Riding Motorcycles With No Helmets Main Cause Of Death In Thailand

[ralphlsasser]

Duhhhhhh

The Police (sic) needs to do their job. I realise that is asking a lot, but isn't that what they are getting paid to do? I know it is difficult to inforce the law when the inforcers are doing the same things. I.E: riding on the wrong side of the road, no helment, driving drunk, speeding, etc.

[anotheruser]

The government can enact all the laws they want, but they will be totally meaningless until the police actually start enforcing them. And until the "mind set" of Thai are changed in regards to wearing helmets, and allowing minors to drive.

Recently I saw 3 young boys on a Fino pull out of the parking lot of a middle school, which means none of them were old enough to legally drive. They went flying down the highway, weaving in and out of traffic and laughing, and soon disappeared from my sight. About 4 k down the road I saw the bike, and the boys, broken and bloody from where they had apparently sideswiped a car while trying to squeeze between it and a truck. One boy died at the scene, and I'm not sure what happened to the other two, but both were in serious condition.

Until parents are forced to prevent their minor children from riding motorbikes, and especially without helmets, this senseless carnage will continue. There is one solution, very simple, very easy to enforce, that would get this point across.

Put police at the entrance of a school, especially the middle schools. When school is out, stop every motorbike and check them for ID and license. Anyone without a license, or anyone not legally old enough to drive, is told to park the bike and call their parents. Inform the parents that it is a 5,000 baht fine to retrieve the bike. Record the license plate numbers, and if a second offense occurs, the fine is 10,000 baht.

For those who say: "It's the only way my child can get to school", that's crap! Many schools provide bus service, and every day I see hundreds of songtows transporting children to and from school, so I don't buy that.

But the bottom line is that until the BIB actually start enforcing the current laws, you can enact all the new ones you want, and it's a waste of time and effort.

The only solution is to make sure that minors bribe the police as do adults. Any new law enacted is meaningless without a police force that gives a shit.

[anotheruser]

Laws are made to protect people against themselves and their own stupidity , it is said that they are also made to be broken , but the fact always remains , stupid is as stupid does .

Thank you Dumball, your contribution lives up to your name.

[anotheruser]

I drive a CBR 150R, and my helmet goes on BEFORE the bike is started, I don't care if I'm just going down to the little market less than a kilometer away. I have a full face helmet that has sun shades mounted inside that can be raised or lowered, as well as the clear shield on the outside. For anything other than going to the market, which means highway driving, I have a race jacket with fiberglass supports at the elbows and upper back. Granted, what I paid for the helmet and jacket is more than most Thai make in a month, but I grew up on bikes, starting with mini bike, then dirt & trail bikes, and then racing dirt tracks and motocross at 12. I have seen far too many people killed from bike accidents in my life because of stupidity, which includes no helmet, reckless driving, drunk driving, etc. I have a 27 yr old Thai son that I adopted, and bought him a Yamaha X1R a year ago. One day when he went to work and didn't wear his helmet, when he came home I took his keys away from him for a week, and he had to have a fellow teacher come pick him up every day. That ended that problem.

I have a 14 yr old niece that I have promised to teach how to drive, but made it clear that if I ever catch her on a motorbike, either as a driver or passenger, without a helmet, I will put her across my knee and spank her, and I don't care if it is front of her entire school. She got the message.

One of the things that are not mentioned in the reports such as the OP is the number of people who are maimed and crippled for life, and need long term medical care, or permanent care by their families.

As for the BIB, only once have I seen them actually do the "right thing". About a year ago my wife and I were visiting a friend who lives on a small, narrow soi off the main highway. We were all standing outside when the woman across the street told her son to go to the store and get something. This 12 year old boy hopped on the motorbike and shot out of the soi, turning the WRONG WAY, and was immediately crushed to death by a new D-Max. When the police arrived they had to restrain the woman from trying to attack the driver of the truck, and the senior BIB actually yelled at her and told her that it was HER fault her son was dead because SHE is the one who allowed him to drive at the age of 12, and that if he was going to arrest and charge anyone, it would be her. Too bad there's not a few thousand more like him.

I am trying to imagine you spanking your 14 year old niece in your robocop dork suit, in front of the entire school.

[sjjmmi]

I drive a CBR 150R, and my helmet goes on BEFORE the bike is started, I don't care if I'm just going down to the little market less than a kilometer away. I have a full face helmet that has sun shades mounted inside that can be raised or lowered, as well as the clear shield on the outside. For anything other than going to the market, which means highway driving, I have a race jacket with fiberglass supports at the elbows and upper back. Granted, what I paid for the helmet and jacket is more than most Thai make in a month, but I grew up on bikes, starting with mini bike, then dirt & trail bikes, and then racing dirt tracks and motocross at 12. I have seen far too many people killed from bike accidents in my life because of stupidity, which includes no helmet, reckless driving, drunk driving, etc. I have a 27 yr old Thai son that I adopted, and bought him a Yamaha X1R a year ago. One day when he went to work and didn't wear his helmet, when he came home I took his keys away from him for a week, and he had to have a fellow teacher come pick him up every day. That ended that problem.

I have a 14 yr old niece that I have promised to teach how to drive, but made it clear that if I ever catch her on a motorbike, either as a driver or passenger, without a helmet, I will put her across my knee and spank her, and I don't care if it is front of her entire school. She got the message.

One of the things that are not mentioned in the reports such as the OP is the number of people who are maimed and crippled for life, and need long term medical care, or permanent care by their families.

As for the BIB, only once have I seen them actually do the "right thing". About a year ago my wife and I were visiting a friend who lives on a small, narrow soi off the main highway. We were all standing outside when the woman across the street told her son to go to the store and get something. This 12 year old boy hopped on the motorbike and shot out of the soi, turning the WRONG WAY, and was immediately crushed to death by a new D-Max. When the police arrived they had to restrain the woman from trying to attack the driver of the truck, and the senior BIB actually yelled at her and told her that it was HER fault her son was dead because SHE is the one who allowed him to drive at the age of 12, and that if he was going to arrest and charge anyone, it would be her. Too bad there's not a few thousand more like him.

I am trying to imagine you spanking your 14 year old niece in your robocop dork suit, in front of the entire school.

Edited June 6, 2010 by sjjmmi

[gotlost]

No brains. Scrambled or or over easy

[DLock]

The helmet problem in Thailand is a very complex one, and needs addressing at every level to be successful.

Firstly, the Government needs to get serious about helmet accreditations. The plastic buckets you get for free when you buy a bike are only good for a dog water bowl.

Secondly, someone needs top design a trendy, well ventilated helmet that is tested and accredited and sell it at an affordable price so that people want to wear a helmet that works and looks good...and is widely available.

Thirdly, enforcement needs to be real and be firm - larger fines and penalties

Fourthly, more rider training and license testing. Perhaps lower riding age to 14, with stricter training, but harsher penalties for breaking law.

Lastly, education and awareness via showing very graphic images of what happens when head meets road on TV and billboards.

The solution isn't one of the above. Its all of the above combined. And will it solve all the motorcycle deaths? No, but it will save some lives.

To make it easier, I would be prepared to fund the development and manufacture of an accredited helmet and make it in Thailand. I will sell it at a fair price and I will give 25% of all Nett profits to the Government to help with the PR and education campaign....and the reduction in tea money in the long term.

This helmet problem is not a complex problem, nor that expensive to solve...but clearly, it is beyond the capability of the Thai Government to solve.

The should be ashamed.

[Oldfield]

I've seen two serious motorcye accidents over the last few years. On both occasions, helmets were not worn and would have prevented serious head injuries. Thai's never learn.

[Sabre]

Seriously why does everyone have this obsession with the wearing and the enforcement of wearing crash helmets? Seems a lot of people are members of the health and safety brigade!!

I could understand if not wearing a helmet directly affected your own safety but if I choose not to wear one then how does this affect you??

I do believe that measures should be taken to ensure the safety of minors but every adult has a right to choose for themselves if it is not affecting others.

Maybe when policing roads getting the idiots off should be more of a priority than checking licences, crash helmet wearing etc.. As many licensed and insured drivers have an over inflated view of how good they are and in truth should be removed from the roads!!!

Also I get more bewildered by the day with the fact people have no common sense and seemingly want to lose their right to make their own decisions in favour of having government or law enforcement agencies to dictate every facet of their lives!

That's all very well and good but have you thought about the situation where you have an accident, without a helmet, and don't die but become a permanent vegetable or a paraplegic/quadraplegic? Your family may well have the right to cast you out - after all it was your choice, you must accept the consequences. But the government can't do that. So instead of being a productive member of society you become a burden on society (and please don't construe this as an attack on disabled people, I'm not saying they are a burden on society).

So the government has a very real interest in trying to keep its citizens alive and without spinal injury.

In NSW, Australia, before I was allowed to get a bike license I had to attend a 2-day course of rider training, and later another more advanced 2-day course before I could get my full license. Those 4 days have undoubtedly saved my life many times over. Even just basic stuff, such as not grabbing your front brake, how to corner, reading the road conditions, is useful. Otherwise people would have to learn these things the hard way. It was a pain in the ass to do at the time, but looking back I am so glad I was forced to do it.

[Sabre]

The helmet problem in Thailand is a very complex one, and needs addressing at every level to be successful.

Firstly, the Government needs to get serious about helmet accreditations. The plastic buckets you get for free when you buy a bike are only good for a dog water bowl.

Secondly, someone needs top design a trendy, well ventilated helmet that is tested and accredited and sell it at an affordable price so that people want to wear a helmet that works and looks good...and is widely available.

Thirdly, enforcement needs to be real and be firm - larger fines and penalties

Fourthly, more rider training and license testing. Perhaps lower riding age to 14, with stricter training, but harsher penalties for breaking law.

Lastly, education and awareness via showing very graphic images of what happens when head meets road on TV and billboards.

The solution isn't one of the above. Its all of the above combined. And will it solve all the motorcycle deaths? No, but it will save some lives.

To make it easier, I would be prepared to fund the development and manufacture of an accredited helmet and make it in Thailand. I will sell it at a fair price and I will give 25% of all Nett profits to the Government to help with the PR and education campaign....and the reduction in tea money in the long term.

This helmet problem is not a complex problem, nor that expensive to solve...but clearly, it is beyond the capability of the Thai Government to solve.

The should be ashamed.

"The helmet problem in Thailand is a very complex one, and needs addressing at every level to be successful." Okaaay. Fair enough.

"This helmet problem is not a complex problem ... but clearly, it is beyond the capability of the Thai Government to solve" DOH!

[carenot]

QUOTE (carenot @ 2010-06-06 00:48:16) Seriously why does everyone have this obsession with the wearing and the enforcement of wearing crash helmets? Seems a lot of people are members of the health and safety brigade!!

I could understand if not wearing a helmet directly affected your own safety but if I choose not to wear one then how does this affect you??

I do believe that measures should be taken to ensure the safety of minors but every adult has a right to choose for themselves if it is not affecting others.

Maybe when policing roads getting the idiots off should be more of a priority than checking licences, crash helmet wearing etc.. As many licensed and insured drivers have an over inflated view of how good they are and in truth should be removed from the roads!!!

Also I get more bewildered by the day with the fact people have no common sense and seemingly want to lose their right to make their own decisions in favour of having government or law enforcement agencies to dictate every facet of their lives!

That's all very well and good but have you thought about the situation where you have an accident, without a helmet, and don't die but become a permanent vegetable or a paraplegic/quadraplegic? Your family may well have the right to cast you out - after all it was your choice, you must accept the consequences. But the government can't do that. So instead of being a productive member of society you become a burden on society (and please don't construe this as an attack on disabled people, I'm not saying they are a burden on society).

So the government has a very real interest in trying to keep its citizens alive and without spinal injury.

In NSW, Australia, before I was allowed to get a bike license I had to attend a 2-day course of rider training, and later another more advanced 2-day course before I could get my full license. Those 4 days have undoubtedly saved my life many times over. Even just basic stuff, such as not grabbing your front brake, how to corner, reading the road conditions, is useful. Otherwise people would have to learn these things the hard way. It was a pain in the ass to do at the time, but looking back I am so glad I was forced to do it.

I understand there can be consequences and given that, I agree you could become a burden after an accident but also a little education and common sense would say if you’re going to race motor cross, thrash an 1100cc bike at 150mph+ or just heading out onto the main roads of Bangkok then a helmet is essential at the very least, body armour and leathers would probably be a good idea as well but a 50cc chicken chaser at 20mph down to the local village shop is no more dangerous than riding a push bike, given still could have consequences but I don't need anybody else to way up the dangers for me and I would be willing to sign away any rights(not that we have any/many) to medical etc.. For the right to make my own educated decision, maybe given choice and education people would be able to use common sense more often and not be so reliant on hiding behind government made rules which themselves often lack common sense ,because of their own ineptitude.

[DLock]

<!--quoteo(post=3669205:date=2010-06-06 09:28:34:name=DLock)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DLock @ 2010-06-06 09:28:34) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=3669205"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The helmet problem in Thailand is a very complex one, and needs addressing at every level to be successful.

Firstly, the Government needs to get serious about helmet accreditations. The plastic buckets you get for free when you buy a bike are only good for a dog water bowl.

Secondly, someone needs top design a trendy, well ventilated helmet that is tested and accredited and sell it at an affordable price so that people want to wear a helmet that works and looks good...and is widely available.

Thirdly, enforcement needs to be real and be firm - larger fines and penalties

Fourthly, more rider training and license testing. Perhaps lower riding age to 14, with stricter training, but harsher penalties for breaking law.

Lastly, education and awareness via showing very graphic images of what happens when head meets road on TV and billboards.

The solution isn't one of the above. Its all of the above combined. And will it solve all the motorcycle deaths? No, but it will save some lives.

To make it easier, I would be prepared to fund the development and manufacture of an accredited helmet and make it in Thailand. I will sell it at a fair price and I will give 25% of all Nett profits to the Government to help with the PR and education campaign....and the reduction in tea money in the long term.

This helmet problem is not a complex problem, nor that expensive to solve...but clearly, it is beyond the capability of the Thai Government to solve.

The should be ashamed.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

"The helmet problem in Thailand is a very complex one, and needs addressing at every level to be successful." Okaaay. Fair enough.

"This helmet problem is not a complex problem ... but clearly, it is beyond the capability of the Thai Government to solve" <b><!--sizeo:5--><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->DOH!<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--></b>

My words could have been chosen better. I meant the problem is complex...but the solution is not complex.

But I'm glad you managed to read the opening and closing lines and ignore the meat and added significantly to this post.

Well done slapnuts.

[Just1Voice]

QUOTE (Just1Voice @ 2010-06-04 06:52:49) I drive a CBR 150R, and my helmet goes on BEFORE the bike is started, I don't care if I'm just going down to the little market less than a kilometer away. I have a full face helmet that has sun shades mounted inside that can be raised or lowered, as well as the clear shield on the outside. For anything other than going to the market, which means highway driving, I have a race jacket with fiberglass supports at the elbows and upper back. Granted, what I paid for the helmet and jacket is more than most Thai make in a month, but I grew up on bikes, starting with mini bike, then dirt & trail bikes, and then racing dirt tracks and motocross at 12. I have seen far too many people killed from bike accidents in my life because of stupidity, which includes no helmet, reckless driving, drunk driving, etc. I have a 27 yr old Thai son that I adopted, and bought him a Yamaha X1R a year ago. One day when he went to work and didn't wear his helmet, when he came home I took his keys away from him for a week, and he had to have a fellow teacher come pick him up every day. That ended that problem.

I have a 14 yr old niece that I have promised to teach how to drive, but made it clear that if I ever catch her on a motorbike, either as a driver or passenger, without a helmet, I will put her across my knee and spank her, and I don't care if it is front of her entire school. She got the message.

One of the things that are not mentioned in the reports such as the OP is the number of people who are maimed and crippled for life, and need long term medical care, or permanent care by their families.

As for the BIB, only once have I seen them actually do the "right thing". About a year ago my wife and I were visiting a friend who lives on a small, narrow soi off the main highway. We were all standing outside when the woman across the street told her son to go to the store and get something. This 12 year old boy hopped on the motorbike and shot out of the soi, turning the WRONG WAY, and was immediately crushed to death by a new D-Max. When the police arrived they had to restrain the woman from trying to attack the driver of the truck, and the senior BIB actually yelled at her and told her that it was HER fault her son was dead because SHE is the one who allowed him to drive at the age of 12, and that if he was going to arrest and charge anyone, it would be her. Too bad there's not a few thousand more like him.

I am trying to imagine you spanking your 14 year old niece in your robocop dork suit, in front of the entire school.

I'm a 20yr Veteran U.S. Marine...believe me when I say I can come out of my "robocop" suit a hel_l of a lot faster than you might think. The thing of it is, I don't HAVE to come out of it to do exactly what I told her I would do, and she knows this.

[Sabre]

<!--quoteo(post=3669205:date=2010-06-06 09:28:34:name=DLock)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DLock @ 2010-06-06 09:28:34) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=3669205"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The helmet problem in Thailand is a very complex one, and needs addressing at every level to be successful.

Firstly, the Government needs to get serious about helmet accreditations. The plastic buckets you get for free when you buy a bike are only good for a dog water bowl.

Secondly, someone needs top design a trendy, well ventilated helmet that is tested and accredited and sell it at an affordable price so that people want to wear a helmet that works and looks good...and is widely available.

Thirdly, enforcement needs to be real and be firm - larger fines and penalties

Fourthly, more rider training and license testing. Perhaps lower riding age to 14, with stricter training, but harsher penalties for breaking law.

Lastly, education and awareness via showing very graphic images of what happens when head meets road on TV and billboards.

The solution isn't one of the above. Its all of the above combined. And will it solve all the motorcycle deaths? No, but it will save some lives.

To make it easier, I would be prepared to fund the development and manufacture of an accredited helmet and make it in Thailand. I will sell it at a fair price and I will give 25% of all Nett profits to the Government to help with the PR and education campaign....and the reduction in tea money in the long term.

This helmet problem is not a complex problem, nor that expensive to solve...but clearly, it is beyond the capability of the Thai Government to solve.

The should be ashamed.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

"The helmet problem in Thailand is a very complex one, and needs addressing at every level to be successful." Okaaay. Fair enough.

"This helmet problem is not a complex problem ... but clearly, it is beyond the capability of the Thai Government to solve" <b><!--sizeo:5--><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->DOH!<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--></b>

My words could have been chosen better. I meant the problem is complex...but the solution is not complex.

But I'm glad you managed to read the opening and closing lines and ignore the meat and added significantly to this post.

Well done slapnuts.

You could look at it another way - I clearly read the entire post and was paying enough attention to spot the inconsistency.

But yeah ... it was a bit snotty of me to point it out. You made some good points. Sorry, I guess.

[YankeeVet]

Something I don't get. Anyone ever notice people riding motorbikes wearing a surgical mask but no helmet? So the logic is to protect yourself from hazardous exhaust fumes and long-term respiratory conditions but it's too much trouble to wear a helmet?

[Hawk]

Main cause of death are the drivers leaving their brains at home when they go out on the road.

[Thongkorn]

Main cause of death are the drivers leaving their brains at home when they go out on the road.

Many motor bike riders leave there brains on the road when they go out without a helmet , and maybe there should be some regulation to the standard of helmet , because most of the ones I see are just cosmetic.

[overhaul38]

Yesterday as I was on a day trip into BKK we stopped for a snack next to a traffic stop.

The highway cops were walking out into the road every now and then to pull over cars and pickups for no obvious reason.

Every so often we watched as some cash was slipped into a back pocket.

Whilst all this was going on possibly hundreds of helmetless motorcyclists rode past the same checkpoint.

I just don't get it.

You are truly new and naive. MONEY. Why chase flies when you can catch a cow. Cops know that the majority of teenage helmetless motorcyclist don't have

B200 and don't want to have to chase them down.

[KKvampire]

Reform of the Police, now there is something a political party could make an Election issue, any chance?

[bristolgeoff]

does not matter really,the thais know the law but ignore it anyway.if they get caught they just pay the fine and move on.next day they do the same on the bike no helmet.