So why don’t Thais want to wear their bike helmets?

[fasteddie]

1 hour ago, Thian said:

I have 4 helmets bought in thailand, even an XXL but they all hurt me, after an hour i get a serious headache from it. So i need a good one now in my size, i will buy it in Europe. But i noticed that if you bring a nice cardboard box along the customs they will pick you out and scan it. The helmet can't be over 250 euro if i bring it or i have to declare it.

I used to bring mine just tied to my backpack until I lived here and bought a decent one, my ex even gave one to her son Fer Gawd's sake, he could have lived in it it was so big for him, no doubt he flogged it.

[JAZZDOG]

I propose a deal where I will personally fund the installation and monitoring of 200 intersections in Pattaya/Jomtien. I get 20% of the fine revenue and the cops keep the rest. Sat at Pattaya Tai and third road by Kens and counted 218 infractions in 10 minutes. By my conservative calculations:

200 infractions x 6 = 1200/hour x 18 hours = 2160 infractions / day x 200 intersections = 432,000 infractions recorded / day x 1000baht/infraction=

432,000,000 x 20% = 86,400,000 / day gross profit. The installation would be paid off in 6 hours and I would be pocketing 2.6 billion baht per month. Only flaw in my plan is if you actually fined these people they would abide by the law and screw up my bottom line. Lets just fine them 100baht/infraction and I'll have to be happy with 260M/month

 

[janclaes47]

23 minutes ago, JAZZDOG said:

I propose a deal where I will personally fund the installation and monitoring of 200 intersections in Pattaya/Jomtien. I get 20% of the fine revenue and the cops keep the rest. Sat at Pattaya Tai and third road by Kens and counted 218 infractions in 10 minutes. By my conservative calculations:

200 infractions x 6 = 1200/hour x 18 hours = 2160 infractions / day x 200 intersections = 432,000 infractions recorded / day x 1000baht/infraction=

432,000,000 x 20% = 86,400,000 / day gross profit. The installation would be paid off in 6 hours and I would be pocketing 2.6 billion baht per month. Only flaw in my plan is if you actually fined these people they would abide by the law and screw up my bottom line. Lets just fine them 100baht/infraction and I'll have to be happy with 260M/month

 

Good point, and one I have been thinking about for years.

 

if a Pattaya policemen would take post at just 1 traffic light and fine them 100 Baht without a ticket, he could buy himself a new benz every month.

 

So are they really that dumb or are there other factors in play?

Edited July 1, 2018 by janclaes47

[JAZZDOG]

9 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Good point, and one I have been thinking about for years.

 

if a Pattaya policemen would take post at just 1 traffic light and fine them 100 Baht without a ticket, he could buy himself a new benz every month.

 

So are they really that dumb or are there other factors in play?

The cashflow would be too transparent. Plus the fact it would improve compliance which is their greatest fear. And they really are that dumb.

[poanoi]

if its an honest question,

then the honest truth is you have never spent a single hour with a helmet in thailand daytime.

it serves a function protecting the scalp from

the deadly sun, but a full helmet will quickly make you suffocate or get a heatstroke 

Edited July 1, 2018 by poanoi

[janclaes47]

7 minutes ago, JAZZDOG said:

The cashflow would be too transparent.

 

You remember the story a few years ago about a certain section of the tollway in Bangkok, can't recall which section, which didn't issue tickets for years and pocketed a large part of the tolls paid?

 

That fraud ran into the billions of Thai baht.

[Thian]

4 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

Good point, and one I have been thinking about for years.

 

if a Pattaya policemen would take post at just 1 traffic light and fine them 100 Baht without a ticket, he could buy himself a new benz every month.

 

So are they really that dumb or are there other factors in play?

I think that policeman would get a bullet within a month and that's the reason they can never do their job alone, always in a group at a checkpoint.

[tryasimight]

5 hours ago, poanoi said:

if its an honest question,

then the honest truth is you have never spent a single hour with a helmet in thailand daytime.

it serves a function protecting the scalp from

the deadly sun, but a full helmet will quickly make you suffocate or get a heatstroke 

And yet I wore a helmet in Northern Australia which has a similar climate for decades without suffering from heatstroke or suffocating. 

[Mr22Tim]

All aspects of life are determined by good and bad luck and what your ancestors may or may not have done.  Of the many virtues Thai 's have, it does not include worrying much about the consequences of certain risky behaviors involving operating anything with wheels. And to even

mention what could and frequently does occur when helmets or seat belts aren't used, is to invite bad luck to anyone you mention this to who isn't wearing a helmet or seat belt.  Do not expect any positive feedback  Bad luck is always looking for someone to visit, and to actually talk about bad consequences somehow increases the chances that bad luck

will now be coming your way.. If you expected  common sense or analytic problem solving you've come to the wrong country

 

☺️

 

[JTXR]

In the U.S., some states have mandatory helmet laws and some don't.  Without laws, some proportion of the population is always going to go without a helmet for whatever reason (libertarian don't-tread-on-me.... don't want to mess up the hair.... too hot, etc.). The impetus for mandatory helmet laws in the U.S. was primarily that injuries from lack of helmets drove up auto  and motorcycle and health insurance costs for everyone -- not really a factor in Thailand, maybe, given insurance policies here. 

To me, the really weird and tragic thing here is all the women on moto taxis riding without helmets behind drivers wearing helmets.  I think they just don't understand how dangerous it is.  It's the "accidents are something that happen to other people" mentality.  At the very least, there really should be a law that moto taxi driver be required to provide helmets to passengers.

[rumak]

8 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

I`ve spoken about this to my wife`s young nieces and nephews. And what they told me was; young people don`t think it`s fashionable to wear helmets, it`s not cool they say.

THIS is the correct answer to the question .    first prize  !

[catman20]

So why don’t Thais want to wear their bike helmets?

nothing to protect.?

[Mr22Tim]

How can a woman expect anyone to notice she has just forked over

15OO baht to have her hair done.

[jackdd]

About 30 minutes ago i got really surprised.

I was at a big intersection here in Udon Thani and there were maybe 20-30 other motorcycles waiting at the red light and everybody was wearing a helmet. It seems the police did check for helmets in the last few days and it had an effect, so if they check and fine people they can make them wear helmets. Let's see how long it lasts.

 

I think the main reason why Thais like to drive without helmet is comfort, of course it feels nice to have the air blowing through the hair, but i prefer the feeling that i know my head is covered in case of an accident. Thais just don't think about having an accident so they think it's not necessary. But it always makes me laugh when i see these people when it's raining, how they squeeze their eyes and try to cover them with their hand because the rain drops are hitting their eyes... would be much more comfortable if they had a helmet with a visor.

[thaibeachlovers]

23 hours ago, billy54 said:

And after the helmet safety speach off he goes without fastening the helmet , OOP's off it pops in any sort of accident , and as for the camera's catching and sending you a ticket , the motor bikes are a free for all , for who ever wants to use them , ,He has a work permit , ???  advertising /safety lecher can be done just as pathetically by Thais 

I saw a m'bike rider the other day that hadn't fastened the chin strap- a FARANG.

While ago, saw a young farang m'bike rider not wearing a helmet. Not just a Thai problem.

BTW, the farang rider not wearing his helmet isn't covered by travel insurance.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, JTXR said:

In the U.S., some states have mandatory helmet laws and some don't.  Without laws, some proportion of the population is always going to go without a helmet for whatever reason (libertarian don't-tread-on-me.... don't want to mess up the hair.... too hot, etc.). The impetus for mandatory helmet laws in the U.S. was primarily that injuries from lack of helmets drove up auto  and motorcycle and health insurance costs for everyone -- not really a factor in Thailand, maybe, given insurance policies here. 

To me, the really weird and tragic thing here is all the women on moto taxis riding without helmets behind drivers wearing helmets.  I think they just don't understand how dangerous it is.  It's the "accidents are something that happen to other people" mentality.  At the very least, there really should be a law that moto taxi driver be required to provide helmets to passengers.

Every motocy taxi I've ever ridden had a helmet for me.

[KKr]

10 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Also leaves one arm free for carrying the baby.

about time they release the voice controlled version of CandyCrush

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, tryasimight said:

And yet I wore a helmet in Northern Australia which has a similar climate for decades without suffering from heatstroke or suffocating. 

Yep, and I've worn one here for years AND I haven't suffocated yet, or had heatstroke...…..

[Thian]

8 hours ago, tryasimight said:

And yet I wore a helmet in Northern Australia which has a similar climate for decades without suffering from heatstroke or suffocating. 

Wearing a helmet in Thailand is sure no fun but i did get used to it. When i wear the helmet for more than 30 minutes my hair is wet from sweat, the ventilationsystem in the helmet doesn't work well.

 

So i wished there were special heatgear helmets, like for the Tour de France cyclists. They have loads of openings for air.

 

 

 

 

[Thian]

7 hours ago, jackdd said:

About 30 minutes ago i got really surprised.

I was at a big intersection here in Udon Thani and there were maybe 20-30 other motorcycles waiting at the red light and everybody was wearing a helmet. It seems the police did check for helmets in the last few days and it had an effect, so if they check and fine people they can make them wear helmets. Let's see how long it lasts.

 

I think the main reason why Thais like to drive without helmet is comfort, of course it feels nice to have the air blowing through the hair, but i prefer the feeling that i know my head is covered in case of an accident. Thais just don't think about having an accident so they think it's not necessary. But it always makes me laugh when i see these people when it's raining, how they squeeze their eyes and try to cover them with their hand because the rain drops are hitting their eyes... would be much more comfortable if they had a helmet with a visor.

It seems to me that the Thai don't get hurt in their eyes like farang. They rarely wear eyeprotection on the motocy or in the bed of a truck. Sunglasses cost 50 baht on the market so they sure can afford them.

 

When i get a mosquito in my eye it will be itchy for 3 days. I hate that so i always protect my eyes and have sunglasses for at night as well.

[Thian]

8 hours ago, Mr22Tim said:

How can a woman expect anyone to notice she has just forked over

15OO baht to have her hair done.

Most Thai women have straight hair which is the best for wearing a helmet.

 

Curls and waves will get flattened but long ponytails also get messed up in the wind.

[Kieran00001]

On 7/1/2018 at 9:06 AM, taipan1949 said:

You would have to set up a helmet classification allowed to be worn. A construction hard hat, which we have all seen, is not a "helmet" for motorcycles.

 

There is a helmet standard, TIS3692557, the issue is enforcing the standard, at the moment there are sub standard helmets for sale and police are accepting sub standard helmets on the road.

[Kieran00001]

10 minutes ago, Thian said:

Most Thai women have straight hair which is the best for wearing a helmet.

 

Curls and waves will get flattened but long ponytails also get messed up in the wind.

 

There are helmets for every hair style, no excuses.

 

[Thian]

17 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

There are helmets for every hair style, no excuses.

 

Her hair will be totally messed up if she drives fast.

 

I have never seen a helmet like this though and i wonder what is legal to customize on a helmet for motocy. I see all kinds of things mounted on helmets.

 

Also this helmet doesn't protect the side of the head, this one is more for bicycles me thinks.

 

 

[Kieran00001]

4 hours ago, Thian said:

Her hair will be totally messed up if she drives fast.

 

I have never seen a helmet like this though and i wonder what is legal to customize on a helmet for motocy. I see all kinds of things mounted on helmets.

 

Also this helmet doesn't protect the side of the head, this one is more for bicycles me thinks.

 

 

 

It is a Vietnamese helmet, very common there.

[Vacuum]

17 hours ago, Thian said:

So i wished there were special heatgear helmets, like for the Tour de France cyclists. They have loads of openings for air.

Why not use one of them. The speed they are doing on their bicycles, must be at least the same, if not higher, than average speed on motorbikes (in city traffic).

[Kieran00001]

1 hour ago, Vacuum said:

Why not use one of them. The speed they are doing on their bicycles, must be at least the same, if not higher, than average speed on motorbikes (in city traffic).

 

Because they only provide protection to the top of your head, they are below the already low Thai safety standard.

[Vacuum]

2 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

Because they only provide protection to the top of your head

Ah, cyclists falls/crashes with the top of their heads first. I didn't know this.

[Jdiddy]

Several reasons, some examples

 

-Its fun and you feel free

-No fumbling around with a helmet all the time

-It riles up expats, like the Waffen SS helmets

 

[connda]

On 7/1/2018 at 8:55 AM, scorecard said:

From day 1, anybody caught without helmet, driver or passenger and the bike was immediately confiscated

never to be seen again and no  discussion whatever.

Hence the low recidivism rate unlike Thailand where 400 THB gets you a pass to ride for the rest of the day without a lid.  Like virtually all traffic enforcement in Thailand, it has nothing to do with saving lives and everything to do with cash flows.  Why really clamp down on offenders: It's a revenue Cash Cow left the way it is.