Nathon Helmet Check

[H2oDunc]

Sat having a coffee where they have set up the regular helmet check in Nathon having a giggle. They are having a busy old morning. Most take it in good spirit. Both Thais, the majority I might add, and the Farang. There have been a few though whilst I have been here who have got very vocal and upset. <deleted>!!! Now they have chosen to not wear a helmet for whatever reason yet still get irate at being stopped and fined. I big fat guy was shouting about he owns a 50 million baht house and spends X amount of baht here every month etc etc. It was only when the BIB put his hand on his gun did the jerk shut up and go pay his 500 baht fine ha ha ha. All the money he is supposed to have and he whines about 500 baht. Another one was whining about it was making him late! The easy way to prevent the hassle is simple. Just wear a lid. Problem solved.

A most amusing morning.

[carmine]

It always makes me wonder as to why anyone complains when they get caught. You know its the law so you take your chance....thats the deal isn't it?

To bring up the fact about the money you spend and the value of you house imho warrents being sent to the back of the queue for quiet contemplation. :lol:

[H2oDunc]

As you say carmine they have made the choice for whatever reason to break the law so just pay the fine. For me the BIB are also missing out on a money making venture. If they had any sense they would go to Tesco and buy some cheap helmets and tell the farang that they cannot continue without a hemlet then sell them one for twice what they paid for it

[baco]

on koh phangan it is as far as I know 200 baht fine for not wearing a helmet, but if you've a helmet with you and put it on when they've stopped you it is okay.

loads of farang complaining even if you tell them it is the law.

[mattcodes]

500 baht? Maybe they charged him double for his size.

In meanam last week, I was stopped, 300 baht fine per expected, official looking receipt blah blah. But they had a special offer, 2 for 500 baht - made me laugh!

[carmine]

500 baht? Maybe they charged him double for his size.

In meanam last week, I was stopped, 300 baht fine per expected, official looking receipt blah blah. But they had a special offer, 2 for 500 baht - made me laugh!

Very funny. Atleast this place can still make me laugh.

[JorakaeNoi]

I find it interesting that here in Thailand, where the traffic is surely more dangerous than back home in the west, that foreigners will be less cautious than when they were back home. If you got on a motorbike or in a car back home then you wouldn't think twice about putting on a helmet or doing up your seatbelt, but come to Thailand and all that common sense just goes right out the window (along with the rest of you!).

[Gatorade]

I find it interesting that here in Thailand, where the traffic is surely more dangerous than back home in the west, that foreigners will be less cautious than when they were back home. If you got on a motorbike or in a car back home then you wouldn't think twice about putting on a helmet or doing up your seatbelt, but come to Thailand and all that common sense just goes right out the window (along with the rest of you!).

I agree with you, but I think that it is the initial feeling of freedom from all the repressive petty rules in the UK(in particular) that suddenly makes someone think when they arrive "what the hel_l,no one cares here!" If someone is lucky to make it past this initial stage and realises that wearing a helmet and a seat belt are more for survival than adherance to the law then it stacks up the odds a little more favourably. It just makes me cringe to see parents allowing their toddlers to go without a helmet on a Motorbike, it's criminal to expose them to such a high risk. The mentality seems to be "I don't have to, so I won't". And while I'm on the rant,what about the morons who stand up in the backs of the trucks? They haven't a chance in the event of a shunt.

[womblejamie]

During the times when I never even owned a helmet (I do now and wear it 99% of the time, yeah I know the accident could happen that one per cent, but at least I'm honest), it was never the fine that got to me, as it is the law, it was the long ass queues at Chaweng copshop it melting midday sun. After three of these and a friend dieing in motorcycle accident, I now wear one and have not been stopped by the BIB for almost two years now.

[screamingeagle]

I wear a helmet 100% of the time now. The biggest inconvenience about getting stopped is the time it takes to queue and pay the fine!!!

[Klaasvaak]

I find it interesting that here in Thailand, where the traffic is surely more dangerous than back home in the west, that foreigners will be less cautious than when they were back home. If you got on a motorbike or in a car back home then you wouldn't think twice about putting on a helmet or doing up your seatbelt, but come to Thailand and all that common sense just goes right out the window (along with the rest of you!).

Dude, look at the helmets provide by the rental company's. It's just crap.

it begins at make the rental company's provide desent helmets.

[starcandle]

ok lets weigh this up 1 its the law to wear your helmet

2 why bitch and moan when you are captured breaking the law and not wearing a saftey helmet

3 a helmet may cost for something decent 500 baht

4 a night in hospital having your brains put back in your skull, well priceless

now p**s off moaning and protect YOUR head

[H2oDunc]

Well said starcandle. Moaning about the rental ones being crap or you simply aren't given one is also just yet another excuse. As said I didn't get one with my bike but the first place I rode to was Ohms bike shop to get one. I now have 3. A 7/11 one, a ring road one and a UK standard one for the mainland

[billd766]

I find it interesting that here in Thailand, where the traffic is surely more dangerous than back home in the west, that foreigners will be less cautious than when they were back home. If you got on a motorbike or in a car back home then you wouldn't think twice about putting on a helmet or doing up your seatbelt, but come to Thailand and all that common sense just goes right out the window (along with the rest of you!).

I agree with you, but I think that it is the initial feeling of freedom from all the repressive petty rules in the UK(in particular) that suddenly makes someone think when they arrive "what the hel_l,no one cares here!" If someone is lucky to make it past this initial stage and realises that wearing a helmet and a seat belt are more for survival than adherance to the law then it stacks up the odds a little more favourably. It just makes me cringe to see parents allowing their toddlers to go without a helmet on a Motorbike, it's criminal to expose them to such a high risk. The mentality seems to be "I don't have to, so I won't". And while I'm on the rant,what about the morons who stand up in the backs of the trucks? They haven't a chance in the event of a shunt.

Oddly enough it is only this year that I wear a helmet ALL the time.

Before just nipping a couple of klicks to the shop I never bothered but now I do. I really don't know why I changed my mind but if my son is with me he always wears his helmet and I ride more slowly with much more care than usual.

If for some reason he doesn't have his helmet near I will give him 1 of my 3 or he doesn't get on the bike.

We live out in the sticks where there is rarely ever any helmet checks and only about 40% of riders wear one and less than 20% of school kids.

I would like to go to the schools with a helmet and a few cantaloupe melons and show them the difference a helmet makes but I can't spael Thai well enough to explain the difference though as they say a picture is worth 1,000 words.

[H2oDunc]

Billd well done for that. I cringe when I see young children on the bikes here with no helmet or even any eye protection. The melon idea is a good one. Just showing them the difference would suffice and there would be no great need to speak a lot of Thai. Maybe a budding videographer on TV could put something together ? Royalty free to distiibute and show to schools.

Over to the videographers then

[koheesti]

It always makes me wonder as to why anyone complains when they get caught. You know its the law so you take your chance....thats the deal isn't it?

I agree 100%. I've been caught before when I knew I was in the wrong, and I accepted the consequences because I knew I was taking a chance. Some people want to fight and argue when they know they are in the wrong because they don't want any consequences (for themselves at least).

I never wore a helmet on Samui. But if it was a law that they actually enforced, I would have bought one, worn it, hated it, but not think so much about dying everytime I got on the back of one of those things. So that's a good thing.

Edited August 10, 2010 by koheesti

[samuijimmy]

One of the things I noticed in Krabi town last week was that every motor bike driver wears a helmet... at least within the city limits, but a good majority out side town too....

I gathered that the fine was 500 baht.... I guess that makes it enough to make them go out & buy a helmet & wear it....!

I guess they have had enough "crack downs" to make things sink in!

[mattcodes]

It is the same in Bangkok, everyone wears a helmet, so it must be feasible to enforce. Maybe harsher fines would work..

Disclaimer: I still need to buy a helmet..

[joe84330]

whenever i'm on my bike i avoid nathon and mae nam from 10am until quarter to 12. if i wanted to buy one of those vermin a drink i'd offer it.

[Tropicalevo]

I find it interesting that here in Thailand, where the traffic is surely more dangerous than back home in the west, that foreigners will be less cautious than when they were back home. If you got on a motorbike or in a car back home then you wouldn't think twice about putting on a helmet or doing up your seatbelt, but come to Thailand and all that common sense just goes right out the window (along with the rest of you!).

I agree with you, but I think that it is the initial feeling of freedom from all the repressive petty rules in the UK(in particular) that suddenly makes someone think when they arrive "what the hel_l,no one cares here!" If someone is lucky to make it past this initial stage and realises that wearing a helmet and a seat belt are more for survival than adherance to the law then it stacks up the odds a little more favourably. It just makes me cringe to see parents allowing their toddlers to go without a helmet on a Motorbike, it's criminal to expose them to such a high risk. The mentality seems to be "I don't have to, so I won't". And while I'm on the rant,what about the morons who stand up in the backs of the trucks? They haven't a chance in the event of a shunt.

Oddly enough it is only this year that I wear a helmet ALL the time.

Before just nipping a couple of klicks to the shop I never bothered but now I do. I really don't know why I changed my mind but if my son is with me he always wears his helmet and I ride more slowly with much more care than usual.

If for some reason he doesn't have his helmet near I will give him 1 of my 3 or he doesn't get on the bike.

We live out in the sticks where there is rarely ever any helmet checks and only about 40% of riders wear one and less than 20% of school kids.

I would like to go to the schools with a helmet and a few cantaloupe melons and show them the difference a helmet makes but I can't spael Thai well enough to explain the difference though as they say a picture is worth 1,000 words.

Well done. I wish that there were more like you