The Indian city where motorbike riders hate helmets.

Pedro_P

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

▼ Wearing helmets is mandatory for motorbike riders in India. But political interference has made it difficult for police to enforce the law in the western city of Pune, writes independent journalist Omkar Khandekar.
From the sidelines of the noisy Ganeshkhind road in Pune, police constable Sunil Tathe looks at the oncoming traffic with disappointment.
"Up to 70% motorcyclists in the city wore helmets until recently. But ever since we received orders to stop the helmet-enforcement drive, I barely see half of them wearing it," he says.
Mr Tathe is referring to a recent government order which stops police from  questioning riders who violate the law.
Devendra Fadnavis, the chief minister of Maharashtra state (where Pune is located), told the city police to send notices of fine to offenders' homes instead of stopping them on the road. He gave the order after Pune's legislators accused the police of harassing people because of the helmet-enforcement drive.
Police across India struggle to enforce the law as riders often don't wear a helmet. The problem is more severe in smaller towns.
That's why police in Pune launched the drive to stop and fine offenders on the spot. They believe that sending notices is not as effective.
"You can only penalise someone if their number plate is visible in the CCTV," said Tathe. "I've often come across people who hide or rub off a digit on the number plate. When asked, they say an errant child did it."
Pune has one of the highest numbers of two-wheelers in the country - nearly 2.5 million - and ranks among the top 10  Indian cities for fatal road accidents.
In the last five years, more than 1,000 bikers died on Pune's roads and in the suburban Pimpri-Chinchwad area. Only  three of the deceased were wearing  helmets.
And yet, when the city police declared their  intent to strictly enforce the law this year,many residents were outraged.
Some took to the streets and held rallies, chanting slogans such as "helmet hatao, Punekar bachao" (get rid of helmets, save Pune's residents). One "anti-helmet group" even went to a crematorium and staged a mock funeral of helmets.
They argue that people from the Sikh faith, most of whom wear turbans, are exempted from wearing helmets, so why should they  not have the freedom to choose? A local  politician, who supported the protests,  claimed helmets cause problems in the  spine.
Vivek Velankar, who heads the "anti-helmet compulsion action committee", says that their battle has been going on for nearly two decades. Bikers in Pune, he adds, have to ride carefully anyway, considering how congested the city is.
"Wearing helmets, in fact, makes bikers feel a degree of safety," he says. "That makes them even more reckless."
One political party organised a motorbike rally where all riders wore the traditional Pune headgear made of cloth, instead of helmets.
And in April, just before the parliamentary elections, advocate Ramesh Dharmavat, a candidate from the fledgling People's Union Party, contested on the sole issue of banning helmets. He received 547 votes.
Anil Deshmukh, deputy commissioner of Pune traffic police, says most people argue against wearing helmets, which frustrates officers who are enforcing the law.
"There just doesn't seem to be any logical explanation for such arguments. But here (Pune), they also get political patronage," he says.
The drive had begun on 1 January and police had fined more than 100,000 people for riding without helmets in the first three months. Even as a section of the city's population resisted, says Mr Deshmukh, the compliance was around 80% in some areas.
The police also launched a scheme to reward citizens who had no traffic violations on their record. They were given discount coupons to be redeemed at restaurants or shops.
But this changed once police started implementing the chief minister's order.
They don't have the manpower or necessary technology, such as a synchronised signalling system or cameras that automatically recognise number plates.
Nishad Kulkarni, an architect and long-time city resident, says the resistance largely stems from Pune's history.
"In the 1980s and early 1990s, Pune used to be a city of cyclists. You would frequently use cycles to commute. But that changed in the late 1990s. As the manufacturing and IT boom started, several infrastructure projects and skyscrapers came up. Soon, everyone was driving cars or riding motorbikes before knowing how to behave on roads," he says.
Many of the city's residents, according to him, prioritise convenience over safety. "Whenever I've seen cops stop these people, they think they know better.
It takes one to know one. "There are 30 people in my own family. I don't think any one of us wears a helmet," he says.

► This news was originally published here: Source

themaskeditor

Not only Pune but this type of things are common in Mumbai, Bangalore and many Indian cities

First of all riding a motorbike itself is dangerous. A Majority of bikers are rash drivers. They don't understand that if any vehicle even if it brushes them then there is a possibility for a fetal injury. Protecting the head is most important as it is very venerable. In most cased the bikers heads get hit on the roads in high velocity or they come under vehicles. Also they are always in a hurry never ready to wait even at signals, they get on the footpaths and honk like crazy to pedestrians. The worst are these food delivery people.

The Police should be strict and should conduct surprise drills and fine the bikers heavily and should abstain from taking bribes.  If the police is not acting for the benefit of the people then of what use are they to the society.

asr335704

themaskeditor 27-7-2019 12:54 PM
Not only Pune but this type of things are common in Mumbai, Bangalore and many Indian cities

First  ...

That is correct. Traffic Police should enforce the law so that people do not break these basic rules. These rules are made for people's safety. It is not good on anyone's part to prioritize convenience over safety by giving excuses thus risking their lives.

Rhett_Bassard

themaskeditor 27-7-2019 01:24 AM
Not only Pune but this type of things are common in Mumbai, Bangalore and many Indian cities

First  ...

"

A Majority of bikers are rash drivers."

Source, please.
Are you a trained and licensed driver to judge others?
Are you a biker? If so, do you belong to a club like the Madras Bulls who espouse and practice safety?

"...there is a possibility for a fetal injury."

If I was pregnant, I wouldn't ride my Bullet...or hang off trains, buses and autoricks.

"Also they are always in a hurry never ready to wait even at signals, they get on the footpaths and honk like crazy to pedestrians.

"
Source, please.
In Chennai, I stopped behind a crosswalk when a cop so indicated. I was hit from the rear by an aggressive 4-wheeler who proceeded to first berate the cop for stopping traffic and then buy him off.

On my very first day in India, I learned the facetious rules of India driving:
- there are no rules costing more than Rs. 50 (greater, if you have lighter pigmentation/perceived as a foreigner)
- a 4-wheeler's thumb is always on the horn, i.e. 'might is right'
- a cop's role is to support their family, displaying a great mustache and lathi ;)

ajayjohri

When rules are negotiable, all kinds of excuses are made not to follow them. When rules are non-negotiable, everything falls in place.

themaskeditor

Rhett Bassard 31-7-2019 01:38 AM
"A Majority of bikers are rash drivers."
Source, please.
Are you a trained and licens ...

" Source, please.
Are you a trained and licensed driver to judge others?
Are you a biker? If so, do you belong to a club like the Madras Bulls who espouse and practice safety? "


I am from Mumbai and I see bikers driving daily, there are instances when a bus is standing on the bus stop and people are getting down from the bus and these reckless bikers do not let them get down and honk. Like the people getting down of the bus a committing crime.


They go over footpaths and honk on the people waliking on footpaths.


They jump signals drive in the opposite direction and expect the other vehicles to take care. they will be many more such instances that I can list here.


"If I was pregnant, I wouldn't ride my Bullet...or hang off trains, buses and autoricks."

While over taking or cutting the lane if a car or auto rickshaw even brushes a biker, which i have seen on a few occassions the bikers get injured fatally. One has to understand at certain speed it is difficult for cars and autos to control while a bike appears suddenly to cut the lane. These bikers have to understand that apart from their loss thier family too will be effected.

I do agree with you that one has to follow traffic rules. and also agree that 4-wheeler drivers too are rash but not as much as the bikers.

Also apart from the duty of the cops to assure road safety it is upon us to maintain deciplain on the roads.

While driving we need to see our safety as well as others on the road. one has to be responsible. that un-fortunately in India does not happen.


And people at fault, rather then accepting their mistakes they start arguing with the ones pointing their mistakes.

parivijesh100

Even in Mumbai,most of bikers carry their helmet but only wear it when cops are seen. Now cops are very actively checking thus & penalising such bikers. But pillion rider never wears it. New laws passed by Government may inculcate such discipline.

pvk_udt

This is the case in most part of the country...not only in the metros, but also in small towns and rural areas. Awareness and disciplined implementation by us is the only way. We don't need a policeman to stress the importance of wearing helmets.

chanakyakripa

In metro or big cities, rate of wearing helmet is more compared to that in smaller ones. And this is bcoz that cops are more stringent in penalising people for not wearing helmets while biking.