October 16, 2009

Safety

Few days back, I was having dinner with my friends. A friend of mine, who just came back from India after spending a few months there, narrated an incident. They were driving from Delhi to our hometown. As they drove out of Delhi (where wearing seat belts are necessary) everyone unbuckled themselves. When she insisted on having them on, they told her that they don’t have to so they won’t. No amount of insistence can make them put the seat belts back on.

I grew up in India. And like all Indians, I used to consider helmets and seat belts to be un-cool. This perception changed the day I joined my job. On the first day of job, we were shown videos about how helmets and seat belts can save our lives. It was company’s requirement that we wear seat belts and helmets at all time. And yes I was working in India. And unlike most of Indian companies who have these rules for namesake, our company was very serious about implementing it.

But as far as I was concerned, they needn’t have bothered with the rule. The videos were graphic enough for me. They opened my eyes. I never rode my scooty without a helmet after that and never drove my car without my seat belt on. Not only that, I also started insisting that everyone around me do the same. My family and friends looked at me as if I have lost my mind.

I couldn’t find the video shown to us by the company anywhere but this video is a good demonstration of what I am talking about:

I once had a long debate with my then room-mate about wearing helmets. She like rest of us thought that Government insistence on wearing helmets (Chennai had just implemented the helmet and seat belt laws)  was just another way for cops to make money. And it will boost the hamlet business too. I had such a hard time to convince her that these rules are for our own safety. Government doesn’t get anything out of it. Seriously.

I simply don’t get it. Why do government have to impose a law on us for something that is meant for our own safety? Are we that dumb?

P.S.: Saved draft series-III.

3 comments:

  1. I know these things are stringently imposed abroad but not in India, unfortunately all very casual

    I liked the stuff you displayed here, oil prices etc

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  2. I was one of those Indians that didn't bother wearing seat belts when in India. Here in Aus it's compulsory so I got used to it and also experienced first-hand why it's so imp. In 2006, I was in the passenger seat of a friend's car and we met with an accident when a lady swerved out in front of us on a rainy day and my friend couldn't stop in time. My friend's car was written off but thanks to the seat belt, our heads didn't crash through the windscreen. We just got a huge shock. Since then, even when I went back to India this July, I made it a point to wear m seat belt. Unfortunately though, some of the older cars in India don't have seat belts in the back seat so that was something to deal with.

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  3. @ Pesto Sauce: Welcome to the blog and thanks for your comment! I am sorry I took a long time to reply back. I had to move this week..

    You see that's my problem! Why do Governemtn have to impose these rules when they are for our own good? Why don't we understand this simple thing: Accident happens and they tend to happen more in India then abroad due to our lack of traffic rules. And worse: they don't tell you before hand when they will happen so that you can prepare for them. Then why not wear the helmet/seat belts on your own? Why do governemnt have to tell you to do so? Don't you want to live?

    @ PB: Oh yes! I have been in one of those too and it was scary!!
    I know about those cars but thankfully due to these rules they jave started putting in belts in all the cars...

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