Crash helmet campaign to be strengthened to promote bike safety

[mikiea]

16 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

Quote of a former Minister of Transport: “For Thais a requirement to wear a helmet is not necessary, because unlike other humans they have a thicker skull to protect them from injuries!"

 

An official of the Ministry was quoted saying: “We are perfectly capable of talking on the phone and writing SMS messages while driving in cars and on motorcycles."

another reason burma is overtaking thailand in the civilized scale of asia . 

[sugarcane24]

"...but only seven percent put on crash helmets."

the figure would be similar for motorbike riders. The police seems to have little if any interest in making motorbike riders wear helmets, and the same is likely to be the case for bicycle riders. Why is a bit of a mystery, as enforcing the law would be a huge source of income from fines (or bribes).

 

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Why all these stupid campaigns to promote helmet use

Its cheaper less work than enforcing it. Talking a problem down is rule rather than enforcement. 

[elgordo38]

My g/f's sister lost a child she was transporting on a motorbike and it was tragic. I see so many cases of motorbikes where the adult are wearing helmets but the child has none. Is it a case where they do not want to spend the money because the child is on a high growth curve. Great idea for a business have a children's helmet trade in centre much like ice skate trade in places in the west but the idea of wearing something used is really going out of style. Cheap money all over. 

[trogers]

4 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

My g/f's sister lost a child she was transporting on a motorbike and it was tragic. I see so many cases of motorbikes where the adult are wearing helmets but the child has none. Is it a case where they do not want to spend the money because the child is on a high growth curve. Great idea for a business have a children's helmet trade in centre much like ice skate trade in places in the west but the idea of wearing something used is really going out of style. Cheap money all over. 

More tragic would have been to buy new helmets for the deceased kid very few years...

 

Funeral costs occur only once.

[trogers]

40 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

Quote of a former Minister of Transport: “For Thais a requirement to wear a helmet is not necessary, because unlike other humans they have a thicker skull to protect them from injuries!"

 

An official of the Ministry was quoted saying: “We are perfectly capable of talking on the phone and writing SMS messages while driving in cars and on motorcycles."

And driving while drunk or high on drugs is in keeping with our unique Thai culture...

Edited February 6, 2017 by trogers

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, jimstar1 said:

You Think I am Horrified when I see Mothers holding New Born babies in there arms as there Partners Drive bike no one wearing helmets

I see it every day in Chiang Mai My partner works I C U Chiang Mai Ram Hospital and the horror photos and sites I see of Young Children with there Heads caved in and there Bodies Tortured from Horrific Injuries every day but there will never be anything done as they are to busy Targeting Tourist for Tea Money

Maybe they should do an online/TV barrage of injuries & death to convince the Thai people of what really happens when it goes wrong.
 As for your comment about mothers with babes in arms, near my home I watch every day as a young mother takes her 9 mth baby for a spin, holding it in one arm driving the motorcycle one handed, the local policeman at the traffic lights during the morning school run just tickles the babies chin... doesn't comment at all at the mothers recklessness!!

[heybuz]

There are helmets abd there are helmets there is no safety standard for helmets 200 bht from tesco or 6000bht from bike shop which do you think the majority will buy

[hEaDy]

9 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Another good idea, but as many before, should have been started a long time ago.

How can something be started before it's started? There is no should, there's only now, so step into it pls

[FredNL]

When I was a kid from about 6 years old, my parents took me to a circus. What I still remember of what I saw, was a clown and 20 monkeys riding tricycles to entertain the crowd. Completely hilarious as the clown was acting as a keystone cop regulating the traffic.

 

Every day that I'm on the Thai roads remind me to my first visit of a circus.

[FredNL]

38 minutes ago, heybuz said:

There are helmets abd there are helmets there is no safety standard for helmets 200 bht from tesco or 6000bht from bike shop which do you think the majority will buy

Tesco is way too expensive for the Thai. I know bike shops selling them for 120 THB. Same helmets in Chinatown for 60 THB.

 

When I still was in the second hand bike (moped) and rental business in Bangkok, I bought hundreds of these eggshells for 40 THB / each. Buy or rent a bike, get an (or sometimes 2) helmet(s), eggshells for free. Because of hygiene matter I was not taking them back. If I hop on a bike and they hand me over an  helmet / eggshell, I won't wear it because they are all infested with hair lice, scabies and other parasites that you don't want.

Edited February 6, 2017 by FredNL

[Alan Deer]

1 hour ago, elgordo38 said:

My g/f's sister lost a child she was transporting on a motorbike and it was tragic. I see so many cases of motorbikes where the adult are wearing helmets but the child has none. Is it a case where they do not want to spend the money because the child is on a high growth curve. Great idea for a business have a children's helmet trade in centre much like ice skate trade in places in the west but the idea of wearing something used is really going out of style. Cheap money all over. 

Trade in? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

helmets need to be replaced after ANY sharp blow - even if you drop one whilst carrying it in your hand, you should through it away - the basic construction of the helmet requires it be used only ONCE!

 

[Alan Deer]

9 minutes ago, FredNL said:

Tesco is way too expensive for the Thai. I know bike shops selling them for 120 THB. Same helmets in Chinatown for 60 THB.

In most countries even the cheap ones are subject to a minimum standard and are tested - I wouldn't be surprised to find that Thailand has similar standards - but it is quite clear they aren't enforced and some inappropriate designs are quite common on the roads here.

 

this is a vey well known image....but it makes a point.

[williamgeorgeallen]

6 hours ago, backstairs said:

Without back up from police: nothing changes.  Lofty idea lowly practice.

cops wont back this up. they dont want people to wear helmets. thats how they earn their living.

[mettech]

HELMET OR NOT!

We all see a family of four on a motorbike one helmet wearing adult the rest hardly hang on to anything so the idea of wearing this is far out look at the USA they have  law of wearing helmet but not in all states so helmet save life or not what is the sense of becoming paraplegic because helmet save your life but not your day to day normal living ???

[billd766]

6 hours ago, trogers said:

They would ask this question - Why is a crash helmet needed on a head that is harder?

 

Show them the watermelon test.

 

Put a watermelon inside a crash helmet and strap it in.

 

Drop the helmet from 2 metres and show the result.

 

Repeat the test with a fresh watermelon and no helmet and show the result.

 

Third test. Get gory photos from motorcycles accidents both with and without helmets.

 

If you are lucky maybe 10 to 15% will wear a helmet if they are given one.

[kannot]

Yes..instead of turning a  blind eye to it they are going to double their efforts and turn 2  blind eyes......hooooorah

[trogers]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

 

Show them the watermelon test.

 

Put a watermelon inside a crash helmet and strap it in.

 

Drop the helmet from 2 metres and show the result.

 

Repeat the test with a fresh watermelon and no helmet and show the result.

 

Third test. Get gory photos from motorcycles accidents both with and without helmets.

 

If you are lucky maybe 10 to 15% will wear a helmet if they are given one.

Are you suggesting a sales campaign for Thai amulets?

[overherebc]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Maybe they should do an online/TV barrage of injuries & death to convince the Thai people of what really happens when it goes wrong.
 As for your comment about mothers with babes in arms, near my home I watch every day as a young mother takes her 9 mth baby for a spin, holding it in one arm driving the motorcycle one handed, the local policeman at the traffic lights during the morning school run just tickles the babies chin... doesn't comment at all at the mothers recklessness!!

Poster campaigns at school.

Might work on some.

Wearing a hemet ruins your hair style. Not wearing your helmet can change your hairstyle a lot.

[chrissables]

8 hours ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Wearing helmets is the law...and has been for a very long time.

Why all these stupid campaigns to promote helmet use. Just enforce it.!  Confiscate the bikes, fine all helmetless riders 5,000baht and make them walk home!  And fine the parents/guardians of the underage kids that allow their kids to ride motorbikes. And penalise the schools too that allow underage kids to take their bikes to school.

Do they confiscate bikes in you country of birth if you don't wear a helmet? Would the fine for not wearing a helmet be 20 times the minimum wage? If in the UK, that would be around 1,300 pound.

Why come and live in another country and impose your values?

[chrissables]

7 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Thailand's motorbike culture will take decades to change, particularly while cars remain unaffordable to a large percentage of the population. It can happen, and hopefully will, with Vietnam showing the way.

There is still a lot of people who ride without helmets in Vietnam, especially outside of the main cities.

[superal]

How can a child be allowed to sit as pillion passenger at the age of 2 years . Shocking to see and scary . There should be a law introduced that states the pillion passengers feet must be able to sit on the foot rest .

 How the authorities allow the constant infringement of driving/rider laws astounds me but I am almost beginning to accept it as it is a common daily occurrence .   When seeing the signs along the roadside with a picture of a rider wearing a helmet saying 100% , what a waste of money making and erecting them . 

[sambum]

"It said that in 2015, about 1.3 school-age children in Thailand regularly traveled on the back of motorcycles each day but only seven percent put on crash helmets. "

 

Lost in translation again?

[mikebell]

My car Insurance company paid 200,000 medical expenses and have offered 500,000 compensation to two young tearaways who hit me at 90 kph (I was at a U-turn & stationery.)  This is despite the fact that the driver had no licence & they had one helmet between them.

In civilised countries, having no licence means you should not be on the road and therefore entitled to nothing.

[trogers]

10 minutes ago, mikebell said:

My car Insurance company paid 200,000 medical expenses and have offered 500,000 compensation to two young tearaways who hit me at 90 kph (I was at a U-turn & stationery.)  This is despite the fact that the driver had no licence & they had one helmet between them.

In civilised countries, having no licence means you should not be on the road and therefore entitled to nothing.

The keyword here is 'Civilised'!!!

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, trogers said:

Are you suggesting a sales campaign for Thai amulets?

Ha! I know the solution to this problem: embed the amulets in the helmet, then you have to wear it. Or at least have it with you in the shopping basket of the scooter .. oh well.

[biplanebluey]

10 hours ago, prakhonchai nick said:

Wearing helmets is the law...and has been for a very long time.

Why all these stupid campaigns to promote helmet use. Just enforce it.!  Confiscate the bikes, fine all helmetless riders 5,000baht and make them walk home!  And fine the parents/guardians of the underage kids that allow their kids to ride motorbikes. And penalise the schools too that allow underage kids to take their bikes to school.

I have been saying this for yrs.Wouldn't it be a very brave leader who would say something like----"OK now in 1 month from today anyone caught  on a motor bike with no helmet = B500 fine and Bike confiscated for 1 month------- 2nd offence B1000 and 6 months." It seems so simple to me.People will be S$#t scared to go out without a helmet Then you target the drink driving problem in exactly the same way.Hey presto 2 problems solved in a matter of weeks.For heavens sake STOP TALKING about all these stupid decisions and DO SOMETHING serious.

[trogers]

3 minutes ago, biplanebluey said:

I have been saying this for yrs.Wouldn't it be a very brave leader who would say something like----"OK now in 1 month from today anyone caught  on a motor bike with no helmet = B500 fine and Bike confiscated for 1 month------- 2nd offence B1000 and 6 months." It seems so simple to me.People will be S$#t scared to go out without a helmet Then you target the drink driving problem in exactly the same way.Hey presto 2 problems solved in a matter of weeks.For heavens sake STOP TALKING about all these stupid decisions and DO SOMETHING serious.

A huge countrywide protest would form...by members of BiB themselves...?

[biplanebluey]

9 hours ago, Bcgardener said:

Agree, these so called helmets that don't meet any safety standards and can be bought for as little as 99 Baht are worse than no helmet at all. My next door neighbour is a neurosurgeon at a large Government Hospital. He is the best advertisement for wearing a good helmet that you would ever meet. I keep telling him he needs to go into the local schools with photos and show these kids what can happen. He works every New Year and Songkran holiday as that is the busiest time for him. The horror stories he tells about trying to pick pieces of shattered plastic out of kid's brains is something that all the others should hear.

I have a friend in Udon who is passion about this and has been dishing out at schools free helmets but when asked if he could talk to the kids was evidently refused. Perhaps cleaning out the classrooms and polishing up the Kitchen is heaps more important ???

[biplanebluey]

4 minutes ago, trogers said:

A huge countrywide protest would form...by members of BiB themselves...?

Protest ????? From the BIB ??????