Nigerian Bikers Use Pumpkins Instead of Helmets

From the wonderful makers of the Nigerian 419 scams comes the Pumpin Helmet!  Rather than carry around real helmets, motorcyclists in Nigeria are making their own helmets out of gourds and pumpkins because the “real ones might have bad mojo.”

The helmets only cost about 30 bucks, but if the motorcyclists think the helmets are haunted or cursed, then let them do without.  Darwin wins again.  From the BBC here:

Motorcyclists in Nigeria have been wearing dried pumpkin shells on their heads to dodge new laws forcing them to wear helmets.

Road safety officials said calabash-wearers would be prosecuted. Calabashes are dried pumpkin shells more commonly used to carry liquid.

Thousands of motorbikes have been impounded around the country and drivers have staged protests.

Motorcycle taxis, called “achaba” in the north of the country and “okada” in the south, are a cheap way for Nigerians to get around congested and chaotic city streets.

Many drivers of the motorcycle taxis are furious over the new law, which came into force on New Year’s Day.

They say passengers often steal the helmets once they reach their destination which can cost up to $29 (£20).

Stories have also appeared in the local papers highlighting passengers’ fears that the helmets could be used by motorcyclists to cast spells on their clients, making it easy for them to be robbed.

“Some people can put juju inside the helmets and when they are worn the victim can either lose consciousness or be struck dumb,” passenger Kolawole Aremu told the Daily Trust newspaper.

You’d think that they could email a lot of people and ask for donations to buy helmets.