Helmets and the motor-cycle business

On my arrival to Rwanda, I detested the helmet. Frequently, I would end up at loggerheads with the bikers. They always charged that I knew the importance of wearing a head helmet while riding on a motorcycle but that I only intended to get them arrested by the police. Much as the advantage of helmets is visible, majority prefer carrying the risk than wearing them. If not wearing one wasn’t punishable many, with personal hygiene considerations at the back of their minds, would freely ride without helmets. In case of an accident, a helmet acts as a shield so that one’s head doesn’t get injured. It sounds ironical for many to be forced to use helmets yet it’s them to benefit. Is it that they have hated their lives that much that they want to commit suicide on the road? Definitely not. According to Mustafa Kagemane, a motor-cyclist on the Zindiro-Kimironko route, most of his customers reject the helmets until he pleads or forces them. “At times I lose potential customers because they totally refuse to wear helmets.” In case the traffic police grabs a passenger without a helmet, the biker pays a fine of Rwf 10,000. This is what is said to have tamed passengers and bikers about using helmets. And if a customer totally rejects the helmet, the only option is not hiring the bike at all. To some, footing their way to their destination is preferably better than riding with a ‘dirty’ helmet. While bikers are thinking of ways to get customers used to the helmets, custormers continuously blame helmets. “I spend minutes looking out for a motorbike with a clean helmet though at times I don’t get any,” states Eugenie Mukamurinda. She is one of the many who blame helmets for being extremely dirty. According to the interviews I had; the major threat about helmets is hygiene. Not only do they look dirty, but also have a bad smell on wearing them. Helmets are also allegedly responsible for spreading skin diseases especially to people with bald heads. Given the fact that people have are created differently, some complain that they adopt a bad smell from the helmets. When it comes to the hygiene of the helmets, responsible bikers do it whenever they wash the bikes while others don’t bother at all. “It all comes back to one’s personal hygiene. Some think it’s necessary to clean their helmets on a daily basis while others prefer it once a week or not cleaning them at all,” says Titus Karangwa, a motorcyclist. Cleaning a helmet everyday costs a lot of time as it takes long to dry up, this has made bikers choose the option of soaking a piece of cloth in liquid soap, drying it up and then scrubbing the helmets. Some however admit that this is not enough. “Though they may appear clean, custormers complain about their bad smell,” said Karangwa. This has made passengers look for all possible solutions to avoid any possible risks related to motorbikes. Buying personal helmets has been the first option while others have purchased head gears that they wear under the helmet. “I learnt my lesson the hard way when I got rashes a few days after a motor ride; I ended up buying three helmets for me and my family,” Irene Kabanyana said. In fact the bikers also advise people to possess headscarves and head gears because ‘however much they try, helmets are never totally clean.’ “It depends on the routes one uses,” says Karangwa. He adds that with dusty roads, helmets are always contaminated yet they can’t be cleaned all the time because it disturbs their work. For the meantime, buy that head gear or own your own helmet. Otherwise, if you ever need to travel by bike in Rwanda, a helmet is compulsory. For your own good. Email: lillianean@yahoo.com