[locusjag]

Originally Posted by aravindb_0711

Share your experiences and help me make all people wear helmets!

My maternal uncle retired from TVS Motors (Hosur) after 35 years in testing, R&D and racing.

When he was in testing - he and other riders would ride 800 Km in a day with trip-logs, noting down vibrations when bolts are torqued to a spec, or with a particular part bolted on, etc.

All riders from the factory are required to wear helmets, gloves, racing/riding jackets, shoes etc.

One of his colleagues had just completed a 700 Km ride and was back in the TVS Plant. He was tired and sweating copiously within his protective gear, so he took off his helmet and he thought he had kicked down the side-stand of the test motorcycle and leant over to let the motorcycle be at rest on its side-stand; only he hadn't, and the leaning bike gathered momentum in its falling arc and pulled him down. He fell and passed away tragically when his head impacted the ground.

Can you imagine - finishing a perilous 700 Km highway ride clad with all manner of protective gear, only to perish at the very end of the trip owing to a moment's laxity? He thought he had kicked the side-stand down and he had just taken off his helmet

It just goes to show how dangerous two-wheelers are. Why would anyone want to get on one without a helmet?

[krishnakumar]

There was a death in the distant family (my sister's in-laws' relative) who died out of complications from a head injury. It was a STANDSTILL fall on a scooter. The man was outside the petrol pump after fuelling up and a jeep inadvertently bumped into him at dead-slow speed (both of them coming out of the pump so you can imagine the speed).

The head injury lead to multiple complications and eventually death.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, don't know how to put it), I always have this incident with me to explain why a good helmet is necessary even if the speeds are low or if it's "just a short drive to the neighbourhood store".

[ScorpioYadav]

At any random traffic light stop, in any random city/town in India, you’ll come across many people with helmets on their heads but not strapped on or with torn straps.

While we are discussing inculcating the habit of wearing a helmet in our kith & kin, we also need to educate them to strap it on because wearing a helmet without it strapped, is like using a Punctured Condom.

Yes, this is the example which I gave to my younger brother when he started to learn how to ride a mobike.

[aravindb_0711]

TeamBHP does have a positive effect on people!

Four months ago, I made myself courageous enough to show my family this thread. The response I got was not one that I expected. Rather than chiding me for going online and discussing about this, they told that they would take steps to improve!

Fast forward to the present day, no one leaves my home without a helmet if they are using a two wheeler and everyone willingly uses their seatbelts on their car journeys.

Thank you TeamBHP! Your efforts have made one more family safer.

[adisan]

Originally Posted by locusjag

When he was in testing - he and other riders would ride 800 Km in a day...

The unfortunate incident certainly highlights the importance of wearing helmet even for the shortest rides.

On a different note, fascinating to hear these details about the TVS testing process. Difficult to imagine 800 km in a day on a two-wheeler! How frequent would such testing rides be for each person?

[Dr.Procastinate]

Well, wearing helmets in our country still seems to be the exception rather than the norm it should be.

My Dad was the one who inculcated this habit and has been religiously using one since his Army days but post retirement, I see him go out without helmets a few times, which he attributes to the weird looks he gets from fellow road users (which is an explanation I find unsatisfactory)

I always use a helmet whenever I ride my motorcycle, Even inside my college campus, which makes me an object of ridicule amongst my buddies, but hey, it is not that you have an accident only if you ride far. An accident might occur anywhere at anytime which is the exact reason of it being termed an "accident". Given the riding manners (or more precisely, the lack thereof) of the Pondy traffic and the even more senseless driving inside my esteemed institute, I would rather endure riducle than risk an head injury.

In order to reinforce this habit, I always leave my keys inside my helmet in my room so that whenever I pick my keys up, I take the helmet along too. Now, this is also enforced back at home. But getting people who ride pillion to wear one is still a daunting task, amplified by the inability to store 2 full size helmets while the motorcycle is parked.

I still think we should educate kids starting from their primary classes about road safety in the earnest, so that we create a proper understanding of the importance of the safety accessories used while riding.