Greenstone father promotes motorcycle safety

In the hopes of promoting motorcycle safety, Greenstone resident Richard Wicks started an initiative to ensure delivery drivers have correct and safe equipment.

Richard does this by donating second-hand motorcycle helmets, which are in better condition, to motorcycle delivery drivers whose helmets are cracked, damaged or held together with tape.

“My only condition when I donate the helmets to the drivers is that they give me their old helmets so they can be destroyed and cannot be used again.”

Richard, a motorcycle racer, said the idea for the initiative started two years ago after he had a motorcycle collision on the race track. Richard said as a father he and his wife agreed that he would only use his motorcycle on the racetrack as they believe South African roads are too dangerous. He explained that when one collides during the race or driving on the track, motorcyclists understand each other and can plan better for emergencies.

“The one night, my family and I ordered pizza and when the delivery driver arrived, I noticed his helmet was in a terrible condition. “With my two broken wrists, I went to the garage and grabbed my helmet, which was still in a better condition than his, and donated it to him.”

After donating his old helmet, Richard thought of other delivery drivers using substandard motorcycle equipment while his unused motorcycle equipment was collecting dust in his garage. He then started to ask on the motorcycle social media groups he belonged to and received donations from the motorcycle community.

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Since starting the initiative, Richard has kept several motorcycle helmets and other motorcycle equipment in his car in case he came across a delivery driver wearing substandard equipment.

One of the worst helmets Richard has seen while helping others was one held together with box tape. “I could put my fingers through the cracks of the helmet and into the head cavity.”

He has also taken off the roads some of the helmets, as old as 15 years old, including those without padding and with jagged pieces of fibre glasses on them. “As a motorcycle driver, I strongly believe in having all the gear all the time.”

Richard said the first question he asks motorcycle drivers is whether or not they have families.

“Most of the motorcyclists have families and are breadwinners.”

When donating a helmet, Richard makes sure it fits the motorcyclist properly. If it doesn’t, he invites the delivery driver to his house where he has more helmets.

Although Richard reaches out primarily through Facebook, he works in partnership with:

• Lekka Racing in Meadowdale
• Lemmon Gem Couriers
• Eastleigh-based We Sell Parts
• Kempton Park-based Turnkey Instruments
• Edenglen-based 082 Carwash

Richard encouraged other community members who may have motorcycle equipment collecting dust in their garages to donate them to those in need. They can also drop the helmets off at one of the listed companies and inform the manager that they are for Richard.

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