Why are helmet laws enforced?

Post by **BigBubba** » March 10, 2012, 10:42 am

I actually know the answer... TO COLLECT MONEY. I really don't think a helmet that cost 299 baht will save someone's life. If the government was interested in saving lives I think they might start by fining owners that drive at night with no lights! I cannot count the number of close encounters this has caused. My wife continously reminds me that if I hit a motorbike it's my fault, regardless of the circumstances.

Post by **jonny_w** » March 10, 2012, 10:55 am

someone needs to pay for the mia nois, giks, and houses and car payments

500 baht for redlight runners is better money than 200 baht, but they have to wait for night time.

Post by **arjay** » March 10, 2012, 11:31 am

I wear a helmet whether there was a law or not. I value my head.

Yes, it is very inconsistent how they apply the helmet laws, often not even adhering to them themselves. As suggested it is a useful source of income for them.

Post by **douglas** » March 10, 2012, 3:36 pm

Hi,
BigBubba. If you hit a motorcyclist it is not always your fault. My daughter, who was driving a motor bike, pulled out to turn right. She was considered responsible for the accident and had to pay, the car owner, to repair her car. And tor the cost, of her own, three days in hospital. This was two years ago, but they have not changed the law. Yet.
And as arjay says, Wear a helmet, and you do not have to buy, a cheap (useless) one, from Tescos. UTY
I also had a incident about four years ago. Dropping my youngest daughter to school one morning, i was going striaght ahead at the traffic lights, a gtrl on a M/B. was going the same way, she tried to pass me on the left, in the left turn lane. A car turning left, who was in the lane, sounded his horn, the girl lost it and crashed into my car. A policeman at the lights, he controlled them at the time, give her a dressing down. He asked me if iwanted to claim for damage to my car. Seeing i only had a small scratch on it, i said no. Plus the girl was a bit shaken and i felt sorry for her.
Was talking to a traffic policeman, whom i know. I asked him why they did not fine the kids, who did not wear helmets. His reply was, i am on traffic control. TIT.

Post by **BigBubba** » March 10, 2012, 3:57 pm

I value my head also and always wear my helmet, a Shoei I brought from America. I also turn on my headlights when driving a car in the rain. Another concept the Thais can't seem to grasp... that it's not for seeing, but to BE SEEN.

Post by **BigBubba** » March 10, 2012, 4:02 pm

douglas wrote:Hi,
BigBubba. If you hit a motorcyclist it is not always your fault. My daughter, who was driving a motor bike, pulled out to turn right. She was considered responsible for the accident and had to pay, the car owner, to repair her car. And tor the cost, of her own, three days in hospital.

Curious to know if the car driver was farang.

Post by **Tafia** » March 10, 2012, 5:05 pm

The helmets may be considered inadequate and there are better quality ones available; but as inadequate as they may be, it may still save your skull from cracking.

Post by **fdimike** » March 11, 2012, 7:30 am

I'm an avid cyclist (bicycle) and ALWAYS wear a helmet. I've been knocked down twice once by a truck and once by a teen motorcyclist. I hit my head on the pavement on both occasions. Had it not been for the helmet my injuries would have undoubtedly been substantial. There are a large number of cyclists here in Udon and nearlyy all wear helmets because we are all aware of the dangers. Unfortunately, too many Thai parents fail to instruct their children to wear a helmet due to laziness or lasi faire (sp) attitude. I just love seeing Thai parents driving a motorcycle without a helmet with their children behind them. Like father/mother like child! It appears to me from the large number of students who don't bother with a helmet, and/or license that they learn quite well from their parents! Too bad they don't learn the correct way to do things is not always the easy way.

Post by **fatbas***d** » March 11, 2012, 2:47 pm

Always wear my cycling helmet, 3 years ago a mate lost his life because he didn't bother.
Ridden MC's for 40 years and always wore decent helmet, I wouldn't ever put those Plastic local things on my head.
Locals thinks its cool to go helmet less and sadly a few farangs too.

Post by **wiking** » March 11, 2012, 2:58 pm

and the disrespect from the policemens driving motorbike, where they never lock the helmet

but they dont care, they are the red-t-shirt law

Post by **Jello** » March 11, 2012, 3:07 pm

fatbas***d wrote:Always wear my cycling helmet, 3 years ago a mate lost his life because he didn't bother.
Ridden MC's for 40 years and always wore decent helmet, I wouldn't ever put those Plastic local things on my head.
Locals thinks its cool to go helmet less and sadly a few farangs too.

Hi Fatbas--,
Can you tell me how to spot a good helmet and where to get one in Udon?
I didn't start riding until I moved here, so I really don't know how to compare them. I have a open face helmet (I think you call it a 3/4 helmet). Paid about 500 baht for it. I don't ride at high speeds, I normally only ride in town.

Thanks for any advise,

Post by **Geoffrey** » March 11, 2012, 3:40 pm

On the corner of Posri and Ampher roads is probably the biggest motorcycle parts store in Udon. I think it is called SriWilai but I'm not one hundred percent sure. They have a pretty good selection of helmets. You can also try to get a genuine Honda helmet at a Honda motorcycle dealer, some do stock them and they look and feel very good. To compare helmets you can try to weigh them. Heavier helmets have more material in them and could be better.

Post by **jonny_w** » March 11, 2012, 5:29 pm

Jello wrote:
fatbas***d wrote:.
Hi Fatbas--,
Can you tell me how to spot a good helmet and where to get one in Udon?
I didn't start riding until I moved here, so I really don't know how to compare them. I have a open face helmet (I think you call it a 3/4 helmet). Paid about 500 baht for it. I don't ride at high speeds, I normally only ride in town.

Thanks for any advise,

there is a helmet only shop across the street from Aek Udon, dont try to talk to the guy, talk to the wife, the husband dont like farang......talk to the boss! (the wife) :-"

There is also another helmet only shop down the road near the chinese temple, real nice people own it, it may have moved to the near the corner on nittayo?

look for index, real and other brands

I will put up a used twice helmet in the classified section, it is a Index modular helmet, the front can be opened up like a 3/4 helmet or closed down for a full face helmet. Its a little small for me, they call it a large?

Post by **papaguido** » March 11, 2012, 5:43 pm

jonny_w wrote:
Jello wrote:
fatbas***d wrote:.
Hi Fatbas--,
Can you tell me how to spot a good helmet and where to get one in Udon?
I didn't start riding until I moved here, so I really don't know how to compare them. I have a open face helmet (I think you call it a 3/4 helmet). Paid about 500 baht for it. I don't ride at high speeds, I normally only ride in town.

Thanks for any advise,

there is a helmet only shop across the street from Aek Udon, dont try to talk to the guy, talk to the wife, the husband dont like farang......talk to the boss! (the wife) :-"

There is also another helmet only shop down the road near the chinese temple, real nice people own it, it may have moved to the near the corner on nittayo?

look for index, real and other brands

I will put up a used twice helmet in the classified section, it is a Index modular helmet, the front can be opened up like a 3/4 helmet or closed down for a full face helmet. Its a little small for me, they call it a large?

Only place I ever shop for a helmet. No idea why the poster thinks the husband is anti farang, but I've received good service from both husband and wife.

Post by **jonny_w** » March 11, 2012, 6:03 pm

I'll find out tomorrow, I need to have a visor changed on a helmet..........everybody has their day? maybe some jagass went in before me and piised him off? dunno?

Post by **Jello** » March 11, 2012, 10:16 pm

Thanks for the recommendations guys. I like the idea of the Index modular helmet. I'll take a look at those. Large won't fit me, maybe I can find a XXL for my big ol' falang pumpkin head.

Post by **fdimike** » March 12, 2012, 6:21 am

Jello

This info is a bit dated but from my enduro riding days I recall that our helmets were Snell certified. I would think that any good motorcycle helmet today would also carry some sort of safety certification on a label inside the helmet. Heck even my bicycle helmet (not all are certified) has a certification tag that it meets certain safety standards. The idea behind a motorcycle helmet is that it will fracture and not your head.

Post by **ting_tong** » March 12, 2012, 9:22 am

Jello wrote:Thanks for the recommendations guys. I like the idea of the Index modular helmet. I'll take a look at those. Large won't fit me, maybe I can find a XXL for my big ol' falang pumpkin head.

no hab....only L, its a one size only model

Post by **douglas** » March 12, 2012, 3:36 pm

Hi, Big Bubba
Don't know your reason for wanting to know who the car driver was. My step daughter is a Thai, and the woman driving the car was a Thai. For what it is worth. When i, a Farang, had my accident with a M/C, it was a Thai girl driving the M/C, and the policeman said it was her fault, and i could claim for the damage to my car. So the statement, that if you hit a Thai, you are to blame, is incorrect. Also i was the only person in the car at the time. And the policeman treated me just as a driver. and was polite. The young girl, IMO was not old enough to hold a lic., was tn a state, and the bike was damaged when it hit the ground, so she would get her punished when she got home. So when the policeman said did i want to take it further, i said no.

Post by **bigsnake** » March 17, 2012, 1:38 pm

Only enforce in day time, after 5pm they go come like most Thai Workers NUFF said