[Nitin]

Originally Posted by Pankaj401

I work there. And guess what? I saw this guy leaving the office without helmet. Right in front of the security guard. I was about to ask the security but then...it wasn't something unseen before.

Oh God!! To think if it,you saw the guy probably 15-20 mins before he passed away. Scary thought.
Reminds me of a family friend's daughter who died in an accident way back in 1996.She was studying in St Joseph's college,and my brother spoke to her as she was going back home around 5pm. Around 5.30pm,she was hit by a tempo in Koramangala,and died on the spot. The truck went over he head,so there was no chance of survival. I think its only in the past couple of years that the family came to terms with the loss.
Pretty sure a lot of people here would know the family,since her brother's associated with a popular rock band in B'lore.

[sqwall]

Originally Posted by ethanh_hunt

Sqwall, this guy was from my organisation. We got an email informing us of his sad demise. He is survived by his Father. Very sad indeed. He had just joined the company a few months back. I just hope people drive with more sense.

Are you sure he was not wearing a helmet? Cause I want to take up this with our admin guys to make the helmet rule compulsory for everyone in our organisation as well

Yes I am quite sure he had no helmet on

[Pankaj401]

Originally Posted by Nitin

Oh God!! To think if it,you saw the guy probably 15-20 mins before he passed away. Scary thought.
Reminds me of a family friend's daughter who died in an accident way back in 1996.She was studying in St Joseph's college,and my brother spoke to her as she was going back home around 5pm. Around 5.30pm,she was hit by a tempo in Koramangala,and died on the spot. The truck went over he head,so there was no chance of survival. I think its only in the past couple of years that the family came to terms with the loss.
Pretty sure a lot of people here would know the family,since her brother's associated with a popular rock band in B'lore.

Well not really. I meant I work for

a big automation IT company located on Banergatta road and who opened up a big campus on outer ring road recently

[thefreak]

The attitude with helmets and seatbelts is definitely surprising but very much evident.

The taxis in NCR are an example:
We regularly take taxis when going to the Airport or Railway station from Faridabad. All the taxi drivers would drive without helmet and then when Delhi comes up they would first cuss the cops and then put the seat belt around it. The seat belt is so lose that an elephant would slip through and that too with ease.

People just dont value their life and also, by driving like raving maniacs, of others.

Also I worked for a software co in Infy (once upon a time types) and we had the rule of no one without a helmet being allowed in. There were scores of morons who would come and park outside or pillions who would come without a helment and get off at the gate and walk in. Kind of strange that people give so less importance to safety even after being so educated.

[Samurai]

Our company employees also used to ride to work without helmet. Once we moved into an independent premises, the helmet rule at the main gate put a stop to that. Not even visitors are allowed to get their bikes inside if they don't have helmet. So I routinely get to see visitor bikes parked outside.

[vivekiny2k]

Originally Posted by Nitin

Reminds me of a family friend's daughter who died in an accident way back in 1996.

now similar thing happened to one of our family friends too. i happened to sit as a pillion with her once, and man that was scary. she entered a main road without looking on both sides, and the car behind us had to screech to a halt. she just shrugged it off and kept riding.

I wish i had educated her before it was too late. makes me think, Do we really know if all drivers on the road (including our own family members) even realise the importance of simple rules of driving that can save our lives. I kinda took it for granted until I saw my brother making some strange mistakes on the road, like not keeping enough distance when it rained.

[rks]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

I wish i had educated her before it was too late. makes me think, Do we really know if all drivers on the road (including our own family members) even realise the importance of simple rules of driving that can save our lives.

Most two-wheeler drivers on our roads have an appalling road sense. They routinely vilolate the single-most important principle of safe driving, namely, never make another driver brake. E.g. while cutting into main roads, cutting lanes, overtaking an accelerating vehicle and then cutting into its path, etc., etc. They seem to have graduated to two-wheelers after driving bicycles (and maybe not even that) and do not seem to understand the difference in driving a powered vehicle on the main road.

Many of these drivers (especially the ladies) cannot maintain their balance while slowing down or turning and drag their feet along the road. They keep their foot (or hand) on the rear brake while driving and do not use the front brake at all, which leads to poor stability while braking, increased braking distance and lower brake life. Of course they drive at a painfully slow pace and often do not maintain distance or anticipate potential braking situations in time.

The blame lies fairly and squarely with our RTOs and their ridiculously inadequate road test while issuing driver's licenses, not to mention their corrupt practices.

[sfilinto]

Originally Posted by ajitkommini

Do we really need some outside agency to 'enforce' a rule for our own safety? I think the bigger question is why don't people value their own lives enough to wear helmets?

absouletelly right. IMHO the cops enforce the rules only when they want an opportunity to make some money. i always advocate using good helmets ( not some cheap one which would not protect you ) & always wearing seatbelts even on short rides.

[naveenroy]

I work in a large IT company in Electronic City and take the cab and only ride to office once a week. I make it a point to ride with a decent jacket, boots, gloves and a good quality helmet especially since I take the NICE road to work. But educated fools all - I have heard smirking questions on why I have to "show off" with all this "equipment" when I am just coming to office. I am also asked why I do not wear one of those "frying pan" helmets which look so "cool" on a Thunderbird. Some even suggest me getting a open-face helmet since it would be "cool" on my bike. I have tried telling them that it makes no difference if I am left with only half a face!
But seriously, I think so many are not really "educated". Even people who would otherwise invest so much money in having a safe life (house, investments etc) do not understand that they stand to lose it all in one fleeting second. Is not investing in some common sense common sense?

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

I work in a large IT company in Electronic City and take the cab and only ride to office once a week. I make it a point to ride with a decent jacket, boots, gloves and a good quality helmet especially since I take the NICE road to work. But educated fools all - I have heard smirking questions on why I have to "show off" with all this "equipment" when I am just coming to office. I am also asked why I do not wear one of those "frying pan" helmets which look so "cool" on a Thunderbird. Some even suggest me getting a open-face helmet since it would be "cool" on my bike. I have tried telling them that it makes no difference if I am left with only half a face!
But seriously, I think so many are not really "educated". Even people who would otherwise invest so much money in having a safe life (house, investments etc) do not understand that they stand to lose it all in one fleeting second. Is not investing in some common sense common sense?

Abroad, people wear proper gear while riding. Here most people do not consider it required. I was also wondering why it is so.

[lohithrao]

PatienceWins, cause most of us (Indians) have taken life for granted..

Here everything has to be implemented through a law though its beneficial for the individual and over that most of the people break it!

[McLaren Rulez]

Well you know this helmet/seatbelt problem is not a purely Indian one. Few decades back, people in many Western countries disliked it when the seatbelt rule came into effect there. The things people did to not wear seatbelts was incredible. There was even a T-shirt with two black strips that made it look like the driver was wearing a seatbelt when he wasn't. Today, things have changed there so hopefully, ten or so years from now, India will also change.

[arin_12]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Today, things have changed there so hopefully, ten or so years from now, India will also change.

Problem here is the pace of movement. As you all know that in India things move very slowly...

Originally Posted by naveenroy

But seriously, I think so many are not really "educated". Even people who would otherwise invest so much money in having a safe life (house, investments etc) do not understand that they stand to lose it all in one fleeting second. Is not investing in some common sense common sense?

People Invest lots of money for Insuring their family life (Safe guarding parent/spouse's life ) but don't invest some small amount for their own life.

[sanjayatarizona]

I remember that the most pathetic take on this scenario a few years ago(when there was a mandatory helmet rule implemented in many states)came in from a leading national daily, which put up a cartoon strip, which indicated a guy lying dead on the streets(due to an accident) with his helmet on and a passerby remarking cheekily that dead or not atleast the head was safe due to a helmet.

Nuf said...