Why you should wear a m/c helmet.

[BritManToo]

Last night at the road junction in San Sai near me at 7:30pm, two m/cs driving at crazy speeds on a narrow road collided.

1 guy, drunk, no helmet, dead on the road, brains and blood splattered across the road.

1 guy with wife, sober, him with head hitting the kerb, no helmet having a fit, waiting for ambulance, not sure he'll make it, his whole body was trembling and shaking.

Wife wearing helmet as passenger, seemed totally unharmed.

Wear a helmet, lots of drunk drivers out there.

Edited April 15, 2016 by BritManToo

[anto]

Wear a proper helmet ,secured correctly .

[elektrified]

It would be foolish not to wear a helmet. Not only during Songkran but all the time!

[lust]

Also saw a guy wearing a quality helmet,literally cut in half and totally conscious of his situation.. Very sad.

[terminatorchiangmai]

Never understand why Thai and a lot of foreigners not wear a helmet.

They only wear in areas where they think there might bye a police check point.

[CMKiwi]

I've even seen cops riding without the helmet fastened....and they set the example?!!!

Then you get those who think they're smart by having it perched on their brow....talk about dumb, and it doesn't even look cool/sick/great

[NickJ]

I wear one no doubt. But the helmets here, most just help with not getting the brains splattered everywhere. Total crap.

[johnatong]

Buy a good quality helmet and always wear it - even for short trips.

Broken limbs can be "fixed" but bust brains never !

The link contains some convincing evidence.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6123a1.htm

I will never understand why people choose not to wear helmet.

[masuk]

Never understand why Thai and a lot of foreigners not wear a helmet.

They only wear in areas where they think there might bye a police check point.

If the government brought in heavy fines and impounded bikes for 48 hrs, AND the police did their job, the message MIGHT get across.

Our so called police states such as the USA, Australia, UK, Western Europe, are very tough on helmetless bikers, and it must save a lot of grief.

We are called 'police states' by the ignorant, because blacked out car windows are not allowed, using a phone while driving gets a hefty fine, seat belts save lives, as does reckless driving, drunk driving and so on.

Thailand will continue to have one of the world's worst traffic fatalities without proper legislation and professional policing. Maybe less concern about beach umbrellas and more on the country's killing fields - the roads.

[anto]

I wear one no doubt. But the helmets here, most just help with not getting the brains splattered everywhere. Total crap.

Its getting better .Tesco /Lotus now sell reasonable helmets the Index brand ,at around B600 upwards .I see more and more Thais wearing them .Got to admit around my local area ,i rarely wear a helmet .but drive slowly .I always wear a helmet at night though and when going further afield .

[elektrified]

I've also noticed the quality improving and many Thais wearing better quality ones these days.

[northernjohn]

Never understand why Thai and a lot of foreigners not wear a helmet.

They only wear in areas where they think there might bye a police check point.

If the government brought in heavy fines and impounded bikes for 48 hrs, AND the police did their job, the message MIGHT get across.

Our so called police states such as the USA, Australia, UK, Western Europe, are very tough on helmetless bikers, and it must save a lot of grief.

We are called 'police states' by the ignorant, because blacked out car windows are not allowed, using a phone while driving gets a hefty fine, seat belts save lives, as does reckless driving, drunk driving and so on.

Thailand will continue to have one of the world's worst traffic fatalities without proper legislation and professional policing. Maybe less concern about beach umbrellas and more on the country's killing fields - the roads.

The United States does not make them compulsory. Most of the states do but not all of them.

If the government brought in heavy fines and impounded bikes for 48 hrs, AND the police did their job, the message MIGHT get across.

You are quite correct. The old line of doing there job wore out years ago. The penalties you mention for sure would do it. There are enough honest cops out there that it would catch on faster than it is.

It could be as easy as back home they would take your license for 24 hours and not let you move the vehicle from where it was.

Edited April 15, 2016 by northernjohn

[BaldPlumber]

Also saw a guy wearing a quality helmet,literally cut in half and totally conscious of his situation.. Very sad.

How does that work, medically?

[FolkGuitar]

I wear one no doubt. But the helmets here, most just help with not getting the brains splattered everywhere. Total crap.

Its getting better .Tesco /Lotus now sell reasonable helmets the Index brand ,at around B600 upwards .I see more and more Thais wearing them .Got to admit around my local area ,i rarely wear a helmet .but drive slowly .I always wear a helmet at night though and when going further afield .

The majority of injuries to the head in motorcycle accidents affect the lower front of the face, giving good cause for wearing a full-face helmet.

Here are some reprints from WebBikeWorld showing the "Motorcycle Safety Foundation's" research showing the percentages of injuries to different parts of the head and face in a crash,

http://imgur.com/ISo5OxO

http://imgur.com/PHLkBBJ

Edited April 15, 2016 by FolkGuitar

[anto]

Also saw a guy wearing a quality helmet,literally cut in half and totally conscious of his situation.. Very sad.

How does that work, medically?

The guy was dead i assume .A helmet can not save you in every situation .

[pgrahmm]

I wear one no doubt. But the helmets here, most just help with not getting the brains splattered everywhere. Total crap.

Its getting better .Tesco /Lotus now sell reasonable helmets the Index brand ,at around B600 upwards .I see more and more Thais wearing them .Got to admit around my local area ,i rarely wear a helmet .but drive slowly .I always wear a helmet at night though and when going further afield .

No matter where you ride the pavement is undefeated.....

Never a good idea not to....

[Chicog]

1 guy, drunk, no helmet, dead on the road, brains and blood splattered across the road.

So how do you know he was drunk?

[BritManToo]

1 guy, drunk, no helmet, dead on the road, brains and blood splattered across the road.

So how do you know he was drunk?

I spoke to the surviving woman, who claimed he was driving erratically before he crashed into them.

She might have been lying.

Edited April 15, 2016 by BritManToo

[connda]

I believe it's everybody's choice to wear one or not (that's my 'small, unobtrusive government is best' part of me talking), but with that said, I personally wear one and think that people who don't are idiots. The deceased made their choices, and who knows, maybe other injuries other than head injuries would have killed them too.

Wear helmets! It's not a fashion statement here on the second most dangerous road in the world.

[colinneil]

I am living proof that wearing a helmet will save your life.

Motorbike accident, 7 months in hospital, shattered spine/ severed spinal cord/ hip/ pelvis/ femur broken.

Punctured lung 4 broken ribs/ torn diaphram.

All those injuries but head no damage. Why helmet on my head.

My wife used to go everywhere no helmet, it will spoil my hair.

Now she uses a helmet always.

Be safe not sorry wear a helmet.

[Rancid]

Never understand why Thai and a lot of foreigners not wear a helmet.

They only wear in areas where they think there might bye a police check point.

If the government brought in heavy fines and impounded bikes for 48 hrs, AND the police did their job, the message MIGHT get across.

Our so called police states such as the USA, Australia, UK, Western Europe, are very tough on helmetless bikers, and it must save a lot of grief.

We are called 'police states' by the ignorant, because blacked out car windows are not allowed, using a phone while driving gets a hefty fine, seat belts save lives, as does reckless driving, drunk driving and so on.

Thailand will continue to have one of the world's worst traffic fatalities without proper legislation and professional policing. Maybe less concern about beach umbrellas and more on the country's killing fields - the roads.

I agree with helmets, and I also regard many western countries as becoming police states. The US probably more so however they don't have uniform helmet laws.

Some personality types love the iron fist, others not, as we don't all long for the all knowing embrace of big brother. Claiming those not anxiously awaiting an Orwellian future as ignorant seems an odd comment.

[Sparkles]

The BBC ran a short TV news item last night highlighting Thailand as the second highest accident rated country in the world ,behind Libya.

The on the spot footage included the fantastic work volunteers do in fully equipped vans, expecially in Bangkok.With a population, including outer suburbs you are looking at 15 m people.I doubt hospitals alone could handle the volume. One medical worker even remarked if you are too drunk to drive we will give you a ride home and someone will bring your bike to you.

The road carnage here never ceases to amaze me remembering for every single accident the consequences for family and friends are devestating

It would be likely that these voluneers are not Government funded,there's an intersting story there.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Sparkles

[MadMac]

They are not volunteers, it's a huge industry.

Every ambulance and rescue car carries their hotline number 1669. They virtually fight for the dead and injured, you just need to watch any bigger accident, they will rush to the site, first one wins. Which is a good thing after all.

[Sparkles]

They are not volunteers, it's a huge industry.

Every ambulance and rescue car carries their hotline number 1669. They virtually fight for the dead and injured, you just need to watch any bigger accident, they will rush to the site, first one wins. Which is a good thing after all.

Well you may be right but one crew had the son of the driver with them for "work experience" he was 10 and dressed in a uniform carries gear,stretcher etc.

Latest figs for 4 days, 259 dead , 2,378 injured.

[northernjohn]

I believe it's everybody's choice to wear one or not (that's my 'small, unobtrusive government is best' part of me talking), but with that said, I personally wear one and think that people who don't are idiots. The deceased made their choices, and who knows, maybe other injuries other than head injuries would have killed them too.

Wear helmets! It's not a fashion statement here on the second most dangerous road in the world.

I just read an article where Thailand was the 15th most dangerous in the world.

Many African countries ahead of them and a few South America ones.

One other thing that tends to make Thailand dangerous along with lax traffic control and long times many times for medical help is tourists who come to Thailand and think they can ride a motorbike here just like they do back home.

They tend to think because they are a good rider back home they will be OK here. Where as that is not the fact.

Here the first thing you have to be is very very alert.

[Sparkles]

They are not volunteers, it's a huge industry.

Every ambulance and rescue car carries their hotline number 1669. They virtually fight for the dead and injured, you just need to watch any bigger accident, they will rush to the site, first one wins. Which is a good thing after all.

Just for interest googled this situation.There are only 150 Hospital ambulances for the whole of Bangkok.Litte wonder the others get there first.

Web sites like www.bkkfreeambulance.com is one of many sites where you can volunteer or contribute

[MadMac]

Most do not belong to any hospital, they are freelancers on a commission basis. They get radioed the accident and the hunt starts. Sometimes even more dangerous than the thing they run for....

[Sparkles]

I believe it's everybody's choice to wear one or not (that's my 'small, unobtrusive government is best' part of me talking), but with that said, I personally wear one and think that people who don't are idiots. The deceased made their choices, and who knows, maybe other injuries other than head injuries would have killed them too.

Wear helmets! It's not a fashion statement here on the second most dangerous road in the world.

I just read an article where Thailand was the 15th most dangerous in the world.

Many African countries ahead of them and a few South America ones.

One other thing that tends to make Thailand dangerous along with lax traffic control and long times many times for medical help is tourists who come to Thailand and think they can ride a motorbike here just like they do back home.

They tend to think because they are a good rider back home they will be OK here. Where as that is not the fact.

Here the first thing you have to be is very very alert.

Thailand is not the 15th most dangerous its 2nd as the BBC stated last night. Confirmed if you care to google,which is where the BBC probably got their information

[FolkGuitar]

They are not volunteers, it's a huge industry.

Every ambulance and rescue car carries their hotline number 1669. They virtually fight for the dead and injured, you just need to watch any bigger accident, they will rush to the site, first one wins. Which is a good thing after all.

Well you may be right but one crew had the son of the driver with them for "work experience" he was 10 and dressed in a uniform carries gear,stretcher etc.

Latest figs for 4 days, 259 dead , 2,378 injured.

Well then, kudos to the government's Songkran Safety Campaign! At 259 fatalities for four days, that's well UNDER the national average for the same time period! I guess they did something right!

Of course these are just statistics, like most statistics, probably not particularly accurate. But who really knows for sure. Regardless, one death is a death too many, and my sympathies go out to the families and friends of those who passed over.

[kaptainrob]

Comparing apples with apples is difficult enough but road fatality stats are more difficult due to different vehicle types and road rules. Eg: Western nanny states have far fewer scooters and high standards of driver training.

Thailand should ban the carrying of passengers in the back of pick-ups and tighten helmet safety laws for m/c's. Perhaps impound offenders m/c's for a month .... Driver education is more difficult to improve upon and will take decades.