And that truth summarizes your post, although you're right.

In India, a lot happens according to the psych of the average constable rather than according to the law.

Guys, you better get some ISI Stickers and get them attached on your imported helmets. Its definitely not unjust. Nor illegal as far as I know.
Can anyone clarify whether putting an ISI sticker on a capable helmet is illegal or not?

Yes it is illegal. You can be booked under various criminal and civil sections for the practice. Only the Bureau of Indian Standards has the sole authority to issue stickers and certify that a product with the said sticker meets the standards laid out by the Bureau.

Hi,
It's not like what you think. Many of the international companies have stringent standard compliance (higher than ISI) since they predominantly are from race track. Also since they are not selling the helmets directly in India they need not have ISI mark even though they are compliant to the higher standard. LS2 is now selling directly under Vega brand that is why now they have ISI mark.
Many of the other brands are imported by the resellers hence ISI mark is missing but if tomorrow SHOEI opens a store or have a legal distributor then they will need to have ISI mark on their helmet. Similarly CE mark for European countries. Someone who have more knowledge regarding this business process can explain better.
^it will be illegal since ISI mark comes with a certification number (AFAIK). Also till they are tested & found compliant it will be illegal. Also ISI mark is printed on the helmet but not as a sticker.

I will put an ISI sticker on my helmet and see who is going to come and sue me for using it.

I agree with you completely, but I want to point out that the bit about ISI marks was added by amendment in 1994. Almost makes me think they deliberately did it to exclude foreign helmets and promote desi brands. After all, even prior to the amendment the definition of a helmet as per the act was more than adequate...

"(a) by virtue of its shape, material and construction, could reasonably be expected to afford to the person driving or riding on a motor cycle a degree or protection from injury in the event of an accident;"

Moreover, although the helmets we're talking about probably do exceed ISI standards, this has to be officially confirmed for any pandu to buy the story.

Both the government and these DOT and SNELL certified helmet companies are right in their own sense.

government wants to protect its people from dying in accidents by wearing helmets that are not capable of protecting their heads. government is doing so by making a standard and making a law that every helmet sold in this country abides by these standards.

now different helmet companies manufacture and sell helmets in different countries, they generally apply for and get certified for standards prevailing in countries they intend to sell their product officially.

now these companies do not intend to officially sell their products in india, these helmets are brought in majorly by shopkeepers, so they have not applied for ISI certification.

its not a question of whose standards are higher.

will western countries allow an indian company to sell helmets there with ISI mark, NEVER, not even if we make our BIS standards higher than DOT or SNELL.

so chill out guys.

and don't forget- if you do paste an ISI sticker on your imported helmet, also paste an imaginery CML No.- i.e. conformity licence number with number of digits same as on other indian helmets keeping starting few digits same.

Commissioner of Police Arup Patnaik seems to have taken very serious note of bikers wearing fancy helmets that do not bear the ISI mark.

A few weeks ago he had issued a circular asking his men to take action against people wearing cheap quality helmets.

Now, taking the matter a step further, Patnaik has warned the traffic incharge of various areas that they face suspension if zonal DCPs or Additional CPs besides he himself catch any rider without a helmet, or even wearing a helmet that is not ISI-marked.

In his earlier letter to the Traffic Control Branch, Patnaik had said that riders follow the helmet rule only for the sake of doing so, and don’t really understand that wearing protective headgear is important. He pointed out that riders wear helmets just to avoid getting fined, which he said shouldn’t be the case. He also said that he found many riders wearing plastic helmets used in factories, or even sports helmets. Some of them do not even strap on their helmets, thereby nullifying the effect of wearing them.

Earlier, Patnaik had ordered his officers to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards such flouting of rules, and to take strict action against offenders.

But on Saturday, he sent a message to the traffic department saying that if any offending biker is caught by the local police or the zonal DCP, then the traffic officer of that area will face suspension.

Zonal and regional heads have also been told to maintain a strict check in their areas, and to take action against defaulters. Sources said that Patnaik has also appointed a flying squad which will conduct surprise visits to different zones.

While the order has been met with a mixed reaction from the officers, Patnaik has called a meeting of DCPs of all zones and senior traffic police officers to discuss the matter.

Confirming the order DCP Nisar Tamboli, the official spokesperson of the Mumbai police, said, “The CP has issued directions against bikers using helmets without ISI marks and also bikers not wearing helmets. The traffic branch and local police have done a good job of following the orders and curbing the practise to a large extent. In the last three days at least 10,444 bikers have been penalised for travelling without proper helmets.”

ISI-marked helmets

ISI-certified helmets have a hard shell, additional lining, a chin protector and a shield for the face

The helmets absorb the entire shock in the event of a crash, protecting the rider from head injuries

These helmets have a clear or tinted face shield, known as a visor. Modular, or ‘flip-up’ helmets are also a good option

They have a chin bar that can be moved up

These full-face helmets are considered the best protective head gear; as they cover the head from all angles

Source: Cops to be held accountable for non-ISI helmets, News - City - Mumbai Mirror

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I am going to be making an email representation to Mr. Arup Patnaik requesting clarification upon the imported helmet issue.

If you guys are willing to support it, perhaps I could post the draft here and you could all send it from your own emails as well.

^^^ please do post. You can count on my sign for the same.

^^^Mine too..

Samarth, if you're making something in physical, pls let me know, I'll send across a signed petition; from my experience, the email stuffs don't work in this country.

The rule of having a country specific standards is dumb but the Indian Govt. is just doing what others are doing.Because most of the countries have their own Helmet Standards.for. eg. a DOT certified helmet isnt legal in Europe and a ECE certified helmet isnt legal in the US and a DOT,ECE & SNELL approved helmet isnt legal in AUSTRALIA unless they are Australian Standard (AS/NZS1698) approved
So just like US,Europe & AUSTRALIA ,INDIA needs their own safety standards.but the difference is how poor the ISI standard.
How stupid..atleast abroad the local standards are of good quality unlike here.


MAYBE we should make them understand that the Law should require just any of the Intl. or Local standards i.e DOT or ECE or ISI.clealry they arent aware of DOT & ECE

+1. Our govt. is run by a bunch of jokers. What can we expect from them. They don't even do some research before passing laws.

Things have changed. I know for a fact that emails are no longer ignored. But if we really want to do a signature campaign, it would definitely be more convenient for us to do it online since that way more people could attest to it than if it were a physical letter which would require someone to run around and have people physically sign on it.

I am, of course, open to sending a physical mail as well, with a mention in it that an email version with the attestations of xbhpians (and others) is also attached.

If I can get the draft ready today, we could spend the next week gathering signatures/attestations.

Also, if someone could please post exactly what specifications ISI 4151 (for crash helmets) requires, I'd be grateful. Googling hasn't turned up anything and I'd like to compare it with what's given for DOT and Snell, which is available online.

So guys, I have a DOT approved helmet... So, i have to pay fine..?? When will this fools at Govt. office change..?? Everyone knows just ISI..?? Thats extremely poor....

I am not really sure what a mass attestation would do in the matter. After all, the officer can easily argue that "We can't change the rules, only Indian Government can. We the cops merely implement them". And that will be the end of the discussion.

A better idea is to clarify Abhimanyu's idea (DOT/ ECE helmets exceed/ conform to the ISI standards, even without the ISI mark on them).
Make it look more like an "awareness attempt" than a "change the system attempt", and maybe the cops will help us in the matter.

(I know ISI was introduced to exclude foreign helmets like you said earlier in a post, but that benefit's at a government level, not at the constable level. The Cops might still agree on this.)


As for your ISI 4151 Helmet Specs, YES, I have them... Will post them soon.