Merry Christmas - 1,000 baht fines for not wearing helmets in Bangkok

[Happyman58]

4 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

 

Your attempt at logic is illogical. 

If someone is so worried about peoples welfare, then maybe start a campaign to outlaw smoking and drinking which is a self choice and kills thousands more then the non helmets.

Yes, I think not wearing a helmet should be a personal choice, not a crime.

So you are saying no law is required? Sit back everybody and do nothing Shaking my head in disbelief you think like that As for smoking and drinking where i come from they have had campaigns to stop smoking and drinking  But the difference here is they are killing themselves but continuing to smoke or drink and really are no danger to anyone but them selves  But here in Thailand or anywhere if you make a choice not to wear a helmet you are putting not only yourself at danger but what about the guy or lady sitting on the back of the bike not wearing one also Now 2 dead Laws are made to protect lives and if no safety laws are in place we might as well go sit in a corner Laws like this are not about being a crime its about trying to save people's lives Murder , rape etc are crimes  not wearing a helmet is trying to prevent loss of life. Unfortunately we live in a world where a simple warning like " Please wear a helmet" does not sink in therefore they have to resort to fines to show them they mean business

[anono222]

15 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

Whilst this is undoubtedly a good idea if you want to preserve human life, it doesn't say much for personal freedom.  If people want to drive around without protecting their head, let them.  Helmet or no helmet, the damage to anybody you crash into will be the same.

 

I wish I could drive my motorbike in the UK 2 minutes down the road to the shop and back without having to worry about where the helmet is.  A lot of people go to Thailand to get away from nanny and 'open prison' states.  Thais are some of the most free people in the world, let them do what they like.

Statistics have proven that most accidents occur within a couple of miles of your home.  My wife had never had an accident until last year; just going to the market for some sticky rice ya know!  A dog ran out in front of her and she bounced; will never get on a motorcycle without a helmet again.  Personal freedoms aside, the overall cost to society in health care, lost productivity and general safety is uncountable.  Countries that have implemented mandatory helmets have proven helmets, speed limits and laws, and safety belts do make a difference; accept it and move on.

[pattjock]

2 hours ago, Mr22Tim said:

They need some minimal standards in the construction of motorcycle helmets. Half of them offer little more than protection from the sun. Many people don’t even buckle the chin strap or have it so loose any impact would knock it off. 

But this is enough to comply with the law  perhaps a few public service ads on t.v. On the sky train ect. Might sink in . But as everything else in Thailand. Life comes down to good luck or bad luck , not common sense.

 

The law clearly states that the helmet used must be certified by TIS and have a TIS approval sticker. The law also states that the helmet must be fixed to the head with a chin strap.

 

[faraday]

So, as per bloody usual, the government try to change things for the better - albiet in their idiosyncratic, eclectic way & tv members criticise it.

Soon, you'll be saying that someone bought his watch by dishonest means...

[pattjock]

15 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

Whilst this is undoubtedly a good idea if you want to preserve human life, it doesn't say much for personal freedom.  If people want to drive around without protecting their head, let them.  Helmet or no helmet, the damage to anybody you crash into will be the same.

 

I wish I could drive my motorbike in the UK 2 minutes down the road to the shop and back without having to worry about where the helmet is.  A lot of people go to Thailand to get away from nanny and 'open prison' states.  Thais are some of the most free people in the world, let them do what they like.

 

Go ahead and drive without a helmet BUT ONLY IF you sign a waiver that you will have no claims what so ever against anyone in the case of head injury in an accident.

 

By driving without a helmet you are putting others at great economic and emotional risk in the case of severe injury or death in an accident.

[samsensam]

 

what's the chance of this being being implemented and managed effectively, consistently, (honestly) and permanently?

 

absolute zero.

 

next.

[neeray]

3 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

 

 

Glad you got your step daughter trained Happyman58. When I first started visiting Thailand and riding/driving scooters, I was a dumb farang who thought the freedom of no helmet was awesome.

But as 3 years passed and 4 more trips, I have amended my ways. Why? Because I am an avid reader/member of ThaiVisa. Reading the articles all too often about head injury from motorcycle accidents convinced me what a fool I had been. On the next trip, I plan to purchase the best helmet possible and keep it at my GF's place ..... not use those cheap ones that the rental shops provide.

[01322521959]

If the BIB could just enforce it as a matter of course. I have lived at my condo in a soi in BKK for over 14 years and the number of motorcyclists wearing helmets has gone down over the years. A plea to the BIB, Please just enforce the law. 

 

[dfdgfdfdgs]

4 hours ago, pattjock said:

Go ahead and drive without a helmet BUT ONLY IF you sign a waiver that you will have no claims what so ever against anyone in the case of head injury in an accident.

 

 

I assumed if you were not wearing a helmet your policy would not pay out for damage to your head, is that not the case?  Most travel insurance policies have a clause to that effect, I have no idea about the Thai companies.

[dfdgfdfdgs]

4 hours ago, Jiggyfly said:

Statistics have proven that most accidents occur within a couple of miles of your home.  My wife had never had an accident until last year; just going to the market for some sticky rice ya know!  A dog ran out in front of her and she bounced; will never get on a motorcycle without a helmet again.  Personal freedoms aside, the overall cost to society in health care, lost productivity and general safety is uncountable.  Countries that have implemented mandatory helmets have proven helmets, speed limits and laws, and safety belts do make a difference; accept it and move on.

 

I can't disagree with any of that, but the point is you are not truly free when your government starts telling you how to live your life because they think they know better than you do.  Whether they do know better or not (they often do) is irrelevant.

[pattjock]

1 minute ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

 

I assumed if you were not wearing a helmet your policy would not pay out for damage to your head, is that not the case?  Most travel insurance policies have a clause to that effect, I have no idea about the Thai companies.

If someone else caused the accident they could be done for manslaughter, compared with just paying some medical bills if the bike rider had used a helmet.

[faraday]

12 minutes ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

 

I can't disagree with any of that, but the point is you are not truly free when your government starts telling you how to live your life because they think they know better than you do.  Whether they do know better or not (they often do) is irrelevant.

Your last sentence is rather contradictory...

 

 

 

[Jerry780]

What happens if you're on the back of a motorbike taxi like I do to and from work. Most of them don't have a second helmet as I ask.

[dfdgfdfdgs]

2 hours ago, faraday said:

Your last sentence is rather contradictory...

 

 

Why?  It's more important that Somchai is free to die an idiot, than forced to live in an effective open prison.

[faraday]

12 minutes ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

 

Why?  It's more important that Somchai is free to die an idiot, than forced to live in an effective open prison.

Bit of a drastic statement.

You must be trolling.

[luudee]

 

Most of the time, the helmets Thais wear are completely useless anyway ... so why bother at all ?

 

 

[pattjock]

21 hours ago, luudee said:

 

Most of the time, the helmets Thais wear are completely useless anyway ... so why bother at all ?

 

 

Most of the time the helmets worn are OK, only sometimes they are not approved by TIS. Most of the helmets I see that are not approved are worn by farangs like scull caps or Nazi helmets. Most Thais have TIS approved helmets when  they where them.

[observer90210]

Make the fine 5000 THB and if not paid, impound the bike. This will make people think before they act foolishly.

 

But on seeing the types of helmets that are permitted, it is just a cosmetic joke. The bikers on the forum are aware of the strict norms for a helmet to be efficient.

 

So the point here,  is it just to have a plastic piece of crap on the head to dodge the fine or is it necessary for the law to also check that the helmet is of a proper safety standard ?

 

And if purchased locally, how to trust the fellow selling you a legal helmet and not some AliExpress replica crap ? A never ending issue with no answers for the moment.....

Edited December 20, 2017 by observer90210

[Redline]

Too bad they will just drive right by the police, and the ones that get stopped, will just empty their wallets

[stament]

Is the 1000b fine dished out all the time now?

[pattayadgw]

I could handle 1k fine for not wearing my helmet if I had forgotten it.  But when you go about fining people 1k for not having a plastic ice cream container (and that just about sums up the quality of most Thai helmets) on your head is a bit rich.