Tag: hi vis vests

Hi-Vis Motorcycle Gear: Yes or No?

We all agree that motorcycling is a risky business, but very few people wear hi-vis motorcycle gear on their travels. I confess I don’t, either, and frankly, I don’t plan to. But perhaps I should? In Europe, I’ve seen many more riders in hi-vis gear than in North America and South America put together. Some simply wear either hi-vis neon green or white helmets, but quite a lot go all the way wearing hi-vis riding suits or at least, hi-vis vests with reflective tapes.

 

What are the pros and cons of hi-vis motorcycle gear?

 

Visibility

This one’s painfully obvious: hi-vis gear is meant to make us more visible on the road and its traffic. According to this study, “Drivers wearing reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk of crash-related injury”. But it seems we might be using the wrong colors. Neon green and yellow aren’t the colors that pop the most, especially in rural environments or forested areas; if you want to stand out, hot pink, it turns out, is the way to go.

 

Light VS Color

The human eye detects light faster than color. This is why bright lights and triangles of amber lights might be more effective than any bright color.

 

Being Mistaken for Police

 

This is a pretty neat bonus if you’re traveling in the developing world: since you’re on a larger motorcycle than most locals, you might be mistaken for police or military if you’re clad in a hi-vis suit.

 

Weird Aesthetics

 

So if wearing bright hi-vis colors increases our chances of being seen, why do we hate wearing them so much? According to this article, it’s because we think it looks silly. Motorcycle riders, it turns out, cares about how they look (A lot!), and black remains among the most popular gear colors despite being very low-visibility.

 

Do you wear hi-vis motorcycle gear on your travels and why?

Attention, drivers!

Winter has got its rights, and drivers are forced to wear winter tires. So far no fines have been issued, but police say they will be penalizing drivers.

Also, no driver should go into traffic if his car is not properly equipped. There are objects that are legally required to be held in the trunk. Otherwise, drivers may face ugly fines and penalty points.

The medical kit, the fire extinguisher, the reflective vest and the two reflective triangles required for signaling in the event of a breakdown or accident should not be absent from any luggage compartment, and preferably within the shelf life.

All these equipment is mandatory, and their lack can lead to damaging fines.

The penalty provided by the Road Code for those who do not have appropriately equipped machines is 4 or 5 points, equivalent to a fine ranging from 580 to 725.

“Thus, for the period January 1 – December 31, 2018, the fine is paid at the amount of 145, as it is today, without increasing according to the gross minimum salary in the guaranteed economy”, writes in a statement of the Executive.

In other words, nothing changes in the amount of fines this year compared to last year. The fine was still 145. It should be noted, however, that the capping is only set for 2018. This means that if no new capping comes in, by January 2019 it will increase to 190.

With a fine of 290 or 435, drivers who speak on the phone while driving without a “hands-free” device, as well as those who do not signal when changing the direction of travel, will still be sanctioned and passengers who do not wear seat belts. Also, pedestrians who violate traffic rules (without wearing safety clothing)may be filed with the same amount.

Fines of 580 or 725 apply to drivers who do not give priority to pedestrian crossings, switch to the red traffic light or overpass the traffic lights off the traffic lights / crossing the railroad level to overcome the legal speed of 21-30 km/h for the transport of minors without adequate safety systems (safety belts or chairs for children), but also for situations such as non-observance of the signs and markings, and lack of medical kits, reflective triangles, hi vis vests and fire extinguishers .

A slightly higher penalty, that is, from 870 to 1,160, applies for exceeding the legal speed by 31-40 km / h, for not respecting the rules on passing priority, overtaking or changing to the red traffic light if there is a accident with material damage. Other examples of facts that could be fined with amounts in this range are: driving with an expired car license or running a car with a lightning or audible warning system.

The biggest fines for individuals are those in the fourth class of sanctions, where the fines that can be applied are between 1,305 and 2,900 and apply to: drivers that exceed.

If the city really is “reflective”

The policemen equipped the semi-colonists with reflective vests. The whole group will now be perfectly visible when they are going through the holiday routes.

Today In the “Rondo” football club in Inca, there was a group of 30 semicolons insecurity. Preparing for a pedestrian rally around the city, they learned important rules about their own safety and the importance of using reflective materials on clothing. It is thanks to the policemen of the Prevention Department and the Road Traffic Department.

Knowledge of the basic rules of moving on the road is the key. That is why theory and exercises had to go hand in hand. Children learned in which places and how to cross the road correctly. There was no shortage of hints about contacts with strangers and dogs. Responsible behavior will avoid threats.

During the meeting, the police taught the children how to alert the services if it was necessary. Half-colonies received educational books with traffic regulations and hi vis vests from policemen. Now they are fully prepared for the rally. Successful trips!

With children about safety on the road

Safe crossing the road, rules of getting around on the road, are topics that were discussed during a meeting between policewomen and children from the school in Bithynia. During the meeting, students received uniformed reflective vests.

Last week (on Friday, April 20) policewomen from the Pavia Police Headquarters visited students from the first grade at the Primary School in Byte. The theme of the meeting was the safety of unprotected road users.

At the beginning of the meeting, the students received uniformed hi vis vests. Policewomen discussed why wearing such vests after dark is very important. Children also talked to policewomen about safe crossing the road at pedestrian crossings with signaling and without traffic lights. Policewomen also reminded about the rules of moving around the road without a sidewalk.

The primary school in Bithynia is located at the very busy national road No. 92. Therefore it is very important that children are aware of the essence of correct crossing the road. In order to make the young students aware, the policewomen who wear a reflective clothing went with the freshmen on the road and showed in practice how to cross the road, discussing the mistakes made by the pedestrians.

The last point of the meeting was to discuss the rules of cycling and the mandatory equipment of these two-wheelers.

The obligation to wear reflective vests was passed

MEPs adopted a draft law that would impose new obligations on pedestrians. It is about ordering to wear hi vis vests after dark. Pedestrians who do not comply with the order will face a fine.

 

According to data from the Central Police Headquarters, in 2012 there were 10.3 thousand accidents involving pedestrians. 1167 people died in them. Although the vast majority of such events take place at pedestrian crossings and intersections, a great danger is associated with the movement of pedestrians on roadsides in an undeveloped area. At night, it is virtually impossible to see a pedestrian on time, which is not wearing reflective elements. In 2012, there were 447 accidents, and 59 people died in them. There are many indications that soon there will be fewer such events. SLD deputies prepared a draft regulation that imposed the obligation to wear a reflective vest on pedestrians moving after dark outside the built-up area along roads where there is no sidewalk.

 

Why is it so important? Pedestrian, walking after dark without reflective clothing, is visible from a distance of only 20-30 meters. If the driver travels at 90 km / h, he travels 25 meters in a second. It does not give you any chance of any reaction. However, if the pedestrian is equipped with a reflective element, the driver will notice it from a distance of 130-150 meters and will not have any problems avoiding it.

 

SLD deputies wanted the new law to promote safe behavior instead of becoming a whip on pedestrians, which is why they did not foresee penalties for ignoring the requirement to wear reflective vests. Paradoxically, however, it can turn against a pedestrian. As informs, the police intend to enforce the provisions on general principles, and pursuant to art. 79 of the Code of Misdemeanors, a traffic participant who breaks the other provisions of the Highway Code or issued based on it, may be fined up to PLN 3,000. Of course, it is impossible to suspect that this will be a standard punishment for ignoring the requirement to wear a vest, but its amount will be discretionary and it will depend on the decision of the police officer how much we will receive.

 

It is also worth looking at the issue of adjudging blame for road accidents involving pedestrians. If the obligation to wear a reflective vest has been passed, the guilt or co-payment for the accident may be charged to a pedestrian who will ignore the order and be struck. However, if the deduction is made at the side of the illuminated road, the lack of flares will not matter to the police. The insurer to lower the value of the compensation paid to the deducted pedestrian, however, can use this circumstance.