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Monday, June 25, 2007

Effects of a Stupid Rule!


The pictures explain it all


Siva Sena ppl on roads with TRADITIONAL headgear in the protest march!



Effects of a stupid rule on a handsome young man

Don't know why am against(yeah am against this crime which makes me look like an idiot) this rule which is supposed to save lives. But then the guys who ruled from the courts in Kochi will have no idea how uncomfortable and clumsy these CHATTI helmets are, would they? These things were designed for one purpose and that was to save the head of the wearer from injuries and i feel they do justice to that role. In addition to protecting one's life they also help guys(and their girlfriends) who want to hide their identity from the glaring eyes of the public.

But then the major headache comes when we go to buy one of these. One friend was telling that the queue in front of the helmet shops reminded him of the queue he saw in front of New theatre for the tickets of Sivaji, if not more. The major problem facing the riders is that the helmet prices have increased overnight and the govt is taking no action against traders exploiting the situation by levying excess price from consumers. Helmets that used to be priced around 450-500 before the ruling suddenly jumped to the 700-800 price range. This time the shop owners aren't that lucky because the last time this rule was implemented(in 2003) the condition was that ANYONE who's in a two wheeler has to have a helmet, even the pillion rider. Thankfully the court somehow spared the pillion riders this time.

Lets look why the Honourable High Court of Kerala came up with such a ruling in short notice. Well first of all wearing helmets is COMPULSORY under the rule 347 of the Kerala Motor Vehicle Act. So till now the govt. hadn't implemented it because it caused a lot of trouble for the motorists to wear it and take it around. Even now while implementing the ruling from the court, the Hon Home Minsiter Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has given strict orders to police not to harass two-wheelers in the name of helmet. The main issue here being that the policemen are liable to fine a motorist without a helmet Rs 100. But trust me the minister's ruling has been obeyed strictly, i'll say even stricter than the court's directive. Nowhere in the city will one be seeing a policeman checking if the riders are wearing helmets or not. Seems even the police dept doesn't want that 100 bucks from the riders. But this same court had in 2003 said that effect of the Rules and the Act was that the driver and pillion rider were "under the obligation to wear a protective headgear''. So i don't know how long this is going to stand.

Rules stipulate that the helmet should be of ISI standard. But the people who buy never care and we can see numerous non existent brands coming up with all kinds of shapes and sizes. Its like the "Make hay while sun shines" syndrome. Traders are fleeing the customers till the rule is there and i can't see an end to that exploitation.

Would like to hear what you all will say. I just wish this is repealed as soon as possible.

PS: People will start a community for anything these days. Proof for it is the I Hate Helmet community in orkut.

A later addition i got today:

Thought ppl should see this!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

hehehe....u do look like an idiot with the helmet :P :P

athul v dev said...

you are right hehe helmet is a damn thing
athu vacha everyone looks like idiots hehe.....

JK said...

Helmet vach kond vayinokkan paada..

Anonymous said...

You do look like a Policeman!

Venenkil randu kaikkooli vangikkam.
Mufti-aanenne vicharikkoo...

:-D

Abhilash Suryan said...

ee helmet evideyo kandittundallo!!!
aah, Secretariateinu munnil ninna policekarantennu adichchumaattiyathalle?!

kaduvaye kiduva pidikkunna kaalam :-(

Anonymous said...

You know what, a helmet can NOT change how you look. May be you should try a french beard to get some intelligent look... :)
By the way, thanks for changing that horrible black background.

Aparna said...

haa.. i too felt wht abhilash sir told... infact i first thought it was a pic of some police man standing in statue :P
later only i understood that it was u!!!

hi hi hi.. anyways, good post dude.. and awesome pics...

Abhi said...

@ Vishnu, Athul n Krish - Dank u for the wonderful remarks!

@ JK - Athu satyam aadey! Thala thirikaan enthu paada! It takes a lotta effort to turn head with a helmet on!

@ Asif n Abhilash sir - Satyamaayitum ente achan cash koduthu medicha helmet aane! Its NOT stolen from a policeman's riot gear. Pinne Mufti plan njan kaaryam aayitum aalochikunnu, kaiyil cashinu bhayangara shaamam aane!

@ Anon - I wd really like to know who this secret admirer of mine is! Anyways i have tried a French in my school days and trust me it doesn't add much to what i am! And i know that all French bearded guys aren't INTELLIGENT! Maybe you'd be intelligent enough to reveal your identity!

deeps said...

HAHHA THE LAST PIC IS FUNNY:D...
u kno as a pj goes...helmets shud be worn as empty things break easily..
but u r rite..u cant hear, talk nd the mist from my own breath clouds my entire vision!
so much for safety!

gasmutai said...

oru kaaryathil ninakku samaadhaanikkaamedaa...
helmet ne aarum kannu veykkillaa

A Cunning Linguist said...

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! (Starnge right!, laughing with spaces in between and exclmation marks)

You look like a Policeman in that Picture.......a Plumpy Kerala Police Constable, ready for a lathi charge...or better that white shirt, reminds me of Romeo Hunters....sigggh!!!!

Jokes apart.......I dont think the Helmet Law is stupid, its really great and boosted my confidence while driving. Except for handling, my hands stay raised for the new Helmet law (stupid according to few)