Insidious

There hasn't been a moment, I'm sure, when we have ever thought twice about the fact that anyone commuting on two wheels with a motor HAS to wear a helmet at the least, if not any other safety gear. Quite obviously, none of us want to spill all that brains we have out on the road, and it has been unanimously agreed that just the 22 bones covering it will not do when riding even at a nominal speed.

But has it? Here, where I live, in Chennai, there is a traffic law that every two-wheeler rider is to where a helmet of ISI standards at all times. I am not really sure how many other states this rules has come into effect under, but I will tell you that I was one of the gladdest when the rule came into effect. Amusingly enough, I watched innumerable friends of friends scramble to helmet shops across the city to purchase the cheapest set of ISI standardized helmets they could lay hands on.

It has been around a year now since that law came into existence, and the numbers wearing helmets when they ride has dwindled down extensively. I realize this fact, as the very evening I write this on, I wove through a traffic block and came to the source of commotion. What met my sight was too grotesque to describe in detail, but nonetheless - there lay a corpse on the road. A corpse of man, who had cracked open his skull. Apparently, he had hit one of the stones lying in the middle of the road as a makeshift divider, and had taken a fall, cracking open his skull and dying.

Barely two sundays ago, I had helped another elderly man, who had had a similar accident, and was injured in the head. But luckily, this time, he was alive. Although there were people standing on the road, no one stepped forward to help. I stopped my bike, got down to cross the road, checked for his breath and called an ambulance. I called a few other people to help, and lifted the man to lay him down by the side of the road until the ambulance came. I waited till he was taken away by the ambulance, and his family was informed of his accident, and then left. I can only hope that he remains alive and is healing now. I do not know.

There are two things common between these accidents. The first of these being how stones and sand are left all over the road. Several roads near my residence do not have a median, and have big blocks of stones in the middle of the road. Whether they were laid out in an orderly manner I do not know, but they are certainly haphazardly laid now, and are quite dangerous. People on the right-hand side of their lanes are very prone to hitting them - especially owing to opposing traffic coming in at high beams. I wonder why nobody does anything about them. I am a hypocrite in saying that, seeing as I myself have given up the practice of sorting anything out after a try or two.

The second one, which you obviously must have guessed is the use of helmets. My friend and I counted on one busy road when we could - 43 out of 87 two wheeler riders that we counted while waiting in hectic traffic, were riding without wearing a helmet. Several of them saw fit to equip their tank with their helmets. I know how much we all love our bikes, but when we hit the tar, it is certainly not out bike's tank that's going to crack and bleed to death. I find people giving several opinions for not wearing a helmet - visibility hampered (how???), hair loss (wear an under-helmet cap!), uncomfortably sweaty or suffocating (much better than sudden violent demises), and so on and so forth.

Is this the same everywhere? Do people follow the helmet rule in other places?

I just wanted to find out about your opinion.

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Aryan

Topic Approved.

Nicely written article, if only each one of us would wear a lid (quality lid, mind you) while riding. The other day, I read a post by a xBhpian (I won't name him) who said that he seldom wears a lid while riding, which, simply put is pure foolishness on his part. Period.

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...in search of that perfect world - My Travel Blog :)

BOOO

I was saved from head injuries "few" times. most of them at excess speeds of 60. and yeah... I have to buy a new one (4th).

1st: GP one (I was foolish enough to use it for 3 accidents 1 cow @40, 1 dog ~70, one loose gravel @40)
2nd: GPR with a dragon painting. (hit an ambulance at 60+)
3rd: all black GPR. (hit a cow at 90+)
4th: ???

for those who are worried about hair loss (hair loss???) helmets actually help you save your hair. they protect from all the dust and smoke.

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Ride with Angels

leon_nerd

Those who really care about themselves wear it. Those who don't will find umpteen reasons not to wear it. I too see people carrying helmets on their tanks or elbows. Maybe they love their tanks and elbows more than their head. For me it has become a part of my bike. It is not something I wear conciously anymore. I just CANNOT ride a bike without a helmet now. I feel naked without a helmet. Moreover, with the kind of pollutants floating around I cannot ride the bike even for a km, to nearby market. I tried few times and always end up having dust particles inside my eyes.

If people don't understand the value of helmet, time will make them understand. And the less fortunate ones will not even get that time to understand.

Thunder

Well Helmets save lives ----- Have u heard this story because of a Helmet a Boy has to Bed rest for 6 months

Yes because of the Helmet it all happened

The scenario is the same
A Marketing person - riding his Splendour with Helmet in his Tank and closing it with his thigs.....
He stopped at the corner of road for a Phone call -- he hook off his Right leg and all of sudden the Helmet fell down -- and the crazy thing is that it rolled to the middle of the road - there came a speeding Indica - the driver saw the Helmet and steered it right suddenly - the near by motorcyclist in Passion Plus - was thrown away fashionly - fact is that he was wearing a Helmet and left away with the injuries in his hands and legs..........

What the fact is - the Riding gear which is for protecting injuries - has made another person Injure.....Things should be used correctly - else - it will leed to only these kinds of Accidents...............

I really hate when people - keep thier helmets in Tanks - or hanging it in the Mirrors --- or clipping them with ther Helmet Holder

The last and smiling factor is that - the helmet that rould over the road - doesnt even had a breakage or major scratch

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.......Just a Biker.......

Neo_da1

Apart from the falls i experienced it constantly helps while riding too.

I was on a ride to karnala last month, and while returning back suddenly a big pebble on the road was flung towards me by the tyre of an SUV in front of me. Its velocity was so high that when it hit my visor(which fortunately as usual was closed) it made such a noise that i cant imagine it hitting my eye or forehead. If i was not wearing my helmet i was surely gonna fall with its impact. So we all should know that it always helps wearing(with visor down) the helmet when on a ride.

Apart from the day i got my bike(as i thought it will be delivered by te importer at my place)...i have always rode it wearing the helmet.

theslayer

Was it at Egmore?

Felt the same way you did when the helmet rule came into place. It was funny and pleasing that for once there were more head with lids on than heads without hair. It is pathetic now... A helpful pillion who grabs the lid off the tank and plonks it on the riders head when a signal approaches, the RVM which is defeated in its purpose and instead acts as a helmet stand, mobile one that too, mind you.. It is all so nerve wrecking..

And there's the other bunch of people who ride around with wifey's riding pillion with a 2 year old kid in the middle. Scares me shitload.

If this keeps on going and I've to survive through all this either I quit riding, or learn to sweep away the nerve wrecking tension and irritation without the help of Kings and Wills..

themadrussian

i admit to not wearing a helmet when i started riding

pulled a wheelie and landed on an activa

passed out for 5 mins

never rode without a helmet since then even if the journey is 100 meters

neil.jericho

Was watching Seinfeld yesterday and Jerry was talking about helmets while he was doing his usual closing lines. What he had to say was really interesting and more or less along the lines of whats below

"What is it about helmets ? After years and years of doing stupid things that damage our heads we finally came up with the helmet. Wouldnt it have been easier to stop doing these stupid things (am sure all of us bikers will disagree with an unparalleled fierceness) and save our brains in the process.

And then the Government goes and makes wearing a helmet compulsary while riding a bike. So basically youre forcing a guy whose brain is too stupid that he doesnt want to save it, to wear a helmet and save his brains ...."

Personally I have been wearing a helmet since the day I bought my bike & never ever ride around without it. I find it really stupid that people ask me why are you wearing a helmet ? After all youre going to a place 2 minutes away .....

The wierd part about helmets is that it takes a lot for people to finally accept that they have to wear one. And then they dont wear the clasp that will prevent the helmet from sliding out in case of an accident. How dumb is that? Off hand I was watching Bangalore riders last week and roughly 18 - 19 out of 20 riders dont wear the clasp on their helmet. Morons....

animeher

In initial years, I didn't wear helmet in city riding, because I hated carrying it everywhere. But when I returned to Pune a year back, seeing the traffic here, and seeing everyone is 'licensed to kill', the next day I bought a studds helmet with big front opening specially for in-city use. I found out that on highway, i prefer my Vega helmet with bit narrow opening, and a black visor. In city, I love the studds with its big viewing area, and transparent visor.

A small tip if you want to use helmet all the time, but are putting it off simply because u have carrying it over. Buy a cycle lock, the small flexible lock, around 1-2 ft long, and hang it to your rear grip. I have one, and it serves the purpose beautifully. Me and my wife always take our helmets with us, and while we are away, the lock takes care of both the helmets, sitting nicely upright on the seat so that the helmets are not upside down, thus not allowing rain/mud/dirt to enter. Plus, unlike the proper helmet lock, it's easily removable, so you can transfer it between bikes.