Helmet saves..

"Helmet saves" this is a statement that you can read on any road in India on hoardings. This is a true statement and a very valuable one for me as it is the one and only reason that I am still alive and writing this blog.

I and my friend planned a trip to the Konai water falls some 90km from Chennai on a bike. A trip that never reached the desired destination, a trip to remember forever, a trip that reaffirmed my belief and necessity of wearing a helmet. At the start of the trip I didn't have a helmet. But then some sense prevailed and we borrowed one from a friend and started off on the trip. After a pit stop around some 40-45km I took over the reign of riding the bike to the destination for the next 45-50 km. We were only around some 15KM from our destination when the world tumbled over and everything that was going right for us till then took a 180 degree turn.

The bike I was riding met with an accident. Another biker crossed the highway from a mud road giving me no time to react. I applied both the brakes as much as possible but that wasn’t enough and the bikes had a head on collision. The part after that is kind of vague. I remember trying to stand on my feet but I couldn’t feel my left leg and hand, I don’t remember how I reached to the other side of the bikes at some 8-10ft distance. I remember local folks running towards me and then I remember I that I have been lifted and was on two feet, but I couldn’t stand, I was feeling dizzy. I remember enquiring about my friend and people reassuring he was fine. I remember trying to feel my feet and walk a bit but the world spun around me and I guess I collapsed. I remember water being sprinkled on my face; I guess I fell unconscious for around 10-20 seconds. I gained back consciousness and lay on the ground trying to recoup my self. Finally drinking lot of water and resting on the bare ground relaxed me and I was finally able to get my self up on my feet with help from the localities and my friends. The helpful localities took me to a nearby village hospital were I was given the first aid and pain killers necessary to get me back to Chennai for further treatment.

Looking back and gathering information gotten from the villagers and my friends I find that at the moment of collision I was thrown off the bike. And from the injuries I sustained I must have fallen on my left side. The elbow took the impact and my head hit the asphalt road like a stone causing the dizziness and numbness. Considering the accident I was lucky to survive this thanks to the helmet. I had only a torn ligament in the left knee and 4 fractures in the left elbow. No contusion or clotting or any kind of injury to my head.

It was really the helmet that saved my life. It’s not a question of whether you or I are the safest drivers on the road. Accidents happen not just because of mine or your mistakes but it can happen because of the mistakes of others and us being the unlucky victims of the same. Right now many states have made helmet mandatory, but in many states helmets are yet to be made so, this is a sad truth. Even in the states where it is mandatory, it’s not regulated properly and most of the riders do not wear helmet. It’s a self discipline and self duty to make sure to wear helmet every time you go out on a bike that has to develop within.

Please wear helmet its for your safety.

cheers