Good that you started to wear helmets and a good suggestion you given there,many came across situations like you where the importance of helmet is understood later...

The best way is to promote using Media and in that the best option is News paper & Social Site like Facebook ...

I see thousands of active user here in xBhp if we all add simple xbhp tag in our bike(xbhp.com) people will get to know about it & will log in here & will automatically get used to safety...Creating environment is a issue not people ...

The "problem" in this case, in today's times, is accessibility. I am 31 years old and I started riding around somewhere between 2003. The year that I got my first job!

A lot has changed since then. Back then, we had less options for performance oriented motorcycles or motorcycles that looked beautiful! CBZ started a new trend in 2001 which was further elevated by pulsars and karizmas slowly. All this started after 2001. Now before that when I was in high school (year 2000 and before), there was nothing really to drool over in motorcycle market among many other things. What I (and many others like myself) used to do was to dream about "big" sportbikes that appeared to be some light years away back then. We didn't really have much options. And overall, the whole life style used to be much simpler and less complicated as compared to today. No mobile phones back then either. We used to have fun riding bicycles on small lanes inside our society premises, playing cricket/badminton/volleyball/tabletennis regularly when the clock would hit 5 pm in evening! That was more or less a daily routine.

Fast forward to now, and lots of things have changed since then. So many "cool" motorcycles to drool over, even in 150cc segment now! Mobile phones, Facebook, twitter and the likes have changed the way people interact with each other and live their lives. Nowadays, you'll find people updating things like "having tea" on facebook! I mean, what the hell!! Life styles have changed drastically and accessibility to many things has increased. People are earning more money than before thanks to the boom in private sector over the last decade or so, and hence purchasing power has increased as well.

When it comes to riding motorcycles and following rules. When today's school going kids (especially those approaching high school) see so many options around them, they have handful of reasons to pursue their parents to get them one of these. We can blame parents for being irresponsible by buying motorcycle(s) for their kids who have not crossed the legal age for being an adult. However, kids today pressurize their parents too much and can literally go to large extents to get things! The age group between 12 to 18 years is highly sensitive. So many changes going through a human body between this age group in both boys and girls. From experiencing ones sexuality to being an adventurous person, everything starts at this stage mostly. Not to mention impressing the opposite sex. Everybody feels like a king/queen of their own world!

But as accessibility increases, responsibility too. It's a classic example of "With more power comes great responsibility". Today, there's a greater need for awareness. Otherwise, just because of few hot headed smart asses out there, the whole motorcycle community earns a bad name.

Yes, i know i was wrong back then. but as 'Satellite Kid' said back then things were quite different. But nowadays, not sure about other great cities of our country but in Mumbai - oh dear, there are so many insensible drivers out there. they just don't have patience to wait, everyone is in hurry. So many times i have requested fellow bikers not to honk when its not needed. but some have said - 'Naya Naya driver hain lagta hain'. Most of the time i just don't spoil my mornings. so whenever somebody honks behind i just pull over and ask him to go, sometimes they get shocked - like what the Heck - why is allowing me to go? i just smile and let him go. But everybody here knows - people are really forgetting the road/traffic sense. When i will be back in mumbai, first thing i will do is - will have a xbhp sticker on my helmet and a message' wear helmets' for sure. I think we should have a small campaign 'Shabaz bhai' on roadside along with Traffic police (sundays) just to spread the awareness.

But like i always feel - 'life starts when you start riding' but along with it comes responsibility.

@aargee : sir i do understand that children of bigger age die due to their attitude and no point in banging head with them . But i was talking about the children from 5th std to 8th maybe who would understand clearly i guess .

I know and i am sure that i will convert his mind towards safety.
And regarding gifting him a helmet, he doesn't have a bike.
He is requesting me for an ACTIVA or MASTREO but i am declining it for two reasons:-
1. He is not ready to wear helmet. So what i do is i frustrate him so much that he ultimately agree to wear helmet for the sake of getting a bike.
2. I am thinking of buying a bike for him next year instead of scoot. It is because as i have mentioned he has no father and his mother works for a private company. Also they are dependent on my maternal grandfather so if i buy him a activa or mastreo then it will be difficult to foot the bills of petrol as those will hardly return 50 kpl. And i am also from a middle class family and thus my salary is limited. My father is a bank manager so his salary is also limited and my sister is studying so he spends a lot. So i cannot ask him money. So i am thinking of buying him a bike next year as my installment for extreme will be over and also he will be of legal age for riding bike.
I am scolding him when he is asking for bike. But i have decided that in his next birthday i will gift him a HERO IGNITOR (disc brake) which will be perfect balance of power,mileage, and style for him. But i have not told this to anyone, not even my mom and i will give him the surprise on his birthday evening.
My planning is that i will go to office that day normally and while returning i will give my bike to my friend for taking to my home and i will buy the ignitor and go to gift him. While he will be cutting cake i will hand him a small box which will contain the key. And also i will gift him a studs full face helmet with graphics which will look cool for him.
I have decided ignitor because he likes his friends stunner and since we own 6 hero in family so next bike will be ignitor. Also every hero showroom and staff knows me well and thus my brother will face no difficulty in service and spares.
So guys what do you think about my surprise. Will it be good for his next birthday.
I am currently switching job. I will join as a officer in federal bank. So i think i will be able to afford the gift.

And regarding making understand my cousins friend parents it is impossible. The fact is that they are quite rich and thus they are proudy and they will never listen to me. They are local peoples and thus they do not know how to behave with others. So i have left that option and my only aim is to make my brother aware of biking. I am thinking him to make him join xbhp in a couple of days.

Have been to mumbai twice since our branch office is located in navi mumbai and i have seen some scenes like you said especially on tharavi side..
And it is appreciatable that you want to contribute some awareness to the society sticking those slogans on helmet ..

and yes, when you start riding with passion responsibility too comes with you.

ALL THE BEST Ironhide shetty jee..

Vow, now that's a kind of Big Brother i would like to have. Your thoughts are really great man, just super bro. May your wish come true. but do let us know when this happens, we fellow bikers will wait. Takecare

So many like minded fellow bikers here. thanks bro

Saar...who hands over the bike or scooters to them? Do these jokers understand the consequences?

A PPT would be more than enough . No one is handing the bike but if you are ready then you are most welcome .
There was one incident near lonavala . I was doing decent speed of 30 as it was ghat and there was one more bike ahead of me (ct 100 or splendor) . Suddenly one P220 came from behind honking continouesly i was about to turn left to give him side and suddenly DUDE Overtake's me from left side only . Thankgod he missed me just by an inch. After just crossing me now he wanted to overtake that CT 100 from right side just trying to showoff . But the CT guy wasnt lucky CT guys front wheel touched the rear tyre of P220 . Luckly nobody got any fall .
After that CT guy told that "yeh kaya hai ( what is this )" then Pulsar guy told him "meri gaadi ko bhi toh laga na (even my bike crashed ) " . I was like what the F. So really no point in making them realise why helmet and all is compulsary .

You didn't understand my point quite well, did you

Who hands over the bike/scooter keys to a 5th grade & 8th grade students? Do they make enough money to buy one for their own or are their parents stupid enough to hand over the keys? Who should be educated? The Parents or the Kids?

In line with my earlier post and as aargee has written, the problem is the kids are given access to motorized vehicles at illegal age. Who is to blame? As a third person, it's nearly impossible to reason with a kid whose near and dear have distorted mentality about safety! Try to reason with someone like that and you'll get something like "When my parents don't have any problem then who the hell are you?!". It's a chain reaction. It is absolutely necessary beyond doubt that the awareness first needs to come from people who are dearest (like parents, brothers and sisters...even friends).

Ohh . Well atleast they would be buying in future .. But now i am confused too .. Will they remember the advise at the time of buying

One of my Police officer friend recounted his experience, when he went to schools to bring traffic awareness among kids in 2nd to 5th standard...
He asked " Can anyone tell me What is the purpose of the Zebra lines."
the reply " It is for us to cross the road ".
My friend.." Good , How many know about the Signal lights and what they mean "
Nearly half in the class knew ,and raised their hand.
So my friend asked " How many of you get dropped by your Daddy in a Car "
Many of the pupils raised their hands.
My friend singled out one of them and asked " Tell me what RED light means "
Pat came the reply " Stop"..
he continued,.." What does Green Light mean "
..." you can go "
Encouraged by the replies he asked "What does Orange Light mean "
.." GO FASTER "...