Police want Kalaburagi bikers to wear helmets

DCKALABURAGI: Will the Inspector-General of Police (North Eastern Range) Alok Kumar succeed in making the two-wheeler riders of Kalaburagi, who are averse to wearing helmets, don the same while riding their vehicles?

This is the debate taking place in view of the seriousness being shown by the IGP to ensure better enforcement and compliance of traffic rules, including compulsory wearing of helmets, to bring down fatality rate among motorists.

There were attempts in the past to make two-wheeler riders compulsorily use helmets, they all failed. The prevalence of extreme heat conditions almost throughout the year makes riders averse to use helmets.

In fact, such drives have met with stiff opposition and there have even been instances of people taking to streets to register their opposition. As a result the previous governments had exempted the Hyderabad Karnataka region from compulsory use of helmets.

However, the recent Supreme Court order making the use of helmets compulsory in view of rising fatality cases among the motor-cycle users has compelled the police to again try to enforce the rules.

To drive home the point that he was quite serious about the task, Alok Kumar himself on Friday stood at the Sardar Vallabhavi Patel circle here for about an hour to monitor the observance of traffic rules.

While Kumar, accompanied by the SP Shahshikumar, presented the motor-cyclists who wore helmets with a rose, they penalized those who did not.
Similarly for the four wheeler drivers, wearing of seat belt has been compulsory.
The IGP’s decision of enforcement of traffic rules from November 24 was preceded by a week-long traffic awareness campaign.

But as expected a large number of two-wheeler riders were seen riding their bikes.

When asked the riders, mostly the youth, expressed their aversion to use in view of hot weather here. “The idea is good, but if we put on helmets in no time sweat will start tricking down our hair. Moreover long use of helmets cause hair fall,” Avinash, a student of local engineering college, said.