Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Don't resist rule

It is very disappointing to note that the Tamil Nadu Government actually had to enact a law making helmet use for two-wheeler riders compulsory. The rule should have come into force out of common sense. What is even more disturbing is the spectacle of people reacting negatively to the move instead of following a rule that has been enforced with their safety in mind. It is wrong to assume that every step the government takes is anti-people.

Jonathan George,
Faridabad

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As one whose 19-year-old cousin died in a road accident and who has seen the emotional and financial havoc caused in families where the sole bread-earner is killed in a road accident, I urge all two-wheeler riders to wear helmets. There can be no "democratic choice" argument on such an important issue.

Azad Singh Bali,
Singapore

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Two-wheeler riders are just being cynical about wearing helmets even before they can get used to them and enjoy the benefits. I fell off my two-wheeler four times and twice hit my head first on the ground. On both the occasions, the helmet saved me. With a full face helmet on, I had the confidence of a four wheeler driver while on a bike, never got my hair wet in the rain and arrived fresh wherever I went as my skin and eyes were protected from the dust. The helmet's safety is acknowledged worldwide and its use can't be wrong in Tamil Nadu alone.

Abdul Rahim,
Chennai

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I was surprised to see letters arguing that wearing a helmet is a personal affair. As a maxillofacial surgeon who has seen quite a number of facial fractures and head injuries resulting from not wearing a protective helmet, I beg to differ. The cost of treatment is quite high since precious medical resources of our hospitals are tied down in these preventable cases. Those who require elective medical care are the losers. The victims usually end up with a permanent disability. When the world over, helmet use is accepted as a norm, why should we alone differ?

Dr. Arvind Narayan,
Mauritius

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