Motorbikes to be seized from Phuket’s helmet-less drivers

[Adeeos]

I suspect the law won't apply for those groups of 3 or so children on a bile that are 10 to 12 year old coming and going to school -- often going against traffic. Where I am, they seem to be exempt from all laws.

If you're ever stopped by the BIB for some, BS reason,, you'll often notice several scooters, with 3-4 young Thai's, NONE old enough to drive, NO helmets, and stop, roll through a red light... Ask the BIB, "What about THEM?",,,, you'll be told with a smile,, "They Thai, they have no money",,, and then back to extorting you for $200baht for riding with shorts, sandals, etc, etc..... Happened to me...

[Lampang2]

I suspect the law won't apply for those groups of 3 or so children on a bile that are 10 to 12 year old coming and going to school -- often going against traffic. Where I am, they seem to be exempt from all laws.

If you're ever stopped by the BIB for some, BS reason,, you'll often notice several scooters, with 3-4 young Thai's, NONE old enough to drive, NO helmets, and stop, roll through a red light... Ask the BIB, "What about THEM?",,,, you'll be told with a smile,, "They Thai, they have no money",,, and then back to extorting you for $200baht for riding with shorts, sandals, etc, etc..... Happened to me...

Other way around at the gas station.

Kids buying gas for 40baht will promptly be served before the falang filling his car for 1000 baht.

[brain150]

It is so nice to see how people are cheering for their own enslavement by completely redicolous government decissions.

1. A helmet has nothing at all to do with road safety ! [it is for personal safety]

2. A helmet does nothing about reckless driving

3. A helmet will not avoid any accident at all

4. Wearing a "non safe helmet", like probably 90% of all helmets in Thailand are, is highly dangerous !!!

So what are you all cheering for ?

If somebody wants to wear a helmet so be it ... it is a personal decission !!!

[but only for people who like to be responsible for themselves ...]

I am wearing a helmet when I chose to ... and so can anybody else !

Slaves need to be ordered what is good for them.

People who like to be slaves will cheer for the slave masters to enforce more slave rules ... brainwashing par excellence !!!

[bluebluewater]

Yeah sure -

Here comes mom with two kids loaded on as she takes them to school. The 4 year old stands in the front, the 6 year old clings to the back of mom and there is not a helmet to be seen.

Now thinks that this bike is going to be seized?

Edited January 14, 2016 by bluebluewater

[Redline]

Just fine them 24 hours a day! Check the lights on all the vehicles 24/7 while your at it...

Yes, licenses too

[Deli]

Endless story and discussion. There is no traffic law in this country and if there is one, people will never follow it.

Why ? Because TiT !

[theoldgit]

Nonsense post removed.

[sebastion]

Well they make it hard.

Last time i imported a helmet from the USA due to having a big head and wanted something more than a icecream container to protect me i got hit with crazy taxes and duty that were actually more than the helmet.

Helmet was 10k and the taxes and duty they calculated with some mystery formula came to 12k.

Drop the import duties on safety gear.

[Mises]

What does it have to do with any government if I wish to ride my scooter without a helmet? The only people of concern are my family. And before all you nanny state lovers start mentioning the cost of the police, ambulance etc. then I say two wrongs do not make a right, these should be privatised and you or your insurance should pay.

So yes, my estate will pay for my blood to be hosed off the road if ever required. I don't wear one of those crappy cycle helmets either while cycling, studies show they are largely useless. Should we cyclists all have to wear proper full face motorcycle crash helmets then? All in the name of safety? Where do you nanny state lovers draw the line?

[eisfeld]

It is so nice to see how people are cheering for their own enslavement by completely redicolous government decissions.

1. A helmet has nothing at all to do with road safety ! [it is for personal safety]

2. A helmet does nothing about reckless driving

3. A helmet will not avoid any accident at all

4. Wearing a "non safe helmet", like probably 90% of all helmets in Thailand are, is highly dangerous !!!

So what are you all cheering for ?

If somebody wants to wear a helmet so be it ... it is a personal decission !!!

[but only for people who like to be responsible for themselves ...]

I am wearing a helmet when I chose to ... and so can anybody else !

Slaves need to be ordered what is good for them.

People who like to be slaves will cheer for the slave masters to enforce more slave rules ... brainwashing par excellence !!!

Sigh, so much nonsense in this post. Of course proper helmets with visors can prevent accidents and therefor increase road safety.

Never got anything in your eye while riding without something protecting your eyes? Or just drive more than 100km/h with eyes exposed to the wind. Visibility highly impacted.

Or just the noise from all the windblast...

And how are 90% of helmets in Thailand highly dangerous? It's better than nothing at least. Assuming they are strapped on properly which seems to be a challange for some.

It is *not* a personal decision that only affects yourself. And even if it's just for the case of an accident where the medical bills would be much higher without helmet than with helmet.

<deleted>, so many highly ignorant people around...

[jagfx]

It is so nice to see how people are cheering for their own enslavement by completely redicolous government decissions.

1. A helmet has nothing at all to do with road safety ! [it is for personal safety]

2. A helmet does nothing about reckless driving

3. A helmet will not avoid any accident at all

4. Wearing a "non safe helmet", like probably 90% of all helmets in Thailand are, is highly dangerous !!!

So what are you all cheering for ?

If somebody wants to wear a helmet so be it ... it is a personal decission !!!

[but only for people who like to be responsible for themselves ...]

I am wearing a helmet when I chose to ... and so can anybody else !

Slaves need to be ordered what is good for them.

People who like to be slaves will cheer for the slave masters to enforce more slave rules ... brainwashing par excellence !!!

I can sort of see where you are coming from, but I don't necessarily agree. This is especially for the people without a choice ie wife and kids that get lumbered on to the family scooter. Then there are the issues of others that may be affected by your decision not to wear a helmet. Examples may include the burden of others that have to look after you/cover your medical bills whilst you are in a coma from serious head injuries as a result, or the life long trauma of

possibly another person involved in an accident with you, especially if you had died of head injuries that a helmet may have prevented. I know, it is cool and liberating not to wear a helmet, but also may be a little selfish...

[georgemandm]

A very good start to attempting to prevent the road lawlessness. More please.

Yes very good move about time need to do it all over thailand

[Familyaffairs]

Helmetless drivers can be fined as stipulated in the road code. Easy to challenge motorcycle seizure in court, even the governor can't make laws as he goes along. I am not a motorbike rider myself, and couldn't care less.

[Ulic]

I wear a helmet but as far as I am concerned it is up to you. I think you should but again up to you.

I think you should wear eye protection as well. A bug or small pebble can cause you to loose an

eye. But again, up to you.

[Ocicat]

Yeah yeah. This will last abut a week and then it's back to normal.good opportunity for tea money here!!!!

[saminoz]

Confusing that the police takes orders from a local governor.

Maybe some clean up of the organization could be in order.

Then maybe cops can work without waiting for the daily mode of the local governor.

The police are not "taking orders" from the Governor, he just made the announcement about the campaign. The report clearly states that the district offices are working in collaboration with the police.

And what? District offices now have free-wheeling power to confiscate motorcycles? Absolutely crazy and really open to abuse without crystal clear guidelines.

Typically ill-thought out nonsense.

[Snackbar]

Like all the other adhoc crackpot crackdowns. This one's doomed.

Love the posters that couldn't care less feel the need to tell anyone who'll listen.

[saminoz]

I suspect the law won't apply for those groups of 3 or so children on a bile that are 10 to 12 year old coming and going to school -- often going against traffic. Where I am, they seem to be exempt from all laws.

They are not a good source of tea money so there's no point in stopping them.

[Goldieinkathu]

It is so nice to see how people are cheering for their own enslavement by completely redicolous government decissions.

1. A helmet has nothing at all to do with road safety ! [it is for personal safety]

2. A helmet does nothing about reckless driving

3. A helmet will not avoid any accident at all

4. Wearing a "non safe helmet", like probably 90% of all helmets in Thailand are, is highly dangerous !!!

So what are you all cheering for ?

If somebody wants to wear a helmet so be it ... it is a personal decission !!!

[but only for people who like to be responsible for themselves ...]

I am wearing a helmet when I chose to ... and so can anybody else !

Slaves need to be ordered what is good for them.

People who like to be slaves will cheer for the slave masters to enforce more slave rules ... brainwashing par excellence !!!

How much do you think it's costing the government with their 30B health care scheme? To say it's nothing to do with the government is ridiculous. As for how it affects me, when the government have no money in the coffers to pay for all these accidents they raise taxes , VAT etc, that affects all of us.

Maybe they think they can save money if everyone wears a helmet, I would tend to agree with them although with many accidents as you say it makes no difference what you have on your head.

People can't want to be taken care of on one hand and on the other do as they like - the two don't go together.

This is about money IMHO.

[NoshowJones]

Gonna get me a turban... What say you?

I don't know about Thailand, but in the UK, you are excused from wearing a helmet if you have a turbon.

Ridiculous, isn't it?

[NoshowJones]

I still laugh about that statement a few years ago by a senior central government official boldly stating that Thais did not really need helmets as they all had thicker skulls than the average human being - and he was being serious and not sarcastic.

A senior central government official telling the truth??????????

[LivinginKata]

check for drivers licence too while you are at it.

That's nonsense - m/bike rental guys do not pay the BiB.

Edited January 14, 2016 by seedy
Quote hidden post

[LivinginKata]

I don't know about Thailand, but in the UK, you are excused from wearing a helmet if you have a turbon.

Ridiculous, isn't it?

True

Edited January 14, 2016 by seedy
Quote hidden post

[NoshowJones]

check for drivers licence too while you are at it.

That's nonsense - m/bike rental guys do not pay the BiB.

I am not going to disagree with you, but all these Farang holidaymakers renting motorbikes with no experience or licences?

and all the police are doing is pulling them in for not wearing helmets.

Edited January 14, 2016 by seedy
Quote hidden post

[legend49]

Is there a plan in where these bikes go to and for how long?

[seedy]

post Hidden - post Edited - Off Topic, Disrespectful

[CarolJadzia]

next: make people wear a proper helmet. majority of helmets i see offer virtually zero protection (except against birdshit of course).

Untrue, 98% of motorbikes rider are going anywhere from 2km/h to 45km/h even on the highway in phuket, those helmets are just fine for that kind of impact. They're not great but you have a decent chance at those speeds.

The problem with this is that it only promotes putting the helmet a few meters before the checkpoint and removing it right after as they dont stroll the streets to find offenders. Those stretches of roads where people remove or put helmets are so dangerous and as they start taking 3-4 lanes because theirs hands were already busy with food/mobiles

Very interesting comment, is there two levels of testing available that I have not heard of? From what I have seen the cheap import helmets that are common have not passed any formal testing such as the sharp standards and due to inferior construction the chances are they will disintegrate on impact. Helmet tests check so much, outer case construction, security of chin strap, shock absorbency of inner shell. Helmets, especially plastic ones, have a maximum life span as well, even the most expensive. As over time the plastic gets brittle and the inner shell compresses making old helmets less protective. Many of the helmets I have seen used in Thailand are simply not fit for purpose. No point wearing one if it's not going to save you when you need it. Often what you don't see is what is important. Like the construction and thickness of the inner shock absorber.

I agree on the check point issue though. Enforcement only works where enforced. If only enforced at checkpoints then people will only wear helmets at checkpoints.

If you want people to wear helmets you have to get them to understand why they need them. With common beliefs that this life is mapped many Thai's do not see the need for a helmet.

Without addressing that enforcement on it's own will have only limited effect.

[thailand49]

This is the problem with Thailand... I'm happy that something tough is being done but it shouldn't be just in Phuket.. The law is for everyone and every inch of Thailand they should enforce the law and if taking motorbikes from driver does it so be it! What bother me is how so many remove their helmet as soon as they feel they are out of reach of the enforcement. Law enforcement personnel seem to be at only check points, I see daily law enforcement on the road with helmets unstrapped just for looks. When they are on the road where ever they seem to be going other drivers do not even have second thoughts without helmets, speeding, etc... it can't just be here and there, in Phuket, they got to enforce the law every inch of Thailand.

[wabothai]

A couple of years ago in France, on my scooter with non-french license plate, a cop car with 5 cops chased me all over town, even disobeying a one-way street, for not wearing a helmet. Got away with speaking a language they did not understand. Had a good laugh.

Europe is very serious about not wearing helmets. Everybody does wear a helmet, no exceptions.

[mrfill]

Wearing a helmet means that your hair gets disturbed, which would never do.

It also hampers the use of a mobile phone.