Tag: reflective tape

Cyclists’ bad visibility due to lack of reflective jackets

Wednesday morning, Sylvia, cyclist for three years in Paris, was arrested while traveling in the street on his bike by Francis, member of the Association Road Safety. “We will check all your lighting and visibility equipment such as reflective tape, safety vest and helmet etc.,” he offers to the young woman. An awareness campaign for cyclists’ risks night organized simultaneously in 10 cities (Lille, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Rennes, La Rochelle, Besancon, and Gap) by the association and the Road Safety insurer MMA.

Because according to a joint investigation by the insurer and the combination of 2, 000 cyclists between March and June 2013 revealed this Wednesday, three quarters of cyclists riding into town on their own bike poorly lit at night. “Many bikes were originally equipped with inefficient dynamo broke. Others have been degraded and cyclists have not retrofitted provided. In contrast, self-service bikes have less default lighting because they are regularly checked, “says Jean-Yves, general delegate of the association Prevention road.

As for reflective jackets and armbands, they are almost never used by cyclists less than 5% of rental bike users use it and 16% of owners of personal bike. “But the utilization rate increased to Paris, Lille and Rennes (25%), probably because cyclists feel more vulnerable s because the bike paths are less developed than in other cities,” says Jean-Yves. Yet these devices are useful “because they can be visible up to 150 meters against 30 meters without these accessories, he insists. A powerful argument is that 20% of 155 cyclists were killed in an accident road in 2012 at night.

Still, the majorities of cyclists is still poorly informed on the subject and are unaware of the risks they face. “Do you know what the mandatory equipment for riding is?” Francis Gael asked. “The front and rear lights,” replied the young woman. “Not only wearing a retro reflective vest is mandatory open road. A retro reflective device on the pedals is also indispensable, “explains François-Gael. To help Sylvia no longer seem unnoticed, he offers a kit containing a vest, armbands and protection for fluorescent bag back. “I put the now when I will cross the Place de la Bastille at night,” Sylvia advance. Olivier, another seasoned cyclist, also gets his kit: “The safety vest does not look like the Karl Lagerfeld, but I’ll make an effort and put it on as often as possible,” he promises, before straddling his bike.

Five advices to ride bike in the city and stay safe

Road safety associations and insurers Prevention launched Friday a communication campaign on cyclist safety in the city. The associations have identified five dangerous situations in which bicycles are frequently found and give advice detailed as below.

  1. Dangerous situation # 1: pass a truck or bus

This happens frequently at red lights. Problem: the blind spots of trucks are wider than the cars and the “time to move beyond” the longest vehicle. Therefore is more dangerous. Another trap: to turn right, heavyweights such as buses are forced to veer more to the left to get their rear axle. So cyclists think they have space. But the vehicle pass may pinch or crush very quickly.

The Board of Prevention: stay behind the truck when he was arrested.

  1. Dangerous situation # 2: cross an intersection when one takes priority without looking

When it is a priority at an intersection, the cyclist is overconfident and do not pay attention to other vehicles. “Yet it is very visible,” do you remember the Road Safety.

The Board of Prevention: slow down and try to meet the eyes of the driver who arrives from a side street

  1. Dangerous situation number 3: ride at night without being visible

Many bike rides at night without the reflective tape and safety vest, mandatory, are fixed on the bike. It must however oranges on wheels and pedals, white in front of the bike, red at the rear. It also requires that the bike has a white or yellow light in front, red at the rear.

The Board of Prevention: although it may seem like a detail, to ensure that the bike has these protective elements. Wear yellow reflective vest is also recommended.

  1. Dangerous situation number 4: ignore red lights

A number of cyclists often turn red, especially when they want to turn right. This is possible since 2010, but only when the triangular panel reports. Otherwise refrain.

The Board of Prevention: Follow the rules!

  1. Dangerous situation Number 5: drive along parked cars

The risk for the cyclist is obviously to knock on a door opens suddenly. Or, best of all, a car that, without warning, enter the roadway.

The Board of Prevention: Finding the balance between rides too close to parked cars and driving on left. Do as well attention to clues: Does there’s people in the vehicle? Are the wheels turned? Does the motor run?

Should the helmet and reflective vest be mandatory?

The helmet does not make a lot of followers among the cyclists; they would be only 29% to bring in during the day against 41% nationally, according to the study by Opinion way for the insurer MMA.

“I see myself badly disheveled get to work”

“I bike every day and I do not want to burden myself with a helmet. I do not feel at all threatened. How awful if it became a requirement,” Said Michel, 65 years old. He wears a reflective tape on each ankle but is above all not to mess down her pants.

Reza, 41 and Perrine, 37, make a lot of two-wheelers. Her motorcycle and bicycle road, two activities for which they consider the essential helmet, but the city is not the same. “We ride quietly on the sidewalks or on the waterfront. And I see myself badly disheveled get to work. No, the helmet is for our children, “says Perrine.”It is useless and it is really ridiculous aesthetic side, I’m anti-bicycle helmet and I’ll stay,” adds Reza strongly.

“I do not understand that the helmet is not compulsory”

Fanny, 26, is part of the minority of Bordeaux who have become accustomed to bring a helmet. “I had a bike fall that earned me a fracture, my wheels were stuck on the tram tracks,” she says. It will take about one year to the student nurse to get back on track after this traumatic experience. “And now, if I do the headset without bike, it’s like I had no flying belt,” she explains.

Her friend Gwen, 23, prefers to ride with the wind. “The helmet and safety vest, it keeps you warm, it’s not nice and not very aesthetic,” she says. “It is true that it is not glamorous but I do not care!” retorted Fanny. That teams also lights and a reflective vest at night. “I do not understand that wearing a helmet is not mandatory,” says the young woman.

“One obvious constraint”

“The helmet and reflective vest should not be mandatory, can be worn if desired but this is an obvious constraint! Behind this obligation there is the automobile lobby that sees that the bike takes to drive market share. In cities that have mandatory helmet and safety vest, practice has declined significantly, “says Alain, president of the association Bike City in Bordeaux.

For the association, it seems more interesting to focus on the bicycle lights and wearing reflective clothing to improve the safety of cyclists.

Reflective tape shall be required on school backpack

Nowadays schoolchild choosing a briefcase is not just its color or shape. The other criterion is safety. If Germany has legislated for a long time in this field which requires reflective tape on the briefcase, France is dragging its feet.

Every day in France, a dozen children is a victim of a road accident, injured or killed. In a third of cases, this takes place on foot, on the way to school.

Germany, to avoid such accidents, at least 10% of the back and sides of the binder should be covered with reflective bands and 20% of fluorescent materials.

In France, there is none of that. The Road Safety Association has launched an awareness campaign in the form of a manifesto, “zero children killed on our roads,” including asking using reflective material like reflective heat transfer film on the backpack and satchels younger.

Reflective surfaces allow it to be seen at night, 150 meters. The neon allows to be seen when it rains, it is foggy or it is a bit dark. It increases the ambient light and return to motorists.

Christophe Ramond, director of studies and research of the Association Road safety, also adds that “initiatives” were launched “there thirty years with satchels manufacturers are rigged” but there is no “this safety culture in France as there may be in Germany. It may create a European standard that will promote the commercialization of visible and safe school bags for the children “.

A new model of satchel more secure this year was launched. To try to remedy this lack, the Tennessee brand launches a new model of binder, as described in its manager Frederick: “The trick lies in the fact of having placed security cover in the back very discreet, the child does not have to put the time and when it’s on the way to school, he unfolds it and it comes to cover the entire surface of the binder as a safety vest.”

It is also possible to equip oneself his satchel, all the necessary equipment is cycling radius.

Tragic accident happens on high way.

Bus crashed into the scooter. He’s been dead 66-year-old motor owners sat, police officers in safety vest with the prosecutor working on the site of a road accident on the route Synod Masco. 66-year-old head of scooter was hit by INVESCO and died on the spot.

Today (Friday, October 30) about 5.30 hours duty officer, police officers from Synod received telephone notification of a traffic accident on the route Sino Masco, national road 53.

The preliminary findings of the officers that sober 23-year-old driver was driving with INVESCO Osaka in the direction of Sino. At one point he hits in front of him riding a scooter, led by 66-year-old resident of the municipality Sino. Single-track Directed died on the spot.

Now investigators under the supervision of the Prosecutor perform inspection of the scene, interviewing witnesses.

Reflectors. Particularly important in autumn and winter

From August 31 last year, every pedestrian who is moving after dark on the road, outside the built-up area must be placed in a reflection visible to managers. For the lack of reflective element threatens fined up to 100 zlotys.

Traffic regulations since dictate carry reflective elements. Unfortunately, not all apply to them.

About how little we are visible on the road without all reflective elements shown a video of police videoed stator. Young man walking on the road K-17 without the glare does not realize the danger they are causing. The police traffic outside the mandate handed him the vest.

Pedestrians and cyclists account for more than 30 percent of the total number of people without reflective tape who died in road accidents. Reflective elements are extremely important element on the road. The driver can see the person using glare from a distance of up to 140 meters. This time allows for the correct response.

Remember that the reflectors may be Trailed items to clothing, armbands or vests. It is important to place them in the right places – at the knees, hands, near the center of the chest and back – then we will have confidence that we are well visible to other road users.

Roadway – the driving, sidewalk – to walk, cycle track

A simple statement, but it is difficult to remember. We remind you the most important information about the movement of cyclists, but with whom we should be familiar with EVERY road, and wearing your safety vest at dark condition.

Only a biker can ride the road bike. Pedestrian, car or moped or motorcycle cannot get around, if there is no road bicycle – cyclist riding a bicycle lane or roadway, sidewalk only in exceptional cases.

BUS lane – is only for buses and trolley buses and other vehicles engaged in the carriage of persons payable on regular lines

Passage for cyclists – the surface of the road or track designed for passing cyclists, where cyclists have priority – it does not mean that you can charge them. At crossings in force, as everywhere on public roads, the principle of trust and caution. Allow you to see the driver of the car, and thus give him a chance to disappearance of priority.

Pedestrian crossing – does not drive for kowtow- wanting to get to the other side of the road at a pedestrian crossing must dismount and carry him on the lanes.

Mandatory equipment bicycle

The lights cycle must be attached at a height no higher than 150 cm and not less than 25 cm from the road surface.

According to the current legislation in Poland, a helmet and reflective vest is not compulsory equipment. However, the helmet protects the head from injury in the event of an accident, and improves visibility vest, which significantly improves the safety of cyclists.

Directed by bike is obliged to use the road for a bike lane or bike if they are designated for the direction in which it moves or intends to turn. Control your bike using the roads for bicycles and pedestrians, it is obliged to take special care and give way to pedestrians.

A child under the age of 7 years can be transported on a bicycle, provided that it is placed on the additional saddle for safe driving – carry another person on a bicycle, cart, bicycle or bike dormitory can a person who has completed 17 years.

The driver bicycle or moped is prohibited:

Driving on the road next to another traffic participant (allowed exceptionally ride on the road to the rider next to another bicycle or moped, if this does not hinder movement of other traffic or otherwise endanger road safety)

Driving without keeping at least one hand on the steering wheel and feet on the pedals or footrests,

Use when driving with the phone requires holding the earpiece or microphone in hand, driving under the influence in the state after use of alcohol or agent acting similarly to alcohol.

Using the pavement or pedestrian by the rider is allowed in exceptional cases, when:

He takes care of a person under the age of 10 years guiding the bike;

The width of the sidewalk along the road, on which traffic is allowed at speeds greater than 50 km / h, is at least 2 m and a lack of dedicated cycle paths and lanes for bicycles;

Weather conditions threaten the safety of the cyclist on the road (snow, strong wind, heavy rain, black ice, fog).

Control your bike using the sidewalk or pedestrian path, it is obliged to go slowly, careful and give way to pedestrians.

Directed by bicycle without reflective tape can drive the left side of the road on the principles laid down for pedestrians, if the care of the person in charge of the bike under the age of 10.

Directed by bicycle can overtake other than the bike slowly going out of their vehicles right side of caution.

A person who has completed 10 years (to age 18) can move along a public road only under the condition of having a bicycle card or driving license.

You go out to the road this winter holiday? Here, tips for driving in snow

Not the same get the car with reflective tape in winter especially if there is snow. Experts recommend tire chains, avoid abrupt maneuvers and reduce speed on routes

Bequeath the winter holidays and many use to meet national tourist destinations. But winter driving is not an easy task. Not the same drive on a paved path, which in a gravel or snow. It is therefore essential to consider certain tips before starting the trip.

In the winter break one of the tourist-star southern Argentina. But driving in the snow is not an easy task; you need to take some precautions before leaving. “It must drive with tire chains or winter tires, increase the safety distance with other vehicles and slow,” explains the head of Road Safety at the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Pablo Azorean. It is also necessary to anticipate maneuvers to use distant visual references; and avoid turns, accelerations and sudden braking. “Use, where possible, the engine brake and box forever braking the wheels straight, without excess. Nor should accelerate or brake in curves,” he adds.

While in cases of visibility reduced by fog is necessary circular low beam, position and fog. In addition, should gradually slow down and increase the distance from other vehicles,” suggests Asotin. He also advised to turn off the audio equipment because you need to hear what is happening in the environment. “There should light the high lights because they can cause glare and a shortening of the visual field,” he adds. It is also important to keep the windshield clean and not pre-empt or pass other vehicles with reflective vest. “If the fog is too thick is best to leave the road and stop in a safe place until weather conditions improve. However, they should not park on the shoulder or the road,” says the expert of the FIA.

It is necessary to control the From Let us fight for life, civil association nonprofit dedicated to preventing traffic accidents, recall some habits that are essential when embarking on a trip. “Do not answer the phone while you are driving. You need to devote full attention to the road and just when you arrive at your destination will begin the holiday. Instead of ‘hands-free’ must install ‘free mind’ to drive and enjoy trip, “says José Alberto Sliver, president of the association.

Sliver says that should not be exceeded the limit of between 90 and 100 kilometers per hour, even in places where it is allowed. “Decrease 10 kilometers usual flow rate will significantly increase security,” he highlighted. Another important point is to eat light and drink water or soda instead of alcohol, if lunch or dinner before you leave home or return to the route.

Finally Sliver warns: “You want to gain time Other than driving at night or tired Before hitting the road should rest well to have ‘all the lights’ while driving if there is no possibility to alternate driving. With another person, you need to take a ten minute break every two hours and do some stretching exercises and relaxation “General .stood the vehicle before starting the trip.” They must have effective technical verification and documentation of vehicle control levels of oil, water, brake fluid, state of brushes and wipers, check the correct operation of the lights, and verify the presence and conditions of manages triangular beacons, cricketer, key cross and safety vest. It is also very important to check the inflation pressure of tires and depth of its channels, which should be on the order of three millimeters. If fewer than 12 are carried, they should always go on the rear and homologated seats according to their weight, age and height seat. Finally we must avoid loading the vehicle excessively “sums Asotin.

 

North Bohemian police received new “fighter” for pirate’s roads

Traffic police with safety vest in the Usti region got a new “weapon” against road pirates. White Octavia with four-wheel drive, automatic transmission speed of 260 kilometers per hour and acceleration from 0 to 100 in less than 8 seconds. Meanwhile, the four year still add another three to one in each district.

Police Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI is equipped with many special features.

“Radars are operated using a touch tablet. There’s a front camera, rear camera, the device monitors the vehicle both before and after him. At the rear glass panel, to which the crew can give programmable text, which warns road users that do not have the lights on, it’s on the road or icy roads may regulate traffic in the lane, “explained Martin Sochi from the North traffic police.

The camera controlled via tablet also able to capture and assess them according to the number plate whether the controlled auto forfeit technical or whether, after looking for him. Octavia thus have a similar technique as two “fighters” VW Pass at R36, which officers were given in 2012 and still use them.

Octavia northern Bohemia policemen in reflective vest came only a few days ago. On Tuesday they got the license plate, in the middle are introduced and in the second half of January will go into operation. Their price is around million.

Capitalizing on the penalties it is not, says the head dovekey

Previous equally expensive Passim put on your “earned” in fines for drivers for six months. North Bohemian police chief Jeri transport Utah assumes that in the case of Octavia it will take longer.

“When we got the Passas, nothing like that here, not anywhere, and the car was going, it was successful. Now the situation is different, these cars are more people know them. But I want to emphasize that capitalizing on the fines it is not. Contribution of these cars is to prevent people know they exist and be careful. The situation on the road, thanks to the awareness of calm, “said Uses.

Now high speed is one of the main causes of accidents. Last year stood at 1,456 accidents, which are 137 more than the year before. There were 9,707, a year earlier 8 372. About half a million crowns decreased damage to 4.5 million. Dropped and resulted in accidents. Fewer wounded and the dead, last year, died on the roads of North Bohemian 44 people, 13 fewer than the year before.

“The road is moving increasingly safer cars and mainly attracts more people belts,” says Utah statistics.

Officers dealt reflective accessories, made themselves girdles

This year, northern Bohemia police want to focus on making sure people on the roads were easier to see. Seniors will distribute bags with reflective tape and children luminous tubes for bicycles wires.

Invent but also to increase their safety. They came with sleeves that wrap around the calf below the knee, on which are reflective stripes.

“” Under certain conditions, a vest is not enough when a police officer shining a car. Here are the mists, the white darkness, and this increases the visibility of police officers, “said Osaka. Special covers are northern Bohemia police first and so far only in the Czech Republic.