Helmet : The मटका which saves lives

क्या बाबू भैया आपको दिखता नहीं है ? 

अरे कैसे दिखेगा रे हलकट, सर पे मटका चढ़ा है  चश्मा नहीं है...जा जा के चश्मा ला 

Remember this iconic dialogue from the movie Hera Phera?? 

This is what I have been referring to helmets also.. and these मटका do save lives. This post is written for all those people who either treat helmets as nuisances, things which are carried on hand/in the mirrors or think that its uncomfortable to wear. Today, as on this day I’m writing the post after having being saved once again from a horrific accident by the helmet. The injuries which I have sustained right now are very deep…. The only thing which saved me from a possible fatal injury was the helmet. 

All of a sudden somebody’s pet dog rushed across the road at a milliseconds notice and I crashed into it. When I fell down I was relieved that I was wearing a helmet because I could actually choose to some extent the side or body part on which I could afford to take the hit without worrying about the head. Over a period of 14 years since I’ve started riding two wheelers, this is probably 6th big accident of mine and the saviour at all times has been the मटका .

Helmets are comparatively expensive but not so expensive more than your life. When I had first purchased my helmet all I knew was just 2 company names- Wrangler and Studds. Now I don’t know that how many companies are out there in the market but whenever I have to purchase a helmet, I only choose from these two. The roadside ones which you buy for as low as 300 or even 100 in some cases just to save yourself from police challan, are the useless 3rd class types. They won’t save you when the time arises, not even a bit. So set aside a minimum of 1000 bucks as starting range for these. The cost can go up now that there are a variety of helmets available- fullface, half face, scratch proof visor, tinted visor etc. and they have become quite lightweight too when I compare it with my bulky helmet. Wearing a helmet and getting used to it takes time. 

I remember the first time I for a helmet, my whole jaw was hurting for 1 week because my face and mouth were not accustomed to the inside padding of the helmet and my shoulders too suffered some collateral damage as they were not used to an additional weight on the head. Slowly slowly it has grown to a point where I don’t venture out from my home without the helmet - it just doesn’t feel right or I feel like that’s something important is missing… It becomes second nature to you. The visor means that I can drive uninterrupted without carrying a damn about the weather conditions and feels very uneasy if I forget to fasten the strap. 

Here are a few tips for people who feel uncomfortable in wearing helmets, these are tips I had read from a very old issue of automobile magazine plus some of my personal experiences- 

· When you try the helmets of the first time see that the internal padding does not leave any allergic reaction to your face. 

· Strap in the helmet and move your head from side to side and feel it. A perfect fit helmet should move with your head and should not be lagging behind. If you’re moving your head to the left and the helmet kind of fits to the head one second later it means that the helmet is a loose fit and you should get the size which fits you. In case of an accident there are chances that the helmet itself might give you some injuries. 

· By helmets which are from well-known and established helmet brands. 

· Choose the form factor according to your needs and carrying convenience. Don’t buy any fancy looking helmet form which would be cumbersome for you to put in or even put it in the vehicle. 

· For those who can’t afford the scratch proof visor helmets, make sure to get the visor replaced once you start noticing scratches on the visor after prolonged usage. The visor glass is easily replaceable in a city`s automobile market for as low as 50 bucks. 

· One common indication of the visor nearing its life is during night driving. If the incoming headlight for an incoming Michael’s seen by your eyes as something like a star and not a proper spot of light, it’s time to change the visor. As the visor would get scratches the light would start to expand and resemble more like a star. तारे दिखते ही बदल लो 

I hope that my this small post on helmets would help you to be not afraid of wearing one and maybe when help somebody you know to start using one… coz at the end of an accident you might just thank one.