TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: The compulsory wearing of helmets for two-wheeler riders on all roads from April 1, 2015, has angered the villagers of the coastal belt of Calangute. The villagers opined that the Road Traffic Department should instead strictly enforce driving discipline on the roads to avoid major or minor accidents.
The majority of the accidents are due to rash, negligent or drunken driving which the RTO authorities need to look into. The enforcement of helmets on even village or other roads would greatly inconvenience the villagers and others. The villagers of coastal Calangute are, however, ever willing to wear helmets for a longer drive or on National Highways.
Speaking to Herald Sarvesh Korgaonkar said, “The enforcement of helmets on village roads is foolishness on part of the Road Traffic Department. Are we going to carry our helmets and go to our paddy fields in the village of Calangute itself? Where are we going to keep our helmets? Just implementing the helmet rule for namesake will not help in avoiding accidents but it will only inconvenience ordinary citizens and lower middle class in Goa”.
Rose D’Souza says, “The enforcement of helmets rule by the RTO in Goa is sheer madness. Goa is not a big city like Mumbai, Delhi, Pune or Bangalore where one needs to travel a long distance and at high speeds to do shopping, etc. But in Goa everything is available within 100 meters and wearing a helmet for shopping would serve no purpose other than the headache of taking care of the helmet. Accidents can be avoided provided the RTOs strictly enforce driving discipline, be it the use of mobiles, rash and negligent driving especially among the youth and teens. One doesn’t need helmet to save one’s life on the road”.
Pramod P K said, “We are used to wearing helmets because we travel from one place to another say from Calangute to Panjim and to Ponda but there is no guarantee that my life will be saved if I meet with an accident. Helmets are okay on highways and longer routes, not in villages. Helmets in Goa are of no use as they will cause inconvenience locals, tourists and children going to school.”
“The Government of Goa seems to be doing things contrary to the wishes of the people. In spite of hardships and objections to compulsory use of helmets, the RTO wants to enforce the use of helmets for two wheelers in Goa. Just because there are death due to accidents the RTO wants strict enforcement of helmets rule on all roads in Goa. Does it make sense to force people going to paddy fields, schools, churches, temples, mosques, shopping, etc to carry helmets? Who travels in two wheelers? Basically it is the low income people of Goa and not ministers or their families. Will it avoid accidents? What is important on Goan roads is road discipline which is lacking over the years. The Director of Transport should concentrate on road discipline rather than making use of helmets, mandatory” says Sameer Parab, a local.
