The Mountain

@Pradeepa:

Motorcycle helmets are not fashion accessories. They are a necessary part of your riding gear, along with sturdy shoes, a good jacket and hopefully gloves as well. After riding in the US for years and then moving here, I am constantly appalled by the poor safety habits I see here. I constantly see riders with their helmets balanced on one of their mirrors, or hanging from the grab rail. Recently, there was even a television commercial showing a rider who wasn't wearing a helmet, and to get past a police helmet check, the rider wore a watermelon shell. This is the height of irresponsibility.

When riders don't wear helmets, and are then involved in wrecks, the injuries are horrific (assuming they're not fatal). This then has the result of making the public think that motorcycles are not safe forms of transportation, as well as imposing major financial burdens on the families of those riders. It may be your head, but it's my (and everyone else's) tax money going to the hospital to help pay for your surgery. Not to mention, there are several anecdotes in this thread alone (and many more out there on the web) of the consequences of not wearing a helmet. Remember, there are two kinds of riders: those who have gone down and those who will.

__________________
ATGATT: All The Gear, All The Time!

Your helmet should be on your head, not your mirror!

Put the phone away and ride!

The Mountain

I have to rant a little too about the state of motorcycle helmets here in India. I realize that cost is an issue, and income scales are different. However, the quality of helmets produced by Indian companies is marginal at best and criminal at worst. Good helmets are available in other countries for the equivalent of about 5000-6000 rupees. This is not an unreasonable amount for someone to spend on a piece of protective gear that covers their most important body part. Why are helmets like this not readily available here? It's not a matter of technology, as basic helmets are nothing more than Thermoplastic and expanded polystyrene. It's apathy on the part of the manufacturers, who think that because people are buying what they have, there's no reason to make them better. Z1R is a perfect example of a helmet that provides superior protection at reasonable cost. The Z1R phantom costs about $110 in the US, and in a recent test provided better impact protection than the top helmets from companies like Shoei and Arai. It's not sold here, though.

Seriously, when you buy a helmet, do some research. I have seen international-quality helmets for sale at (far too few) dealers here, from companies like HJC and Joe Rocket. Even if you throw down for the Arai RX7, it's still cheaper than a new head.

__________________
ATGATT: All The Gear, All The Time!

Your helmet should be on your head, not your mirror!

Put the phone away and ride!