Your earphones could KILL you!!

Being bored?! Better than being dead!

Music is not so sweet is it now? Is it?

I had to ask my pal who met with a road mishap last week!

F*** man!! It wasn’t my mistake he said. The car guy tried to overtake me from the wrong side for god sake!!

I said, you had plugged in your headphones right??

I knew he could not argue with that…

Although my friend escaped with bit of luck, it made me think why are people so irresponsible?? 

Why is it necessary for the system to come up with a law to state something so obvious!

Just take a look around you when you are on road, you will be surrounded with idiots on bikes with headphones on! 

And yes.., they are well educated!

I agree there is a rule about not using mobile phones while driving, but my question is.

   1. Is the driver less prone to accidents if he does the same thing over headphones?

·         2. Full volume music from the headset; is it not taking away his concentration?

·         3. If he is not able to hear to horns, sirens. Doesn’t it make his bike a death machine?

Is there any law about it? In India? Abroad?

When I asked Google about it, I was pleased to know that there are some countries which consider this issue seriously.

Not all the states but Massachusetts and Rhode Island in US forbid wearing headphones of any kind while operating a motor vehicle and a hefty $85 for first time offence.

 New York and California authorize the use of headphones while driving provided they are used in one ear only.

Some parts of Canada forbid headphones and what I understand from some discussion thread is that France has similar kind of rule. Surprisingly I did not find anything about it in Britain!!

I read in a forum that if you are met with an accident and your are found to be wearing headphones, your insurance stands null or void.

I am sure you too are probing to know, though unlikely does India have any rule about usage of earphones?

I was very upset to know that there wasn’t even a single discussion thread about it, let alone the rule book. Nevertheless what I gathered from the discussion with few friends is that, there might not be rule as such.

I wonder when talking on phone or texting while driving can be an offence why not this? Just because someone is not dead because of headphones, does it make it ignorable?

I would suggest all my dear ones to give it a thought. And may be educate people about it.

Ø  Please do not use headphones while riding bikes.

Ø  If you cannot avoid it, at least use one ear.

Ø  Spread the message.

Ø  Drive safe!

                                                                                               -          Supreeth

P.S: When I gave this piece of writing to my friend to review. He right away said. Does it mean deaf people are not eligible for a driving license?

Hmm.., I will have to think!