Residents of Lagos, Nigeria give their opinions of new motorcyle
taxi helmet law that has seen riders don dried fruit shells, paint pots and
rubber tyres to beat the new law.


LAGOS, NIGERIA (JANUARY 8, 2009) REUTERS -
Residents in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos have expressed
their opinions of a new law that requires motorcycle taxi riders to wear a
helmet.

The riders have been seen wearing dried fruit shells, paint pots or
pieces of rubber tyre tied to their heads with string to bypass the new law.

Some bikers use calabashes, dried shells of pumpkin-sized fruit usually
used as a bowl.

Yusuf Garba, commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission in the
northern town of Kano, told Reuters in a telephone interview on Wednesday
(January 7) that the use of pots, plates, calabashes, rubber and plastic as
makeshift helmets would not be tolerated.

He said 28 arrests had been made in Kano. Newspapers have reported more
arrests in other cities. Those detained are fined and their bikes impounded
until they buy helmets.

The regulations have caused chaos around Africa's most populous nation,
with motorcyclists complaining helmets are too expensive and some passengers
refusing to wear them fearing they will catch skin diseases or be put under a
black magic spell.

"The reason why they are using that is because this one is scarce,
so they can use anything to avoid being arrested, it is not their wish to put
on those things you see, if this one is available I want to tell you that they
will stop using those things, " said George Akpakpan, a motorcycle taxi
rider in Lagos.

The law, which came into force on January 1, pits two factions equally
feared by the common motorist against one another: erratic motorcycle taxis
known as "Okadas," whose owners are notorious for road-rage, and the
bribe-hungry traffic police.

Joy Oguike, a regular motorcycle taxi customer says the helmets are a
good idea but is worried they will transmit infections since they are not
sanitised.

"Some men have bumps at the back of their heads, when they wear
the helmet, and others use it, they get infected," said Oguike.
Construction workers in many parts of the country are renting out their
safety helmets for around 500 naira (2.42 pounds) a day.
Helmet prices have also risen sharply as sellers cash in on demand.

There are tens of thousands of "Okadas" buzzing around Lagos,
a city of 14 million people.

Many of the bikes are given to unemployed and illiterate youths as part
of poverty reduction programmes or on hire-purchase schemes run by
businessmen.

Most of the riders have never been taught traffic rules.