Motorcycle helmets - For and against

[lee]

Motorcycle helmets - For and against
By Steve Graham
Udon Thani Magazine Issue 13 Quarter 3 2010. © udonmap.com

One of the many laws in Thailand that is ignored by Thais and foreigners alike is the motorcycle helmet law. What I find particularly amusing is the lengths people go to in order not to wear a helmet. I ask you, just how many times do people have to be stopped by the police for not wearing a helmet before they realise they are paying a lot of money for……. Well, not wearing a helmet!

I can understand that when you are young and are in that rebellious phase of life as my kids are going through at the moment, it is appealing to have the feeling of freedom that accompanies riding a motorcycle without a helmet. But once you’ve seen a dead body as a consequence; and that death and or injury could have been avoided by wearing a helmet in the first place, it sort of makes you wonder why people in Thailand have such an aversion to wearing one.

During one of the courses that I taught at Udon Thani Rajabhat University, we debated the wearing of crash helmets and some of the discussion points were quite amusing. I managed to find out that some students would consider wearing a helmet for protection. I asked what they were protecting themselves against and I was informed UV protection. They didn’t want to buy any more skin whitening cream than was necessary because they were getting a tan while riding around Udon.

One girl said that she was so beautiful that she wanted to share her beauty with everybody. I explained to her that she wouldn’t look so beautiful after 30 meters of gravel-rash had taken the sheen off her good looks, but this didn’t seem to bother her. What concerned her more was that one of the boys told her that she wasn’t so beautiful, so maybe she should wear a full face helmet so we would be spared the sight.

The financial implications are also favourable as the fines that are paid out for breaking the law soon mount up and a cheap-charlie plastic bucket on your bonce would only be a fraction of the price; however, that would be getting away from the point of saving lives and the good looks of our youth of today. Just think how much quicker journeys would be if you didn’t have to stop every 2 kms to pay 200 baht to the boys in blue.

To be truthful, the majority of helmets that are sold in Thailand are not up to any form of international standard and offer as much protection as a chocolate fireguard; however, when you’ve seen the damage that can be avoided by wearing a helmet, it seems stupid not to. But what would I know, my motorcycle days have been and gone and my children consider me a dinosaur at the best of times. I will need to use the seatbelts in my car to ensure I don’t become extinct like the rest of the dinosaurs that dream of freedom and the feel of the wind running through their hair (if in fact I had any hair).

In the Graham household we are spoilt for choice as to the different types of helmet that we can ignore before riding around Udon Thani on our bikes.

helmets.jpg (53.31 KiB) Viewed 420 times

This motorcycle comes with an extra large ashtray as standard.

helmets2.jpg (53.09 KiB) Viewed 420 times

[bumper]

I don't need a law saved my life three times. I don't really care what others do.

[rickfarang]

Yep, every time my helmeted head bounces off the ground, I can see that one bounce easily justifies riding with a helmet for many years.

[maaka]

40yrs of motorcycling and still going..wouldnt be without a skid lid (helmut)..I have hit several cars in my time, slid for god knows how manys miles along tarsealed and metal roads, even across into oncoming traffic, and under cars..I wouldnt be here if it wasnt for wearing a helmut, two jackets, and a good pair of gloves, and two pair of jeans on long road trips.
Ive had young thai friends have motorbike accidents when not wearing a helmut, and they were not a pretty sight in udon hospital..Heads swollen to the size of basketballs..thank god they slowly came right...I was once the james dean rebel motorcycle outlaw, long hair blowing in the wind, but afew bashs on the old scone soon got me to wear a helmut...

[nkstan]

It seems to me to be a matter of enforcing the law with penalties stiff enough that helmuts would be worn.Public notice,for 30 days, that any rider without a helmut will have their bike confiscated and sold to provide free helmuts for those who need them,would do the trick ,IMO!

One might think that it should be an individual right to not wear a helmut,which might be true,but the costs and effect are very costly to the community at large,because M/B's seem to be the the majority mode of transport in Thailand!

[bn]

It seems to me to be a matter of enforcing the law with penalties stiff enough that helmuts would be worn.Public notice,for 30 days, that any rider without a helmut will have their bike confiscated and sold to provide free helmuts for those who need them,would do the trick ,IMO!

One might think that it should be an individual right to not wear a helmut,which might be true,but the costs and effect are very costly to the community at large,because M/B's seem to be the the majority mode of transport in Thailand!

You do realize this makes you a textbook communist right? Government bureaucrats making laws covering all aspects of the people's behavior based on a "social good". That is communism. That is not liberty where people make their own decisions based on their own beliefs and "cost/benefit" analysis whether people like you approve or not.

And the Government stealing poor people's mode of transportation would have far greater costs and societal disruption then the few extra injuries per year caused by people not wearing helmets.

But please carry on! Kids driving at 20-30km/hr down the street to school is the number one problem in the world and must be stomped out.

[parrot]

Suddenly there're a whole lot more communists in the world than I originally thought. Guess that'd include all those in favor of seat belt laws as well......oh, and add child seats.....mandatory electrical grounding.....fire escape routes......stop signs.....meat inspections.
I'm sure this has something to do with Obama not being an American-born citizen.

[thrilled]

I don't like to wear them,but 200 baht fines at udon,i wear them sometimes.

[nkstan]

It seems to me to be a matter of enforcing the law with penalties stiff enough that helmuts would be worn.Public notice,for 30 days, that any rider without a helmut will have their bike confiscated and sold to provide free helmuts for those who need them,would do the trick ,IMO!

One might think that it should be an individual right to not wear a helmut,which might be true,but the costs and effect are very costly to the community at large,because M/B's seem to be the the majority mode of transport in Thailand!

You do realize this makes you a textbook communist right? Government bureaucrats making laws covering all aspects of the people's behavior based on a "social good". That is communism. That is not liberty where people make their own decisions based on their own beliefs and "cost/benefit" analysis whether people like you approve or not.

And the Government stealing poor people's mode of transportation would have far greater costs and societal disruption then the few extra injuries per year caused by people not wearing helmets.

But please carry on! Kids driving at 20-30km/hr down the street to school is the number one problem in the world and must be stomped out.

I think you make it seem that this is an individals right without any effect on the rest of the citizenry.Health costs(especially long term care for head injuries,collateral damage to others involved in the accidents,greiving parents and friends,increased insurance rates etc. etc. have no consideration in your ideas,not to mention the example of irresponsible behaior as an example to all the other children to follow.

If you,by chance,have read many of my posts,you would find that I am a staunch supporter against bereaucracy,socialism,communism etc.,not because of their titles or theoretical ideals,but because the majority of people are selfish and become lazy and nonproductive under those systems,causing them to eventually implode.

Ideal gov't has to serve the needs of the people w/o creating monstorous bereaucracies!

It is not stealing anyones M/B,it would be a direct extreme cause and effect penalty that would insure compliance and those that chose irresponsibility would serve those that are to poor to but helmuts!Stealing is what is going on now,setting the fine low enough,that it has no effect,allowing the police to leisurely meet their gov't and
personal quotas without actually having to work full time!

I think saving and helping the children of the World by example and rule of law,is probably the most important problem of the World,obviously ,you don't,not being my ''kind of person''!So it would be interesting to hear what solvable problem of the World ,you think is more important and how you would solve it w/o gov't intervention???

[firsttimebangkok]

Hey if you dont want to wear a helmet who cares...as long as you are willing to cover all expenses of a head injury, out of your own pocket.