| In fact, I'm going to tell you just the opposite. See, yesterday I decided to buy an open-face helmet so that I could stop looking daft when I ride a classic or vintage motorcycle. So off I went with a colleague to Opera House, the so-called motorcycle bazaar of Mumbai. |
| Now the place is always bustling with activity and it's amazing as to how many helmets are being sold every hour. That's a good thing, right? No, it sadly isn't. There are helmets on the shelves for everyone. |
| They fit your style, they match your motorcycle, are a replica of your favourite racer's or bear stickers of your favourite brand... all of that is fine, but they just don't fit your head. It's a shame, because helmets, unlike your average peaked-cap, must have a snug fit, so much so that they just stop short of giving you a headache the first time you wear them. |
| And this is a fact known by every single helmet manufacturer in the world. So what are the chaps here in India thinking when they mould these pudding bowls and fill them up with sponge? |
| Of the lids I was looking for, the smallest one available wouldn't fit on a day my head was at its bloated best and even if it did, I don't think I'd like to hit the road wearing one. The mouldings were wafer thin and the quality of materials used was horrendous. |
| I even managed to disfigure one while taking it off. So I'm pretty sure somebody wearing one of these lids has more chances of lying on a hospital bed than walking back home after a crash. |
| So here I am, urging you to boycott the lid - the cheap Karol Bagh/Chinese/Indonesian brands, that is. If you've already got one, find a bin and throw it in. Then go out and get yourself a nice branded helmet - one that fits snugly, fastens properly, and most of all, has a sturdy ABS plastic shell. |
| Wearing a helmet just to save on fines is not a good idea, wear one that saves your life as well. Meanwhile my search for a half-face lid is still on. Sigh! |
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