the bike.

Persist man, nothing is too much to keep those we care about safe.

It's not just the women though. I have a buddy who had a pretty bad crash about 5 years ago. He lost some teeth and had to have stitches on his scalp because he wasn't wearing his helmet when he fell, just a few hundred meters away from his home. I still remember that night at Manipal Hospital. But, just a couple of days ago, we were going to drop another 2 friends of ours to the Metro station from his place, when he cooly says 'no need to wear a helmet for such a short distance man!' Some people will just never learn!

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by sajo

Agreed.!

I am having a hard time convincing my wife to wear a helmet while riding pillion on my bike.
She used to be a rather strict helmet user when she used to ride her scooterette earlier , but somehow has the opinion that now that shes a pillion, she doesnt need one.

Luckily in my case, wifey is very adamant that she WILL wear a helmet every single time she rides pillon. When we were in Delhi we used to get a lot of advices like, 'arrey lady pillon riders don't need helmet here'.

But every single time she was on the bike, she made sure she has the helmet on. Same goes with seat belts in car.

[sajo]

Originally Posted by am1m

2. Why they fight so much to not wear helmets (head)!

She is totally convinced about the importance of a helmet...for the rider , and used to wear one as well. Now that we no longer have her scooterette..
Its being pillion she feels , it "feels a bit odd" wearing one.