Not a lot of people know this, but...........

You can apply in person at certain larger post offices and walk out with the IDP in your hot little hands!

Go to the link below, and where it says "all branches", use the drop down menu to select "International Driving Permit", also fill in below your postcode or town.
This is very useful if you have forgotten to do it in advance. It is also slightly cheaper.
Some people have posted on here that you do not need an IDP. They are wrong. Whichever list you look at, India is on there. The official list of offences published by the Goa Police Farce, actually mentions "failure to produce IDP, rs500"

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/finder;jsessionid=NCQ4DCLTLOLUIFB2IGFEOSQUHRAYWQ2K?searchType=postOffice&resultsType=postOfficeSearch&catId=20700386&_requestid=4755
(I have shown it with IDP selected)

For Manchester you need to go to Spring Gardens in the Centre, I go every year only takes about 20 minutes including queing up, well worth it.

Saw a tourist sent flying off his scooter by a taxi opposite Plantain Leaf through no fault of his own. Head injuries. Loads of people swarming all over him. He was unconscious. Please wear a helmet. You might be the best rider in the world but you cant stop other bad drivers hitting you.

Very good point All Saints. You wouldnt drive in the UK without a helmet so why do it in Goa

It still seems to me reading these posts that the only thing people are concerned about here is getting a International licence. How many of them have an licence for a motorcycle in the U.K. ? precious few I guess, would you go riding a bike in the U.K. without a valid licence, insurance, or crash helmet ? very few would, I suspect, yet once they get to Goa it seems ok to carry on in this irresponable fashion. Even if you are stupid enough to risk your own skin on the crazy roads in Goa, how about the consequences for any poor local you might just knock down and injure, you are'nt carrying any insurance and you can bet he is'nt insured. I watched two young girls outside the Goan Heritage getting on their scooters for the first time in their lives a couple of months ago, 30 seconds practice, squeeling with laughter, one rode into a bush, more laughter then off they went, shorts and bikini tops, off up Holiday Rd to one of the worst T junctions in Goa at Daytrippers head office, theres accidents every day there. Mabey if the police came down a bit harder on the likes of this, they'd be saving a lot of holidaymakers a lot of grief. Alan

Is there somewhere in candolim / calangute that sells helmets? i have found an indian manufacturer of helmets that gives an MRP of about INR550 (about £8!!! ) (steelbirdhelmet.com) but no sign of a dealer list.
At that price I'd rather buy a new one and leave it there than use a 'rental' lid
OMG! found another company called sparkhelmets.com, that has an open face motorcycle helmet listed at INR199!! (£3!!)
How good can that be??
(I like their 'Kimi Raikonnen' painted full face on their homepage.....somehow I doubt he has any knowledge of this!)

to the best of my knowledge, there is not and never has been, anywhere to buy motorcycle helmets in Cal/Can. As we say here, "Its a Mapusa thing"!
Probably the most accessible dealer is Autosales. From the bottom, go up the back hill towards the Courts. A short way up is a turning to the left with a chemist on the corner. Turn here and Autosales is a short distance down on the right.
They stock Steelbird, among others. In terms of quality they are comparable with £50-60 helmets in UK, The really cheap ones make good hanging baskets, and thats about all.

Hi all...
regarding the purchase of helmets....
Ive seen a guy selling them at the side of the road opposite Nizmar Hotel in Calangute...
Also just over the road bridge on the side of the roundabout as you go into Panajim from Calangue etc..
I dont know the price or the quality of the helmets....but even if the quality is not up to British Standard...it may stop you being stopped by the police and enduring a "fine"...

Ive seen a guy selling them at the side of the road opposite Nizmar Hotel in Calangute...
Also just over the road bridge on the side of the roundabout as you go into Panajim from Calangue etc..
I dont know the price or the quality of the helmets....but even if the quality is not up to British Standard...it may stop you being stopped by the police and enduring a "fine"...

Definitely "hanging basket" standard.
Would anyone in their right mind buy a helmet "from a guy at the side of the road"?
Even if they appear to be of a known brand, remember you are in the land of fakes.
The main purpose is to save your life, not avoid a rs100 fine for goodness sake..............

My son (and us) get our IDP from an AA branch locally. He recently was stopped on the way into Panjim, but he had on the helmet which the bikes owner gave him . The police checked the licence and let them go on. As long as you are careful, don't speed, and don't drive at night or in really congested areas, it is no more risky than riding a pushbike.... which I know in Goa is still at the mercy of Taxi's ect. We always pull over and let taxi's overtake us and always give way at junctions.