In order to avoid having to take off their turbans before hopping on their motorcycles, a Sikh motorcycle club is advocating for the exemption of helmets for riders.
The Singhs Social Motorcycle Club, which has 30 members and is based in Sydney, is requesting a religious exemption.
Mavleen Singh Dhir, 37, one of the club’s founders, claimed that the movement goes beyond merely advocating for riders to go without helmets.
‘Turbans are a symbol of freedom and equality in our religion,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
If they don’t go faster than 50 km/h, Sikhs in New Zealand are permitted to ride motorcycles without a helmet.
When asked if his club had a target speed for helmet exemptions, Mr. Dhir responded that it would be impractical to have police track the speed of every rider wearing a turban.
‘However, inexperienced drivers should not be given these freedoms,’ he said.
‘L-platers and P-platers shouldn’t be given the exemption.’
Mr Dhir stressed that not wearing a helmet would be a ‘personal choice’.
‘It’s an option, not a mandate,’ he said.
‘Can any helmet company guarantee they won’t stop serious injury or death? It’s a freedom of choice and citizens should be trusted with what they’re doing.’
He said it takes up to 15 minutes to put the turban on, which has six metres of fabric.
‘We are pushing for this not just for the motorcycles. It’s more to do with freedom of choice,’ he said, adding that Sikh soldiers in Gallipoli didn’t wear helmets.
‘When I’m wearing that turban, I have that sense of responsibility, it won’t allow me to do anything wrong. I have to treat everyone equal.’
In April of last year, the SSMC’s Australian chapter was established.
Since then, the club has committed itself to serving the community by assisting flood victims and feeding the homeless.
While recently organising a trip to Canberra to speak about the involvement of Sikhs in World War I, they have also worked to raise awareness about endangered creatures like koalas.
The desire for turban riders to choose whether or not to wear a helmet is shared by Mr. Dhir.
The president of Turbans 4 Australia, Amar Singh, claimed that he was one of many Sikhs who felt discriminated against by legislation in NSW requiring helmets for motorcycle riders.
‘It is a bit upsetting that I can’t ride my motorbike. I love riding bikes. I used to ride them a lot overseas,’ the transport manager told Daily Mail Australia in 2019.
He also said compulsory hard hats on construction sites was another issue for the Sikh community.
‘I’m not in favour of breaking any laws, which is why I’ve chosen not to ride my bike,’ the president of Turbans 4 Australia said.
‘But the Government should be fairer to the people of the Sikh community and allow us to be exempted from helmet and hard hat laws.
‘Wearing the turban is a matter of faith and being Australian is about being fair for everyone else.’
Sikhs who have resorted to removing their turban to wear a hard hat say the process takes about 10-15 minutes.
‘Your hair is often all over the place. Productivity loss is a big thing,’ Mr Singh said.
As a mark of respect for God, Sikhs refrain from cutting their hair, and the turban is referred to as a “special crown.”
While in Victoria, the ACT, Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia, riders riding bicycles are not required to wear helmets for religious reasons.
While the Northern Territory only requires helmets for adult road users, NSW does not provide exemptions for push bike riders. On sidewalks and in other public areas, those who are under the age of 17 must wear them.