[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by Bhargav7

If I understand correctly, you are not okay with carrying a helmet or using someone else's helmet. Let me tell you, your head is way more valuable than these inconveniences .
.

Just to be clear, I wont drive even 200m inside my society without a helmet. But I cant say for the others because (especially in Pune), I dont see this rule getting popular at all. To visualize a regular lower-middle-class family on a commuter bike with husband +wife+1infant/kid/juvenile adult to all wear helmets, especially a lady in a saree and handbag etc is expecting too much.
We are after all a country where workmen carry their ladders and rods riding pillion, hazards to other road users be damned. And expecting them to wear a helmet now? Not going to happen without draconian level enforcement, for which administration may not have the will.

[anjan_c2007]

This new law is being applied to the entire state of Maharashtra. Major cities are starting the screening and errant riders and their pillions are getting booked. Didn't read about the rural areas till now but for many cities in the state, the law is applicable.

If someone is driving with a helmetless pillion from MP, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat or Karnataka into Maharashtra even he or she becomes culpable. That's ironical.

The law has merits while driving on the highways and also city roads where speeds of 40kmph plus are maintainable. But not in crowded marketplaces where doing even 10-15 kmph is unusual. In such crowded places there are almost nil to very few serious accidents.

The point is law enforcement. Checks can be made on highways and roads where vehicles move at speeds above 40 kmph and also near accident prone spots that the traffic police are much aware of in every city. Its pointless to check for pillion rider helmets in crowded places due to reasons stated above.

But given a new law read weapon, we will have defaulters, errant drivers and corrupt cops working in tandem to overwhelm the system. The official fine for the pillion without helmet is Rs 500=00 and hence bribes of Rs 100-200 will be commonplace for errant riders to break free. But the CCTV detections and challans are invincible and unavoidable.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by GTO

The main pain point though will be carrying that 2nd helmet when not in use. E.g. If I'm riding to work solo in the morning, and then picking up my girl in the evening after work. If I ride a sporty bike, it sure as hell is going to be a mess carrying it at the back. And if its an expensive helmet, I'll have to walk into work carrying two helmets.

Leaving the helmet with her isn't an option as tomorrow, an office colleague could be my pillion. The second helmet has to stay with the bike / rider, and not the pillion. I think more than anything, it is this problem that is restricting widespread helmet usage by pillion riders.

Helmet bags.

I am dropping few links, can come handy when carrying two lids around. Will also add, it will be a pain to carry two helmets. Since, most enthusiasts don’t really ride with a pillion as dynamics go for a toss. But, if your commute is a pain or are left with not many options please do have a look.

https://backpackies.com/blog/motorcy...lmet-backpacks

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...ku_id=10066018

https://bikesaddicts.com/best-motorc...helmet-holder/

From India https://viaterragear.com/shop/luggag...rra-helmetbag/

[warrioraks]

This rule has been in Delhi since ages. And it’s now practically a norm for the pillion to buckle up. I am surprised there are states in India where this rule is not implemented till this day. Absolutely a step in the right direction

Originally Posted by GTO

Pains me to always see the dude riding the bike with a helmet on, and his girlfriend / wife behind without. Is her head any less important?

Originally Posted by Axe77

Absolutely!! Can’t agree more on this. Just last Saturday, I saw a Kawasaki Z800 (I was so appalled I had screenshot the plate - MH12 MM 4159) on the highway entering Bombay around Vashi with the rider wearing a helmet and his female pillion without a helmet, wearing open shoes and a knee high dress!!

If the rider is reading this, I dearly hope he’ll take better care going forward.

In a car, if people on the rear seat don’t wear a seatbelt, we don’t blame the driver. Similarly, I don’t see how the riders should be blamed for female pillions not wearing a helmet.

Based on anecdotal evidence, I can say females are more hesitant to wear helmets as compared to men. Just bring this topic up with a female and you can expect variety of excuses - Hairstyle getting screwed up, lack of female friendly helmet designs and colours, no other lady wears it, etc etc. To a large extent, this problem of pillions not wearing helmets can be attributed to general lack of safety awareness in our country rather than any he/she factor being in play.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by warrioraks

Similarly, I don’t see how the riders should be blamed for female pillions not wearing a helmet..

I know what you’re saying and I’ve faced the same complaints. As a rider, what I have done is flatly refuse to give them a ride without one.

I have NEVER allowed my wife or my son to sit behind me if they are without a helmet. Whether on the N Torq scooter or a superbike - applies regardless of distance, so even if we go to the market hardly 1.5 kms away.

[kosjam]

Originally Posted by sjain2054

Now, with this new helmet rule, I wonder how these services will work. Even if they start providing a helmet, I don't think I want to wear a helmet which has had other random heads in it!!

Its almost impossible for me to carry around a helmet of my own because I never know when I take a bike or a taxi and carrying it around is silly!

There is a workaround. You can look for a good quality shower cap, or a helmet skull cap, which can be washed and folded away into your office bag when you are commuting in a 4 wheeler.
This will make you more secure while using the helmet provided by rapido/ola bike etc.


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[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by GTO

I think more than anything, it is this problem that is restricting widespread helmet usage by pillion riders.

Nay! You’re being too nice in your assumption here, giving the benefit of doubt

The biggest reason is still the fact that people wear helmet only to escape from cops and not to protect themselves. Heck, even the average rider would not wear one if given a chance.

Transporting/carrying a second helmet only begins to be the primary concern if both the rider and the pillion want to wear a helmet.

So the biggest reason that’s restricting widespread adoption of pillions wearing helmet is that they don’t want to wear one. Same goes for the rider also but that’s a rule enforced in many places so people comply. Even then you can see the amount of useless shells riders wear or even if they are wearing proper helmets how they keep it unstrapped.

Originally Posted by warrioraks

l
In a car, if people on the rear seat don’t wear a seatbelt, we don’t blame the driver. Similarly, I don’t see how the riders should be blamed for female pillions not wearing a helmet.

Well, I partially disagree! I think it’s the driver’s responsibility as well to ensure everyone’s buckled up. I don’t move my car unless all my passengers wear the seat belt. I get groans and whys when I enforce it, but it’s a rule they have to comply if they are travelling with me.

But yes, assuming the person is not willing to comply at all and you have no other choice than to transport them (ie can’t refuse a ride) then yes, they are the ones to be blamed. But near and dear ones, I ensure they buckle up.

[mohansrides]

I wear a helmet all the time; an expensive one that exceeds ISI standards at that. But typically that’s the only protective gear I wear these days. I don’t bother with most other riding gear. But that is a discussion for a different thread.

The point I want to make is that you can’t legislate intelligence. If people choose to expose their main body part to fatal injury, let them. I mean, the downsides of smoking are well known and people still smoke and we let them. So how is this different? Even using a fraction of your thinking bandwidth is enough to realise the positive difference that helmets make. So if you are choosing to ride without one, it is obviously a conscious choice. So why on earth are we burning tax payer money to protect idiots from themselves?


P. S.

The smoking analogy is not entirely accurate. Smoking in fact directly risks the health of non-smokers around the smoker. Not the case with helmets. If anything, smoking is what should be banned and then thoroughly enforced.

[DrCar]

I welcome any rules which helps save lives.

Yes, it can be difficult initially to carry 2 helmets always, because one never knows whom you meet on the way and decide to give lift to them. Few Bhpians have already posted solutions above. We will find a better solution in future too.
I myself have already bought another helmet for my wife the day I saw the news. Though we rarely take our bike out.

I also urge Governments to provide better pothole free roads within cities. Because major of the causes of bikers deaths are due to bikers losing balance as they panic after seeing a pothole ahead or the tyres losing grip within them.

On a side note : Please lock your current helmets properly for the next few days when you park your bike in unknown locality. Because as the deadline approaches, chances are there that thief who wants to make extra bucks or careless and lawless riders with pillion (who want to avoid a constable at the signal ahead), might flick the helmets from the bike parked in the vicinity. Happened twice with me in different cities a day before the deadline.

[rubicon]

Chennai police to enforce rule on helmet for pillion riders.

The Chennai city traffic police too started enforcing this from last week.

Officials said that - though the mandatory helmet rule for pillion riders was already in place, it was not strictly implemented due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On May 22nd 2022, they put out a press release and social media notification that starting the next day (May 23rd), there will be crackdown on violators.

This was followed by action - booking 3,926 cases in a day for the helmet rule violation.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...le65453570.ece

https://tvid.in/1x5sr4b99o/toi

[warrioraks]

Originally Posted by Axe77

I know what you’re saying and I’ve faced the same complaints. As a rider, what I have done is flatly refuse to give them a ride without one.

I have NEVER allowed my wife or my son to sit behind me if they are without a helmet. Whether on the N Torq scooter or a superbike - applies regardless of distance, so even if we go to the market hardly 1.5 kms away.

You sir are not only safety aware but have been able to make your family safety aware as well. I tried the same helmet rule with my wife and we ultimately ended up taking Uber more often than not
But not everyone might have the resources to skip their two wheelers and hence, that is why I feel this law is absolutely a step in the right direction. Just relying on the ability of the rider to convince the pillion to wear a helmet is untenable. So either government makes helmets compulsory for both - the rider and pillion. OR they can do away with the helmet rule completely for both the passengers. Middle-ground is where it stops making any sense.

[karthikrao23]

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

This rule is going to go away pretty soon as it is too politically inconvenient especially close to the local municipal elections.

It’s successfully implemented in Bangalore for at least 4-5 years. There was opposition at first but it’s followed. It should not be withdrawn at all costs.

[aniams]

As per the Motor Vehicle Act any person riding on a bike should wear a helmet. So a pillion rider automatically falls under the law. It's all about how the state wants to enforce it.

I am day dreaming "govt should impose the rule and the offenders be fined till they are used with the law. All the income from these should be directly counted against fuel tax" 😁

[silverado]

Too much to expect, but maybe they can make 2 helmet lock mandatory on two wheelers just like the saree guard.
For scooters its easy to implement as one helmet can be stored underseat, and other lock can be designed between front apron and seat.
For bikes the best place would be some mechanism which can lock two helmets on the seat ( Just like the bungee pic in earlier post ).

Easier to do for full face helmets. Helmet manufacturers should be roped in to ensure they design/provide some way to lock half face helmets easily.