Most of the residents reached by AYV disclosed that the exchange of helmets is rapidly spreading a liver disease called Hepatitis, which according to them is on the increase in their city.
According to Baindu R. Jusu, a nurse who volunteered in the fight against Ebola in Bo District submitted that the virus causing redness of the liver is transmitted from one person to another through sweating.
Therefore she said the compulsory use of Commercial Bike Riders crash helmet is unreasonable.
“My problem is not with the odour of the helmets, but with the fact that the health status of users is not known” She added that the riders are not taking care of the helmets and the helmets are given to passengers wet with sweat.
Mohamed Sannoh, a bike rider in the city said the police should stop arresting people for not using helmet, noting that hepatitis is said to be on the increase in Bo.
According to him, the people have genuine reasons to denounce helmet usage at the moment.
Sannoh said that he would not force anybody who on boards his bike to use helmet.
Reacting to the residents, Head of Traffic in the Bo West Division Assistant Superintendent of Police Nathaniel Nicole confirmed that most people including police officers refuse to using crash helmet, when onboard commercial bikes.
He said they were given tickets by traffic wardens and refusal to pay will definitely lead to court action.
He said that their action was done in the best interest of the passengers who are always seriously damage during bike crashes.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Nathaniel Nicole stated that people who want to use hepatitis as a reason for not using crash helmet are on the wrong page of the law.
Therefore he advised them to be using plastic bags before using helmet.
‘’It is no crime to walk on foot for the rest of the day which does not requires the use of crash helmet ‘’said A SP Nicole.
