Something about helmets riles a great number of people each time there’s a dialogue around making helmets a compulsion when riding. To some, wearing a helmet is second nature, but then there’s also those who think wearing one is an inconvenience, and not altogether helpful.
It’s the half baked theories around the importance of a helmet that encourages a great many folks to dis it. While there are studies galore that point in the direction of what role a helmet may play when one is involved in an accident, such studies fall to deaf ears.
An updated MV Act points to a dearer fine if one is found riding without a helmet. However, the folks in charge at Gujarat are having a rethink. Helmets are somewhat of a last bastion of defence when involved in an accident, but there are folks who view it more as an inconvenience than safety equipment.
So, while the mandate of wearing a helmet is intended to in someway arrest serious head injury in case of an accident, this common knowledge appears to have not struck a chord with some. Angry citizens have compelled Gujarat government officials to expedite the matter yet again.
The disparate response from angry citizens’ points to inconveniences like where one is expected to keep a helmet when a short commute is made to buy vegetables, or regular everyday chores. And as it stands, the said angry citizens have gotten what they want.
Wearing helmets is now optional in urban areas of Gujarat. This means wearing a helmet is optional in municipal corporations and within municipality limits is response to the volume of complaints received regarding wearing helmets within the city areas.
The same liberty isn’t extended to commuters whose rides take them through national or state highways, or village roads. The decision is based on the fact that usually in a city, folks don’t ride long distances on a two-wheeler.
At the same time, helmets available in India aren’t always entirely up to one’s taste or need. For instance, little kids who are 4 years old and above are required to wear a helmet. The market isn’t ready to cater to this age group yet.
Plenty of helmets are sold at absurdly low rates, and the market for these unscrupulous products is huge. Fake helmets have no utility and are a great choice owing to them being cost saving alternatives that allow people to pretend that they’re following the rules.
