Don’t shut your eyes to safety
By H. Kishie Singh

THERE is much hullabaloo about helmets for two-wheeler riders these days. The fact of the matter is that like seat belts, helmets save lives. There is a very good chance that if you leave the saddle of your two wheeler at a mild 20-25 km p.h. and your head comes into contact with tarmac, you will suffer a severe head injury. It could scramble your brain and leave you a vegetable. It could be fatal. Statistics show that most two-wheeler fatalities involve riders below 25 years of age. Astronaut Conrad would definitely be an exception. Conrad, a hero of the Apollo Mission to the moon, died in a motor cycle accident last week. He was 69. It can happen to anyone.

The reason for this select group of below 25 to be so vulnerable is vanity. The minute the rider passes the police check point, off comes the helmet and hangs around his arm! Youngsters say that it ruins the hair-do and girls can’t see their face! Very true. But if you care so much about the girl, why make her attend your funeral?

The tarmac, when it comes into contact with your skull, makes no distinction about sex or religion. Like a predator, all it needs is a skull to crack.

Almost as important as the helmet is good eye protection. There are dozens of manufacturers who make goggles and visors of all kinds, to suit all tastes. There is even a specially designed pair of goggles for use in the rain.

A small insect flying into the eye can make the driver wince and that’s when you invariably have a pothole, boulder or speed breaker coming up. It can take away the rider’s concentration, destabilise the bike and throw the rider.

Evening time and night time in the early summer is a dangerous time.

Ironically a well-lit street (Chandigarh has the best lit streets in the country) is particularly dangerous. Millions of insects are buzzing around the lights. One is sure to finds its way into your eye, mouth or nostril, making you react suddenly and putting you off balance.

It is a common sight to see a young girl (P.Y.T.) on a two-wheeler neither with a helmet nor a protective gear for the eyes. Her face is all screwed up, eyes are half shut and squinting. The face is contorted. Remember, it takes all your facial muscles to frown and only a few to smile. And the lines created by frowning will stay with you and show up prominently in later years. It’s easier to get a visor or goggles now.

Wear a light wind cheater at all times. One that can be zipped up to the neck. It saves your shirt from road-grime (mud, cow dung) and when zipped up, keeps bugs and water from entering your shirt.

Sneezing is another real danger. Did you know that when you sneeze, all bodily functions come a stop. The heart-misses a beat and, worst, the eyes are shut tightly. Imagine driving a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler with your eyes shut!

Pinch your nostrils, hold your breath and come to a halt. Then sneeze! A tall order, because something that has irritated your nostrils is not going to wait. At least you know what to do.

Happy motoring!

This feature was published on September 18, 1999