Helmet rule came into effect from the day of April fool. It was our state’s action to comply with central government’s direction. Therefore, our authorities thought it fit that their first priority is to stop accidents on motorways by protecting the head. They do not like anyone to tell them what they should do first; because they are neither ‘Dim brained nor Bird brained’; they are great orators — our boss; and the boss is always right. Who are we to tell them? Our duty is not to tell them that accidents are caused due to bad roads, dog chasing and cattle squatting, absence of traffic monitoring, haphazard parking, over-speeding, using mobile while driving, etc, etc.; ours is to put on the helmet on our head and die due to these above mentioned causes.
The helmet rule enforcement is based on the solid foundation of past and present statistics that two-wheelers die without helmet. So far no figures have reached authorities of two-wheelers dying with bike on one side and the helmeted head on the other side. Therefore, no one should think that helmet rule is “juta natak” in the name of public safety to protect the interest of helmet manufacturers.
Helmet rule is diluted by not making it compulsory for pillion riders because two-wheeler- pilots will suffer losses and so lose their bread, butter and jam; because no body would prefer to use helmets which have already been used by their several other customers.
The public feels that the helmet rule shouldn’t be discriminatory by violating, overtly or covertly the well founded principle of “Equality before law”. Helmet rule should not exclude pillion riders of two-wheeler pilots and Sikhs, because their heads are also not immune to skull injury. If there is dilution of law for pillion riders and sicks, then there should be exemption for senior citizens also, before they slip into eternal bliss to give relief to their old tired nerves and bones, as helmet’s weight on aged head causes spondolysis and backache.
Nothing, in authorities’ belief, can shorten a man’s life as helmetless head. Nothing! Not even hazardous occupation; so, helmet is compulsorily placed on two wheeler’s head to reduce chances of head injuries and ensures survival by 70%. The motive is appreciated very much because helmet can protect the head – the thinking brain, although not the rest of the body in the absence of shining body armour. It doesn’t matter if by accident one is crippled or paralysed as long as the penalty with challans, increases the government’s revenue and perhaps the income of those traffic police with a good handshake with traffic violators.
Today man has become greedy — for power, name, fame and money. He wants to make quick profits and achieve quick results. The more we earn and the more things we acquire the greedier we become. Yes, we all have to try not to become a man of success but a man of value.
