[TheStig]

I sincerely feel one way to deter people from not wearing a helmet while riding would be to give them a huge fine.

As far as I know in Trivandrum fines for not wearing a helmet range between Rs.100 - 500, which many bikers gladly pay immediately and remove the helmet the moment they reach the next junction.

Suppose the fine was increased to say for example in the range of Rs. 3000 - 5000, this may be effective and costly for offenders.
I'm not sure if this can be implemented and the social/political/legal ramifications if any, but I feel it can be effective.

[DudeWithaFiat]

Originally Posted by giri1.8

People are ready to spend thousands of rupees for get a smart phone,but spending anything more than thousand rupees for a helmet is considered as waste of money

Well said. This post is going to be my facebook status

P.S:- Just bought an LS2 two days back and I guess I'll have to repeat these lines offline too.

[giri1.8]

Originally Posted by DudeWithaFiat

Well said. This post is going to be my facebook status

P.S:- Just bought an LS2 two days back and I guess I'll have to repeat these lines offline too.

I am using SOL right now but people think its too expensive because I just own a normal 150cc(Hunk).They think only expensive bikes needs expensive helmets.Its not about what we ride,its about how much we care about our safety!

[RGK]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Both these are mandated and enforced in Chennai, atleast the cops fine people without helmets (belt enforcement might not be as strict, but then they usually never stop cars anyway). This enforcement is why you will see atleast 75% wearing helmets. It used to be close to 95%, till some politicians diluted the ruling by issuing silly statements like "we dont want to inconvenience people, hence are exempting pillion-riders from using helmet", "we don't want to see the cops harassing people in the name of the law" etc.

I totally agree. But the helmet rule has been diluted in Chennai and hence I referred "not mandatory". It has become as other common traffic rules.

If you jump a signal and get caught, you will be questioned for not wearing the helmet otherwise you may be lucky. Still there is sizeable two wheeler population riding without helmets .

Another tip shared at the Hero Honda safety program,

During rains, set the helmet visor at 45 degrees to avoid rain splashing on your face and also to see the road clearly. Visor fitment should be perfect in the helmet and never be loose.

[mango_pal]

This is a very interesting article, no doubt. But there is a fundamental issue that is being overlooked. Which is that most people in India believe that they will never get into an accident in the first place.
For better or for worse, that may be true for a majority of them.
However, its their life.
I've tried to tell multiple people about this (including my driver), but it all comes to naught. My argument falls on deaf years and they say "Agar bhagwan chahta hai woh hi hota hai" (Whatever God wants will happen).
How, just how is it possible to argue with such crazy, demented logic.
Whats worse than people not wearing a helmet is wearing a helmet for the sake of wearing a helmet. I mean, why bother in the first place?

I couldn't care much for these people who don't care for their own lives. But when they start risking other peoples lives, is when I get pissed.

Also, I've noticed over the years in Bombay, by and large people are becoming very street smart. Earlier they used to make a mistake (cutting lanes when you can't, skipping signals, driving badly in general) and accept the fact that they've made a mistake. Now, if you try to tell them anything they are supremely self righteous and bursting with rage and have no idea that what they have done is wrong. It is deep seeded ignorance which is leading to anarchy and the road is the best way to see the culture of any place, according to me.

Originally Posted by TheStig

I sincerely feel one way to deter people from not wearing a helmet while riding would be to give them a huge fine.

As far as I know in Trivandrum fines for not wearing a helmet range between Rs.100 - 500, which many bikers gladly pay immediately and remove the helmet the moment they reach the next junction.

Suppose the fine was increased to say for example in the range of Rs. 3000 - 5000, this may be effective and costly for offenders.
I'm not sure if this can be implemented and the social/political/legal ramifications if any, but I feel it can be effective.

I have my reservations about this suggestion.
Firstly, even if such a law is passed, it will fail to be executed properly (no surprises).
Secondly, this will result in even more rampant corruption. No one wants to pay Rs.5,000 as a fine. They'll just end up bribing the cops a couple of hundred bucks (maybe a tad more).

Failure to wear seatbelts, helmets, observe rules, drive safely is all a part of a much larger issue at work which is our very mentality. I better not get started on that, else I can type for days.
But it will require a LOT of enforcement to change the way we think and take responsibility for our actions and learn, as a society how to live in the organized world.
If a process of change begins today, it will take at least 3-4 generations for the fruits to be visible. That's why no one cares.
As John Keynes wisely said "In the long run, we're all dead".
No one wants to be a part of the process of bringing about change. They want the end result without putting in any hard work.

[a4anurag]

The helmet rule here in Hyderabad has fizzed out and no policeman is fining any offenders. In some areas the bikers hang the helmet on their hand and drive around, stop a few meters when they see a checking spot, wear it drive away. Once crossed they remove it again and continue driving. Same has been seen for Seat belts.

These rules are made for human safety and not filling the pockets of policemen etc. People fail to understand this part and keep blaming the police department for enforcing laws like these.

Some varieties of people are like the wear helmet loose and don't put on that fastener belt to protect the helmet from rolling over on an accident.

[datvichrox2]

The only way to make a person wear safety gear, is through their own realizations and experiences. They should go through or see something impactful for them to value its importance. Same happened with me.

10 years back, when I got my TVS Victor, I hated wearing the helmet. Until a month later, I hit an iron rod protruding from a bullock cart parked sideways (it was sunset time and we couldn't see the rod). The rod hit my helmet and the bike did a 360 in the air.

There were two other riders on the road who skidded and fell because of the iron rod. One of them was not wearing a helmet. He was hit in the middle of the face, taken to a hospital and later succumbed to his injuries. I was hit in the middle of my face too, but I was saved by my helmet, and I got away with a swollen lip.

This experience changed everything for me. I do not ride a bike, (even for test rides and trials after service), without wearing a helmet. I also make sure my mirrors and horns are working fine always.

I believe that it is the glamor factor that plays a huge role in deciding against wearing a helmet, at least in youngsters. Everyone want to be seen riding their nice bikes don't they? Maybe a completely transparent fibreglass helmet would turn things around?

I have come to a point where I have decided not to travel with some of my buddies who don't wear proper safety gear. If anything happens to them during a trip, it will definitely affect my life as well.

I have seen my friend riding pillion and holding in his hands, the helmet I got for him. Their bike skids and falls and he almost rubs his face on the tar. Later he is sitting pillion with me and he continues to hold the helmet in his hand instead of wearing it over his head! They don't understand that if one of us were to be seriously injured during the trip, the mental trauma is borne by all the fellow travelers and can be life changing.

I would like to point out that a rider without proper eye protection too can cause injury to other people on the road. I've seen riders temporarily close their eyes or turn away from the road when dust hits their eyes. That one second of blindness is enough to change lives.

The most common excuse I hear from riders is that they like to 'feel the wind in their face'.

[am1m]

Was in Pune for a couple of days, visiting a buddy who moved there from Bangalore recently. We went on a short ride on his bike, for a trek to Torna Fort. I don't know if it's all over Pune or if it was the case just in the outskirts (Wadhmukwadi, Hinjewadi) where I was, but no one in Pune seems to wear a helmet! I think maybe 1 in 50-60 bikers was wearing a helmet. And we were certainly the only bike on the road that had a rider and pillion (yep, I carried my helmet from Bangalore!) wearing helmets.

And the best part is that most of them were wearing handkerchiefs and other pieces of cloth to wrap their faces against the cold and the dust. I so wanted to shout out that a helmet would do that job better and even more!

Initially, I was wondering if it was worth the effort of carrying the helmet, but a few minutes on Pune roads and I began to wish I had packed my riding jacket and knee guards as well!

I guess enforcement really does go a long way towards making at least some of the people wear helmets.

[supremeBaleno]

People keeping the helmet on while in line to buy their favourite poison is something I have come across many times in Kerala. Idea being to safeguard one's privacy.


Jokes apart, not sure whether the reason is genuine interest in motorist safety or increase in revenue, but strict and regular enforcement has resulted in people in most parts of Kerala (not just cities, but small towns like the one I live in) ensuring they have helmet on while riding and belted up while driving. Tinted-windows are also monitored, though I doubt whether the 100Rs fine has any impact. A colleague had hired an Innova from TN to Munnar and promptly on entering Kerala, the driver was fined for driving without seat-belts on and also for having tinted glasses on the Innova.

Similarly cops have been provided enough breathalyzers and the continous checking for drunken driving (followed by heavy fines & punishment) have resulted in a drastic reduction in drunken driving in our town. Enforcement is the way to go - there is no doubt about it.

[SJD@NewDelhi]

Wow, thats quite a few well documented facts...thanks for enligtening us, rk206

[Sabareesh]

I rarely use my bike for commuting long distances, local trains are much faster for commuting in Mumbai. I always prefer train for commuting from Home to office ( Ambernath to Dadar - Approx 50kms). Since there were some problems in trains since morning today, I decided to ride down to the office.

Somehow I feel uncomfortable riding without a helmet. Its a habit which was ingrained by my Dad who used to tour a lot on bikes during his heydays.

While on road, I was horrified to see that 85% of riders don't even buckle up their helmets.. Wearing a helmet without buckling up is as good as not wearing one. People wear helmets just for the heck of it. While I try to ride as sedately as possible (sticking to left lane, maintaining 50-60 kmph speed on highways), I saw people cutting lanes, overtaking from left etc on the Eastern Expressway in the peak hour traffic. It bothers me when I see such reckless riding on highways.

Our community always promotes safety, we discourage drink and drive, rash driving, driving without seatbelts, riding without proper safety gear etc...

Can we do something to educate such commuters ?

It's in our social interest to promote awareness and make our city roads and highways safer and accident-free. Can we partner with the traffic police in our vicinity to conduct safety camps where we educate people ?

Let the ideas pour in.

P.S - Mods, I searched for a thread on similar lines before posting. If I missed it, please merge it along.

[am1m]

I don't think that any amount of 'awareness campaigns' can help a person who doesn't have the basic sense to protect his own head and what's inside it.

The only solution is enforcement. Drunken driving has come down in Bangalore not because of any awareness campaigns, but because people now know that with all the police checking on weekend evenings, there is a very good chance that they will get caught if they drink and drive, at least in the central part of town.

Similarly, if the government is really serious about reducing the fatalities in 2-wheeler crashes, they need to direct the cops to strictly enforce the helmet rule. And even bring out a pillion-helmet rule.

What we can do is enforce it on our own bikes. It took me a long time. My wife used to make such a fuss to wear a helmet. Then, I started refusing to take her on the bike till she wore her helmet. We've had a couple of minor arguments ("But it ruins my hair!", "That's better than having your face ruined in a fall!", etc. ) and a couple of times, we've even ended up taking the car instead of the bike (even when the bike would have been more convenient in terms of getting there quicker, parking, short-distance, etc.). But she's finally come around and now picks up the helmet herself whenever we have to take the bike.

I wish there really was something we could do to help a broader audience see the benefits of riding with a helmet always, but seeing the way people ride even with 2 kids and a wife on the bike, I fear that there is nothing someone else, except for law enforcement, can do.

[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 .

Getting a license in India is a joke. Drive a hundred meters in a straight line and you will get a driving license. I have lived and worked in UAE and most members on this forum are well travelled and have seen the world. Nowhere in the world is safety taken so casually. UAE license regime is tough. Most people need to take at least 30 hours of driving lessons before they can take a driving test. Most people who take a driving test do not pass it on the first attempt (the entire test program consist of 4 tests; 1 theory, 1 parking and 2 practical driving). It takes most of them several attempts to pass out. The result: more disciplined and skilled drivers. Ask any Indian in UAE to break a signal and run through a red light, he/she is going to look at you incredulously and say something like 'Are you out of your mind? We could be killed or seriously injured. And I could end up in Jail and loose my license'.

We too need a structured driving program that teaches safety and adherence to traffic rules. Also law need to be enforced and made more stringent. For most traffic violations, all one needs to do is pay a fine and walk away. As long as one can walk away with relatively minor consequences, these problems will continue.

[Shubz]

This is a "fun" Guide Indian Traffic

Helmets causes hair loss - Head loss better than hair loss?

Lack of riding discipline - Many two wheel riders think that it is their birthright to be occupying the right most lane. Even according to BTP, primary lane for two wheelers is the left most lane.

motivate only a few to change - why should there be any additional motivation of saving one's own life?

Fines as deterrents? - OH I am sure we all have seen the dog bowl kind of helmets people wear! with no fastening whatsoever!!

Can we do something to educate such commuters ? - Any sane person in their right frame of mind should not even - Cos, it is virtually impossible to educate despite so many incidents being reported, so many banners all over.

And the traffic signals are such a joke ! People blatantly jump signals and have no remorse at all.

The worst disease of all - incessant honking the moment - THE VERY MOMENT the light turns green!

[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 .....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.