Helmets

@panda7


You still see a number of helmet less Vietnamese riding motorcycles in rural areas. Aside from that I agree with your post.

Your kidding, I go for a ride around my city at about 8pm and can count at least 100 people(local) riding without a helmet. Get away from D1 and you will find an abundance of helmetless riders. As 70 year old said, it's still very popular in rural areas.

panda7 wrote:

I can also assure you a trip to the local hospital's emergency ward would soon convince you that you need to at least have some protection when a truck runs over your head...

Pandas never fail to amuse.   If a truck runs over your head  even with a helmet on, you will not be going to the emergency room.  You will be at the morgue.   

panda7 wrote:

the helmet also protects your skin from the sun.

It's all white now but I can still rely on my hair to protect my head from the sun.  Your case may differ.

panda7 wrote:

when a truck runs over your head

Wearing a helmet is clearly a good idea, and not wearing one equally foolish, but the truck thing is a little over the top.
I had the dubious pleasure of seeing a truck parked on a motorcyclist's head a few years ago, so I can assure you from an eye witness's point of view, his helmet was less than useful.
Imagine a raw egg and a sledgehammer and you about have it .................. but you have to add a lot more red.

Apart from that, the post is fair and reasonable.

Wearing a helmet is common sense but wearing the right kind of helmet is something that I find most people don't do in this country. I supposed riding at low speed and crashing into another motorbike might not be as bad but crashing onto cars or something larger might not be a good thing if you are wearing those helmets sold in here. In general everything here in terms of protection is a joke compared to western standards.

If as much care was taken towards road safety as with sun protection, the roads would be a much safer place.

Is it me or almost every single woman here like to dress like a ninja.

The wrap around dress to protect women's legs when wearing shorts or a short dress,which became popular a few years ago, is now a fashion item and being worn whilst wearing jeans at 9pm at night.

the main purpose is sun protection as they dont want dark skin and or sun damaged skin...

No sun out at 9pm.

at night the face mask is likely to protect against dust, pollution, bike fumes etc...

Hypothalamus wrote:

Wearing a helmet is common sense but wearing the right kind of helmet is something that I find most people don't do in this country. I supposed riding at low speed and crashing into another motorbike might not be as bad but crashing onto cars or something larger might not be a good thing if you are wearing those helmets sold in here. In general everything here in terms of protection is a joke compared to western standards.

This becomes an interesting issue. Viet Nam has their own helmet standards. My understanding of the law involved is that only Helmets with Vietnamese  certification are legal helmets. In other words an $800.00 USD Snell Foundation certified helmet hasn't passed the Vietnamese certification and is illegal while a $200,000 VND helmet is legal.

Note, I'm personally unaware of anyone who has been fined for wearing a foreign helmet.

Also note, Most motorcycles in Viet Nam are 125cc or less. An $800.00 USD Snell Foundation is likely not needed. But, with the loosening of the regulations and motorcycles able to do more than 200km/hr becoming popular . . .

panda7 wrote:

at night the face mask is likely to protect against dust, pollution, bike fumes etc...

The main pollutant in bike fumes in carbon monoxide which will go right through a cotton or paper mask.  The biggest safety improvement would be if people would just turn their lights on at night.  Vietnamese do not seem to understand that lights are not only to see but also to be seen.

@70 years old is spot on regarding helmet standards.

When the helmet laws were first introduced, any helmet was legal and everyone had to wear them.
Then some misinformed, dubiously qualified 'quack' said children shouldn't wear helmets as it impeded brain development and caused spinal problems.
The law was revised several times after that, including the introduction of the safety standard required.
The original safety standard merely said helmets had to have a specific quality control mark but then they found far too many sub-standard helmets being made locally and being imported and decided that a Government owned testing center was the only way to do it and helmets that passed were marked with (I think) a QR symbol.
I have failed to find the specifications for the 'standards'.

Just for fun.. the legislation itself states ALL riders and passengers should wear a helmet "on designated roadways" - sadly, there is no mention of what or where these designated roadways are, apart from 'national highways'.

It might also be worth noting that there is still an issue with regard to children wearing helmets. The law says they have to wear them but the penalty can only be a fine. Under a different law, under 14's cannot be fined.