Everyday you see motorcycles in every city of Pakistan being used by riders who have safety as the least important point of riding a motorcycle. As using a motorcycle is a risky business within itself it pays to fully invest the best interests in active as well as passive safety – because on 2 wheels passive safety does not count much.
Your first concern should be Human protection, specially the head and limbs. But for some reason I see such ill fitted helmets on Pakistani bikers that it literally amazes me that whoever sold him, the helmet must be punished. When selecting a full helmet, it should be a slightly snug fit, snug as in you have to stretch it over your head, and once over your head it should hold it snug from everywhere including pressing your cheeks a little inwards, you don’t want your helmet to act as a bell on your head because on a crash incident it would literally shake you to lose proper body control or even consciousness.
Including the above, a motorcycle should never ever be considered being used if you are not equipping your feet with snug boots and hands with snug gloves at least. This is for precise control of the operating control mechanisms of the machine, And yet everyday you see riders with flip flops (hawaai chappal) riding a motorcycle, loose clothing and super loose helmet on a machine with no side mirrors or even gauges, swerving in and out of traffic for no reason. Nothing on their arms or hands – and in cold weather it can make all the difference, If anyone has ever experiences seized finger joints (spasms) in cold weather they know how it is, and with certain controls on your fingers imagine those spasms happen when you are trying to stop the machine. The rest is self explanatory. You need gloves at all times.
Also motorcycle usage licenses should only be allotted to people who correctly maneuver and control the machine on the road – including proper lane changing, correct parking, correct signaling, correct brake application, correct holding etc. This should be tested by license issuing inspectors. Yet everyday we see hundreds of bikers crash and injure themselves for ignoring all the above safety – I know the feedback box will be bombarded by ghareeb awam ka socho etc, but in my opinion, its not a valid point, no matter what sort of machine or investment you do, you need to exercise safety first then usage. There is nothing worse than losing a leg or arm or even having It unusable for any amount of time.
Picture by: Usman Ansari from Height of ignorance.
Yes, it is very true. But the thing is, life is no more important in our nation.