Tourists seek cheaper, non-approved helmets as heat rises: Vendors

Panaji: With temperatures reaching extreme highs, many motorcyclists are struggling to endure the heat inside their helmets approved by Indian Standards Institute (ISI). Despite their superior safety features, the ISI-stamped helmets seem to be adding to the discomfort of an already scorching season.

“Tourists complain of sweat accumulation and a feeling of suffocation, making longer rides unbearable,” Hitesh Vora, a vendor, said. “We don’t sell non-ISI helmets, yet two-wheeler riding tourists keep asking us to procure them since they are lightweight and cheaper.”

The Motor Vehicles (MV) Act in Goa states that both the rider and the pillion rider must wear a helmet. Helmets with the ISI mark meet specific criteria for impact resistance, field of vision, and more.

The Bureau of Indian Standards grants the ISI mark licence to manufacturers who meet these criteria. The insulated design of ISI helmets, while meeting stringent safety standards, is often not well-ventilated and heavy, making longer rides uncomfortable.

“Any ISI-marked helmet will not come without insulation and will not be lighter than 850g. We only keep helmets that match the required standards — a concept that tourists don’t seem to accept easily,” another vendor said.

Retailers of helmets are thus seeing a surge in the demand for non-ISI helmets, often marketed as more comfortable and affordable options, despite their lack of certification.

“We see a footfall of nearly 15-20 people per day to purchase helmets and we have to turn away at least five to seven people a day — all tourists — because they demand cheap helmets,” a vendor said. “They argue that they are going to leave the helmets before returning to their hometowns.” This vendor’s helmets cost between Rs 650 and Rs 5,000 per piece.

Rupesh Amonkar, a Panaji resident who was purchasing new ISI-marked helmets for himself and his pillion-riding son, flagged the safety concern.

“With roads under repair works for weeks at a stretch and riders left to navigate uneven pathways, it is better to take caution instead of waiting for a mishap to happen,” he said. “In recent years, traffic rules have become very strict in Goa, and we have adapted to the safety norms. Helmet wearing is now a necessity.”