CHENNAI: Ask any person who’s on the road without headgear why they’re not wearing a helmet and chances are you’ll get a shrug, a sheepish grin or a glare. But if you brave all that and push for an answer, the most common reason that you’ll hear in Chennai is “the heat”. True, when the mercury begins going north it is exceptionally uncomfortable and sweaty, to wear a helmet but is it worth the risk?“See, people have been using bikes for decades without a helmet and these scary facts and the number of deaths haven’t been a big deal. One of the greatest joys of biking is enjoying the wind through your hair. How can anyone take that away?” juxtaposes Albert Sargunam, an engineering student who rides 34 km to his college in Vandalur every weekday.The number of people who loosen the helmet straps for some breeze is a lot higher, according to a study done in IIT. Their findings show, 72 per cent of the respondents complained that they found helmets ‘incredibly hot’ in summer and did not consider it wrong to take it off for short spells. “We cannot stop for a drink every time it gets hot. Taking off the helmet for a few minutes really helps. The risk is minimal, anyway,” shrugs Parthiparajan K, a medical representative with a pharma firm.But where inventors haven’t been able to come up with air-conditioned helmets (in the open market at least) yet, Chennai’s helmet salesmen have a ready solution — “Heat no problem in this model,” says Salman, a salesman at one of the larger helmet emporiums that dot the landscape opposite the Thousand Lights Mosque on Anna Salai. “The inside cloth and padding are made with a special foam that keep the temperature lower inside the helmet. Try it on,” he urges. Tell him that it doesn’t seem any different from the one that costs Rs 500 less and he glibly issues a rejoinder, “When in motion it will be like you have A/C around your head!”And sales have been brisk. With over 1,200 bikes being registered in the city on a daily basis, it goes without saying that helmet is a good market to be in. Designer helmets, cruiser helmets, sports bike themed helmets with colours to satiate your senses and hundreds of models will leave you wanting nothing, say dealers. “I got a custom-made helmet made by a chap who manufactures it for cyclists and exports them. The fit and air-flow was perfect and the difference was only about Rs 500,” voices Ravi Damodaran of CSR.And for those who complain about the cost, here’s some food for thought: Helmets in India cost between ` 700–4,500, where a basic model in the USA will set you back by over $100 (` 5,500 approx), which is what people pay as a down-payment for bikes these days.
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