NIGERIA 1 THAILAND 0 !!!!!!!!!!!

Snail

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Nov 2, 2005
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Hilarious and a real pity there are no photo's to go with it!
Police in Nigeria have arrested scores of motorcycle taxi riders with dried fruit shells, paint pots or pieces of rubber tire tied to their heads with string to avoid a new law requiring them to wear helmets.
The regulations have caused chaos around Africa's most populous nation, with motorcyclists complaining helmets are too expensive and some passengers refusing to wear them fearing they will catch skin disease or be put under a black magic spell.

The law, which came into force on January 1, pits two factions equally feared by the common motorist against one another: erratic motorcycle taxis known as "Okadas," whose owners are notorious for road-rage, and the bribe-hungry traffic police.
Some bikers have used calabashes -- dried shells of pumpkin-sized fruit usually used as a bowl -- or pots and pans tied to their heads with string to try to dodge the rules.

Construction workers have set up a lucrative trade renting out their safety helmets for around 500 naira ($3.60) a day.

"They use pots, plates, calabashes, rubber and plastic as makeshift helmets," said Yusuf Garba, commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission in the northern town of Kano.

"We will not tolerate this. We gave them enough time to purchase helmets. Six months ago the price of helmets was below 800 naira so complaints about non-availability and high prices are no excuse!"

Helmet prices have since risen sharply as sellers cash in on demand.

He said 28 arrests had been made in Kano. Newspapers have reported more arrests in other cities. Those detained are fined and their bikes impounded until they buy helmets.Most have never been taught traffic rules.

Newspapers quoted passengers as saying they feared the helmets could be laced with magic spells so as to knock the wearer unconscious and make them easier to rob, while others feared they would pick up an infection.

Think I just learned some new excuses for next time I get stopped :)
 

Marco

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Oct 15, 2006
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Over 80 motorcyclists popularly known as "Okada Riders" who refused to comply with the FRSC January 1,2009 deadline crash helmet directive were yesterday arrested in Ilorin, Kwara state capital.

Quotes:
...fear of prison. "If it is only the fine I may not bother. I will just be avoiding the police and other security agents, but I don't want to go to six months in prison" he said. Okada riders...

Bikers wear pumpkin shell helmets

British Broadcasting CorpNigerian motorcyclists are wearing dried pumpkin shells on their heads after a law was brought in forcing them to wear helmets. Police in the northern city of Kano said they had stopped several bikers with 'improvised helmets' after the law was introduced ...

Over 1,000 Nigerian riders arrested for not wearing crash helmet
Nigeria1.jpg


I tryed to find that pumpkin helmet from Nigerian page,, but so far no luck,, so Pucket will do until then,, 8)
 

Pikey

www.tbbtours.com
Great article chaps!

Marco, in your pic there's clearly a proper helmet in the basket so it looks like the Nigerian locals follow the same twisted logic as the riders here - carry a crash hat somewhere on the bike or person rather than actually wear it on their heads where it may do some good!

Cheers,

Pikey.
 

KZ

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Maybe the taxi driver doesn't want anything to happen to his shiny new helmet!
 

Snail

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Marco, thanks for posting the picture. There was no pics at all in the report and I was rather curious to see some of their 'innovations'
 

Marco

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Just wanna follow up this story and see when first vegetable helmet pictures comes up...but found this today...getting weird there :twisted:

They say passengers often steal the helmets once they reach their destination.

Stories have also appeared in the local papers highlighting passengers' fears that the helmets could be used by motorcyclists to cast spells on their clients, making it easy for them to be robbed.

"Some people can put juju inside the helmets and when they are worn the victim can either lose consciousness or be struck dumb," passenger Kolawole Aremu told the Daily Trust newspaper.
 

cdrw

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Oct 6, 2006
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I, too, like Marco was unable to find a pix of a rider with a vegetable helmet.

However, the article gave me pause should these innovative helmets ever catch on in Thailand. I surely wouldn't want to be behind a moto driver wearing a helmet made of Durian! Phewww... :shock:
 
Oct 17, 2006
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Very typical story for Nigerians, totally unruly, hundreds of tribes.

Kano is up North of Nigeria, beautiful bush area.
I found the people there much more easy going than e.g.Port Harcourt in the South at the coat where the oil industry is. There I would see bodies lying in the gutter and nobody cared to bury them.

Nigeria is about the only country where I would have no desire to be again.
 

irv327

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On a semi-related note.... the living h e l l that is Malaysia has banned all non-sirim (DoT) helmets. They have banned half-shells whether they are quality or not. The catch? There is only one size available, 60cm. Not good for Mr Bobblehead. I see lots of locals with turtle hats, although I didn't go to KL this time around.