I won't wear a helmet, makes me look stupid

[VBF]

21 hours ago, connda said:

I buckle my seatbelt as soon as I sit in the car - Automatic.

I put a helmet on before getting on my motorcycle just to drive to the local mom and pops.  Automatic.  Is that silly? 
In the time I've lived in the village, at least three people I know got killed on motorcycles.  All of them from skull fractures among other injuries. 

Do I think it should be The Law that everyone wear seatbelts and helmets?  Nope.  But I also think that a Darwin Award awaits many of them who may have lived out normal lifespans had they done so. 

My take exactly.. Wherever I am, not just Thailand, when i get into a car, the belt goes on. (Here in UK, the police do enforce the law rigorously.)

I REALLY don't like motorcycles and try to avoid them at all costs - my choice.

And that's the crux of it... I CHOOSE to wear a belt in a car (front or back seat) and it's become second nature. BUT I really don't think it should be law to prevent me from harming myself, unlike the anti drink-driving laws which set out to prevent me from harming other people. 

However if I want to be so stupid, enter me in the Darwin awards! 

Edited September 5, 2023 by VBF

[VocalNeal]

24 minutes ago, VBF said:

Here in UK, the police do enforce the law rigorously.)

So do they in Thailand on certain days.

[novacova]

16 hours ago, rattlesnake said:

The farangs who try to drive like Thais are very dangerous. I would have crashed into one the other day if I had not anticipated and braked before he crossed 2 lanes right in front of me.

See it much too often, individuals exceeding their limitations….just wanting for a miscalculated judgment to happen.

[novacova]

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Per capita ???? ???? ???? ???? yeah, like you really crunched the stats and didn’t make up a load of rubbish based on your bias….  

Yeah, like I or anyone else with a basic ability to observe most certainly can crunch the observation stats quite easily. But I can understand why someone might feel biased towards being part of a populous.

[Photoguy21]

On 9/4/2023 at 2:30 PM, bignok said:

Why do they need ads? Common sense. 

You do realise this is Thailand dont you? Since when has common sense prevailed. Maybe what they should do it take anyone caught not wearing a helmet to the morgue and let them see what they could look like after an accident. I bet they would start wearing a helmet real quick.

[fredwiggy]

4 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

You do realise this is Thailand dont you? Since when has common sense prevailed. Maybe what they should do it take anyone caught not wearing a helmet to the morgue and let them see what they could look like after an accident. I bet they would start wearing a helmet real quick.

They did that when we were kids, showing us the aftermath of accidents and what metal can do to a body at high speeds. We all believed it wouldn't happen to us, although those of us that use sense know it can happen to anyone, and does. No one leaves their house knowing they will get in an accident, but wearing a helmet, especially in a country riddled with incompetent, dangerous, non caring drivers, just makes more sense. I had to tell my girlfriend many times to wear her helmet when she went anywhere, and she wears it more often, but . "I'm only going to the shop in the village" still happens. She works for her local tessaban, and in the span of one year, four were killed on 24, three on scooters wearing no helmets.

[jerrymahoney]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Have you ever considered taking your show on the road? Alot of money these days in stand up comedy. 

No. But I could go on & on.

[Photoguy21]

Just now, fredwiggy said:

They did that when we were kids, showing us the aftermath of accidents and what metal can do to a body at high speeds. We all believed it wouldn't happen to us, although those of us that use sense know it can happen to anyone, and does. No one leaves their house knowing they will get in an accident, but wearing a helmet, especially in a country riddled with incompetent, dangerous, non caring drivers, just makes more sense. I had to tell my girlfriend many times to wear her helmet when she went anywhere, and she wears it more often, but . "I'm only going to the shop in the village" still happens. She works for her local tessaban, and in the span of one year, four were killed on 24, three on scooters wearing no helmets.

They tried it I believe in California for drink driving and apparently 95% went tee-total after seeing the bodies

[HandsomeTallFarang]

That won't work here, too many words and too much reading, and there's no photos of money to grab Thai's attention.

[rattlesnake]

7 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

They need the ads to educate/brain wash people into doing the correct thing. I just look back at all the advertising done years ago in Australia to get people to wear seat belts, to stop drink driving and to stop speeding. If you don't see the impact of what can actually happen the old saying of "I'm alright mate it won't happen to me" stays in effect. They need far more road safety campaigns like the one scubascuba has posted to make the populace wake up.

The problem is that most Thais have the village habit of just riding around helmetless, and they keep this habit whenever they are in the city, whether long or short-term.

 

Hit them in the wallet, that's the only thing they will understand. They will never stop riding helmetless in and around the village, but will do once they hit the main roads and cities, where there is most danger, for fear of being pulled over and fined.

 

A good example of this is the car tax, that pink square with the current year on it. This is systematically checked by the cops and therefore villagers who haven't paid it don't drive on the main roads or in the cities, because they dont want to be fined. Apply that logic to the helmets and I am sure it will work.

[NedR69]

I think it’s a great idea when someone doesn’t wear a helmet while riding a motorbike. Maybe if they crash and die, it will keep them out of the pool of breeding. The world will be a better place. 

[it is what it is]

On 9/4/2023 at 8:30 AM, bignok said:

Why do they need ads? Common sense. 

 

or, effective enforcement of existing legislation

[rickudon]

I only drive a car, and in over 12 years of driving in Thailand, have only ever had a few parking scrapes or wing mirror bumps (although 3 times the parking scrapes were Thais hitting my car!). In my Thai/UK family, during that time, motor bikes have caused :-

 1. wife had one fall (mud) with daughter. Fortunately only scratches.   

2. Son while holidaying here borrowed wife's bike to drive around the village; had helmet but wore flip flops. Fell off on bump and ended up with 27 stitches in his foot and could hardly walk for a month.

3. Nephew and Niece hit car while going to school, only minor injuries but had to pay the car driver....

4. Above niece drove into a metal pole and broke leg.

5, Another Niece run down while turning right in traffic. Arm broken.

6. Another Nephew 2 accidents including a broken arm.

 

Also, at least 3 people from the village have been killed by trucks on the main road only 500 metres away.

 

You may be lucky, but riding bikes is dangerous.

 

My rules for car driving:-

1. All other road users should be assumed to be out to get you.

2. Speed - drive in Kmph what you would in mph back home - gives you that extra bit of reaction time.

3. Assume that the person on your left side will be turning right, and vice versa.

4. At traffic lights, always allow space for motorcycles in front of you - they sort out the red light runners.

5. Never trust a turn signal on another vehicle until they actually turn.

6. And, of course, ALWAYS put that seat belt on before you reach the road (in UK definitely saved me from serious injury twice).

[The Snark]

I wish I had a poster that the Calif highway patrol had circulated for a while. Their high rez evidence camera of a traffic accident. Bodies all over, EMT crews working on things. Blood and body parts clearly visible. The caption at the bottom read:

WE DON'T WANT YOUR BUSINESS

Public outcry at the picture being too graphic made them take the posters down.

 

As FD, LEO and EMT, how many times in 40 years have I arrived at scenes like that? How many 02:00 waking up in a cold sweat? How many times have I heard the words or sentiment 'It can't happen to me'?

 

And how many total BS blowfests like some postings on this thread have I come across where people talk their trash, talked the talk but have never walked the walk, and most certainly have never knelt on the side of a road with gravel getting embedded into their knees as they try to keep a bloody chunk of meat viable and transported?

[The Snark]

The calls on the various com channels, all too often containing the words, Code 3, H.U.A., Motorcycle. No helmet.

Edited September 10, 2023 by The Snark

[NoDisplayName]

On 9/4/2023 at 4:30 PM, NoDisplayName said:

Riders around here are smarties.

 

They know their noggins are hard and dense, but their wrists and elbows are weak and delicate.

Hahah, for the three "confused" members.

 

Many of our local riders buy a full-face helmet, but only wear it when approaching known tea-money stops.

 

At all other times the helmet is worn on their wrist or elbow........to protect their thinkin' parts.

[richard_smith237]

4 hours ago, The Snark said:

I wish I had a poster that the Calif highway patrol had circulated for a while. Their high rez evidence camera of a traffic accident. Bodies all over, EMT crews working on things. Blood and body parts clearly visible. The caption at the bottom read:

WE DON'T WANT YOUR BUSINESS

Public outcry at the picture being too graphic made them take the posters down.

 

As FD, LEO and EMT, how many times in 40 years have I arrived at scenes like that? How many 02:00 waking up in a cold sweat? How many times have I heard the words or sentiment 'It can't happen to me'?

 

And how many total BS blowfests like some postings on this thread have I come across where people talk their trash, talked the talk but have never walked the walk, and most certainly have never knelt on the side of a road with gravel getting embedded into their knees as they try to keep a bloody chunk of meat viable and transported?

You were an EMT so only you have the right to discuss vehicular accidents ? - your comments certainly read like that. 

 

Does that mean if someone is caught for drug smuggling you are not permitted to comment because you were never a drugs enforcement or customs officer ?