<p>If you are a motorist riding with a helmet and stopped by the traffic police, make sure you have a standard headgear on. </p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">For, the city traffic police would fine anyone wearing a low-grade helmet and will even seize the bike. The police will release the vehicle only if the rider produces a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)-approved helmet and a purchase bill to prove they bought it (apparently to ensure the helmet is not borrowed to get the bike released).</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">As the Mysuru police began penalising riders using inferior quality helmets, the Bengaluru traffic police wrote to the standards bureau to get a definition on a standard headgear. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) R Hithendra quoted Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle Act to point out that both the rider and the pillion passenger should wear helmets.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"Helmets should conform to the BIS," he reiterated, while trying to explain the rationale behind consulting the bureau.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"But there's confusion over the legality of a half-helmet or what kind of full-helmet is legal. We ourselves aren't competent to determine this."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The ACP expects response from the BIS in a week, following which the police would inform the public about the standards.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"We've given a month's time to the motorists to ensure they wear standard helmets (with the ISI mark). In that one month, we intend to hold awareness programmes."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">He also suggested riders buy helmets from BIS-authorised dealers to avoid fake ISI-branded gears. The ACP urged policemen to replace their half-helmets with a standard one. "There's no separate law for police. They've the same time period to change," he added.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Principal secretary, transport, B Basavaraju said transport officials are planning to raid factories and shops, selling poor quality helmets.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"The state government has also issued a notification on using standard helmets in the interest of the public," he said.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">On Tuesday, the Mysuru police seized 15,504 sub-standard helmets and began fining riders from Wednesday.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"We began with spreading awareness among the riders," Mysuru City Police Commissioner A Subrahmanyeswara Rao said. "We began enforcing the rule after giving them sufficient time. We've now stopped it and have given till January 6 for riders to switch to standard helmets."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">BIS-approved helmets go through stringent tests. For instance, the buckle on such helmets should remain latched after taking a load of 150 kg. </p>
<p>If you are a motorist riding with a helmet and stopped by the traffic police, make sure you have a standard headgear on. </p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">For, the city traffic police would fine anyone wearing a low-grade helmet and will even seize the bike. The police will release the vehicle only if the rider produces a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)-approved helmet and a purchase bill to prove they bought it (apparently to ensure the helmet is not borrowed to get the bike released).</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">As the Mysuru police began penalising riders using inferior quality helmets, the Bengaluru traffic police wrote to the standards bureau to get a definition on a standard headgear. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) R Hithendra quoted Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle Act to point out that both the rider and the pillion passenger should wear helmets.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"Helmets should conform to the BIS," he reiterated, while trying to explain the rationale behind consulting the bureau.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"But there's confusion over the legality of a half-helmet or what kind of full-helmet is legal. We ourselves aren't competent to determine this."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">The ACP expects response from the BIS in a week, following which the police would inform the public about the standards.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"We've given a month's time to the motorists to ensure they wear standard helmets (with the ISI mark). In that one month, we intend to hold awareness programmes."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">He also suggested riders buy helmets from BIS-authorised dealers to avoid fake ISI-branded gears. The ACP urged policemen to replace their half-helmets with a standard one. "There's no separate law for police. They've the same time period to change," he added.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">Principal secretary, transport, B Basavaraju said transport officials are planning to raid factories and shops, selling poor quality helmets.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"The state government has also issued a notification on using standard helmets in the interest of the public," he said.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">On Tuesday, the Mysuru police seized 15,504 sub-standard helmets and began fining riders from Wednesday.</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">"We began with spreading awareness among the riders," Mysuru City Police Commissioner A Subrahmanyeswara Rao said. "We began enforcing the rule after giving them sufficient time. We've now stopped it and have given till January 6 for riders to switch to standard helmets."</p>.<p align="justify" class="bodytext">BIS-approved helmets go through stringent tests. For instance, the buckle on such helmets should remain latched after taking a load of 150 kg. </p>