American campaigns to convince Thai people to wear helmets

[HeijoshinCool]

He should wear a helmet when promoting his charity.

It would save further brain damage while "beating his head against a brick wall."

[samran]

is the welcomed American man, Mr. Klerk Gillot, an American, who is the American President of an Independent Charity Foundation from America?

Nah, he looks American to me.

Yes, he must be American, who else would go on such a hairbrained venture & believe anyone would take any notice?

Have more success going to Washington & throw a love in for the pollies.

Nah, I'm not a yank, but neither am I a fan of American bashing.

Sure, most of them don't know their Thailand from a Taiwan, but of all the English speaking peoples, I reckon American's are the most likely to volunteer and try out new things. And you can only complement that.

Edited October 28, 2013 by samran

[Bender]

he should offer mediation between red shirt and yellow one

[Torrens54]

No disrespect to this very well intentioned man but there's no way he will get Thais to change the habits of a motor bike riding lifetime. Nice to see him being welcomed by the BIB who are amongst the worst offenders.

Helemets are only for use on a police ' helemet day ' just as mirrors are for checking pimples and making sure hair is in place.

You've said it all, except that perhaps our Thai Motor Cycle riding friends are probably not going to take notice of an American at the moment, he just might be a spy wanting to stick a "bug" onto their mobile phone.

[kinmaew]

why? are Thais so stupid they cant work this out for themselves?

[easybullet3]

Great to see someone campaigning for helmets. It's a shame to see two sometimes three Thai children hanging on to the driver's back on a motorcycle. It would turn out to be a foreigner doing charity work in Thailand. Too bad we never see Thai elite privileged class doing this kind of charity work for their fellow Thais.

its also a shame that it takes a foreigner to make effort for this.

All is needed is for the police to get more aggressive with their fines for people (and passengers) without helmets.

Why cant the government afford to pay for a season of Helmet Advertisements on TV to convince people into wearing them!

I agree its very sad when you see little kids on bikes without helmets! there are plenty of small kid-size helmets on sale in Shops!

[fareastguy]

Don't you just love these people who go to another country and try to change it to a nanny state!!

I say "hands off" this is Thailand!!

[chrisinth]

When I was a teenager in Wales in the late 1960's early 1970's running around on our scooters and motorbikes. There was no helmet law and the only time we had our helmets was when it was cold or raining. It was consider "not cool" to wear a helmet. As a teenager I couldn't give a shit about the chance of dying if I came off my bike which I did a few times.

Even during my time in college I didn't wear a helmet.

I now have two son's hear in Thailand one 18 year old and one 22 year old. The 18 year old has always had a good helmet when he is on his bike and will not go on a bike without one. My 22 year old would need wear a helmet. I even took his bike off him for a while, made no difference. As far as he was concerned it was not cool...So things haven't changed from when I was riding a bike thoses many years ago.

If Thailand want's it's people to wear helmets the only way is by law. No helmet no riding, at the end of the day it is up to the BIB and I guess the Thai government as the BIB seem to have to be told to do there job.

Very good point about the UK in the early 70's. There are a lot of people on here from the UK who have memories that don't go that far back (or that are too young to remember) for the traffic laws over there at that time. Drinking and driving? It happened all the time! Seatbelts? Most cars weren't even fitted with them. Bike helmets, use them or don't.

With no disrespect to Thailand, IMHO, as far as traffic laws are concerned anyway, they are running about 40 years behind the western world. It will probably take that long before road safety and the issues associated with it will be the same as western standards of today.

Another thing that most westerners don't take into consideration is what has happened here with the automotive trade. The majority of us (if not all) have grown up with automobiles all our lives. Go back only about 30 years (up-country), it was a rare thing for a Thai family to own or have a car; pickups were a bit more common but still not in great numbers. What has happened over the last 30 years we have all witnessed. Again, without any disrespect, countries like Thailand are playing catch-up with the rest of the world reference road safety.

Just my observation.................... .

[peterbkk9]

I really admire him for doing this but seriously I am afraid his time and efforts will be wasted.

They think they know better. They wont listen, They wont change their driving habits. Not in a million years.

Edited October 29, 2013 by peterbkk9

[lovetotravel]

What a good project, but he should point out and also make people aware that it is not only the driver who should wear a helmet, also the passengers. I see too often that the drivers are wearing the helmet on their arm, basket in front or at the footrest while the passengers , often little children, are wearing no helmets.

The Thais are keeping the helmet closely just to avoid a ticket, not because they are convinced it protects them.

I may have misinterpreted. But it seems you did. This is for bikes as in bicycles. Not Motorcycles. This unnamed independent charity is strange. Especially to promote and possibly try to make law what I feel should be a choice safety/ fashion product as it is in America.

Many states have reprealed motorcycle helmet laws once the insurance companies determined they cause more accidents due to hearing and visual impairment as well as the rider to be more likely to ride at higher speeds then the few head injuries from wrecks could justify. as well a many broken necks from the helmet catching on some resistence in a minor incident. These are the same insurance companies that initiated the helmet laws to begin with.

I personally chse to wear a helmet most of the time. I do respect it to be a choice though and not a law plugging for helmut maufacturers

Hmm...seems you might be a bit off with regards to the safety helmets provide:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/motorcycle-deaths-rise-again-helmet-law-repeals-blamed-6C9632642

Motorcycle deaths rose 9 percent last year, according to new data from the Governors Highway Safety Administration – marking the 14th time out of the last 15 years that there has been a rise in fatalities.

All told, about 5,000 Americans were killed in motorcycle crashes in last year, more than triple from 1997, even though overall traffic fatalities have dropped by nearly a quarter during the same time period.

"This is a bad situation that is getting worse," said Jonathan Adkins, GHSA's deputy executive director.

Adkins is one of many pointing the finger at the ongoing, state-by-state repeal of helmet laws. In Michigan, a state police report found that motorcycle deaths surged 18 percent during 2012 – the year lawmakers repealed the state’s helmet requirement. By comparison, overall traffic deaths increased a more modest 5.3 percent.

[minikev]

He would be better off opening a free checkpoint for lights and fitting tailight bulbs I can't count the near misses i've had because the rider in front had no tailight on a dark road.

This guy is getting knocked by the visa mob. I agree his efforts won't change much but he is trying to help.

[elektrified]

No disrespect to this very well intentioned man but there's no way he will get Thais to change the habits of a motor bike riding lifetime. Nice to see him being welcomed by the BIB who are amongst the worst offenders.

Helemets are only for use on a police ' helemet day ' just as mirrors are for checking pimples and making sure hair is in place.

A lot more people are wearing helmets now which is a positive sign. I noticed this in Bangkok and in Phuket as well as Chiang Mai. But there are still so many that are not. I think it is great what this guy is doing. And I hope the BIB keep up the checks, which here in Chiang Mai are now about 4 days per week.

[movsrus]

I was driving in Chaing Mai around the ring road this morning and saw a Thai moto driver with a kid on the back and helmets hanging off his elbow and the other on the the handle bars. He turned the corner into a traffic stop by the BIB and had the look of wonder on his face when the cop pulled him over. At least the BIB are getting some Thais in the quest to enforce the helmet laws.

[papa al]

I applaud this man's good intentions. What I would question is the quality of the helmets he is handing out. IMO. the 150 - 200 baht helmets that the majority of Thais use will at the most save the head from "road rash", but will do nothing for high impact accidents. In fact, in certain cases making it more dangerous if the helmet shatters and pieces of plastic are pushed into the skull.

That said, getting them to wear anything is a step in the right direction. Work in progress if you like.

All the best for the man's campaign................

Wow. Any data to support your opinion?

[papa al]

What a good project, but he should point out and also make people aware that it is not only the driver who should wear a helmet, also the passengers. I see too often that the drivers are wearing the helmet on their arm, basket in front or at the footrest while the passengers , often little children, are wearing no helmets.

The Thais are keeping the helmet closely just to avoid a ticket, not because they are convinced it protects them.

I may have misinterpreted. But it seems you did. This is for bikes as in bicycles. Not Motorcycles. This unnamed independent charity is strange. Especially to promote and possibly try to make law what I feel should be a choice safety/ fashion product as it is in America.

Many states have reprealed motorcycle helmet laws once the insurance companies determined they cause more accidents due to hearing and visual impairment as well as the rider to be more likely to ride at higher speeds then the few head injuries from wrecks could justify. as well a many broken necks from the helmet catching on some resistence in a minor incident. These are the same insurance companies that initiated the helmet laws to begin with.

I personally chse to wear a helmet most of the time. I do respect it to be a choice though and not a law plugging for helmut maufacturers

?? "This is for bikes as in bicycles. Not Motorcycles." ??

Why is the poster/billboard in the bed of his truck depicting a motorcy?

Edited October 29, 2013 by metisdead
30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[Chryzaliz]

If all of us foreigners are so good drivers, we should take the lead and wear helmets. I'm seing so many stupid foreigners every day that rides without helmets.

[oldsailor35]

No disrespect to this very well intentioned man but there's no way he will get Thais to change the habits of a motor bike riding lifetime. Nice to see him being welcomed by the BIB who are amongst the worst offenders.

Helemets are only for use on a police ' helemet day ' just as mirrors are for checking pimples and making sure hair is in place.

Will he be starting with the under aged kids who ride motorbikes

[mca]

If all of us foreigners are so good drivers, we should take the lead and wear helmets. I'm seing so many stupid foreigners every day that rides without helmets.

That's OK mate I see so many stupid foreigners every day full stop.

[oldsailor35]

No disrespect to this very well intentioned man but there's no way he will get Thais to change the habits of a motor bike riding lifetime. Nice to see him being welcomed by the BIB who are amongst the worst offenders.

Helemets are only for use on a police ' helemet day ' just as mirrors are for checking pimples and making sure hair is in place.

A lot more people are wearing helmets now which is a positive sign. I noticed this in Bangkok and in Phuket as well as Chiang Mai. But there are still so many that are not. I think it is great what this guy is doing. And I hope the BIB keep up the checks, which here in Chiang Mai are now about 4 days per week.

we only get helmet checks on paydays (their payday) here on Samui !

[Asiantravel]

They need some kind of repository or swap facility for kids helmets because obviously as they are growing up, they go through many different sizes which I'm sure the average family can't afford to keep renewing.

How many times do you see father and mother wearing a helmet and the kid sitting in the middle with nothing and their skulls are particularly soft.

Edited October 30, 2013 by Asiantravel

[mancub]

I really admire him for doing this but seriously I am afraid his time and efforts will be wasted.

They think they know better. They wont listen, They wont change their driving habits. Not in a million years.

Couldn't agree more

Having just attended the Driving centre's 3hr video presentation , which is actually quite graphic in parts , to then watch at least 3 people drive out from the Centre through the No Entry sign ,without wearing their helmets or bothering to indicate etc, just sums it up for me.

I also realised that of those there about to pass their car "test" , most had probably never actually driven on the roads ,in traffic , before. .

The video presentation on how to drive safely , obeying the laws, probably being the first time they became aware of these issues .