Category: reflective vest

1. The most important thing is SAFETY: make yourself visible and always equip yourself with front and rear daytime running lights, a helmet, and fluoride clothing. Ideally, wear a reflective vest and light clothing. It is also important that you check your bike before leaving, do not forget that it is a vehicle that must take you safely to your destination in open traffic. Check the pressure of the wheels, the lights, and make sure that the brakes and gears are well adjusted. If there is a bike path, use it. Signpost your movements; turn left, right, and brake, in advance, use the bell and do not listen to music.

 2. EQUIP YOUR BIKE: Depending on what you need to take with you, think about putting on racks to free your back from the extra weight and heat that backpacks entail. In it, you can place one or two saddlebags to carry your clothes, laptop, towel, shoes. If you have little with you, try a basket on the handlebar. There are also other cool accessories like rearview mirrors that let you keep an eye on the traffic behind you without having to turn your neck or lose focus on what’s going on ahead. Finally, equip your bike with a basic tool kit (camera, puncture kit, multi-tool, etc.)

 3. The study which is the BEST JOURNEY: try to take safe alternatives such as bike lanes or areas with less traffic. Remember that there are times when the shortest route is not the most recommended. As a general rule, the streets parallel to the main traffic routes offer you the safest way to reach your destination.

 4. Take the trip with PEACE OF MIND: if you don’t have showers in your company, the best way to do it is calm, without rushing and without pedaling. You also have the option of getting an electric bicycle that will help you get less fatigued and in less time. You go to work, not a career. Get out early enough and pedal smoothly, don’t overstrain that will make you sweat more than you should. Leave extra clothes, toiletries, a towel, etc. in the office. This way you will have to carry less weight on the bike every day, which will ensure that you are lighter and more stable when riding. You can choose to keep in your office a toilet kit in which you carry: a change of clothes, deodorant, perfume, and any other product.

 5. How to PROTECT YOUR BIKE from the friends of others: The ideal situation would be for you to get your company to enable a locked room so that you and your colleagues could leave your bikes. If this is not possible, there are three things you can do to avoid thieves. Park your bike in a place that is visible to you and well lit. Use at least one, and preferably two, padlocks. Although the best ones are not especially cheap, they will better protect your precious bike. Remove vulnerable items from your bike like lights, accessory bags, bell.

 6. Finally, what is the BEST CLOTHING to make the commute to work by bike: While cycling clothes are usually very close to the body to prevent the wind from slowing down our progress, in this case, it is the opposite. Both the upright posture and looser clothes play in our favor. You can wear a breathable shirt that fits the body and prevents sweat from entering your clean clothes. It is also recommended to wear reflective elements or fluorine colors.

The observatory of road accidents of the Directorate of Traffic and Transport of the Police carried out a study where it was determined that 45% of deaths in road accidents in Colom.

National Police begins a campaign to use reflective at night

The observatory of road accidents of the Directorate of Traffic and Transport of the Police carried out a study where it was determined that 45% of deaths in road accidents in Colombia occur at night, this data already records at least 2,054 deaths, which expresses the need to understand that “the greater the visibility, the greater the possibilities of avoiding a loss”. Cyclists who do not wear vests or drivers who do not use turn signals are the main protagonists of car accidents caused in the night hours. For this reason, it is necessary for road actors to be aware of visual limitations at night and to adopt these simple habits that will prevent accidents, such as the use of retro-reflective clothing. The lack of culture and road safety has caused a high number of fatalities on the roads and there are already more than 2,000 deaths in low-light places, says General William Salamanca, director of the Traffic Police. It is important to clarify that the use of the reflective vest is not mandatory in Colombia, even so, if it is the use of some reflective garment at night, more exactly in the period between 6 p.m. and 6 am As pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are the most vulnerable actors on the road, this phenomenon also affects cargo vehicles, which is why the Ministry of Transportation issued resolution 3246 of August 3, 2018, using which the use of retro-reflective tapes was regulated in bus-type vehicles (open, Chiva to the ladder and closed), bus, minibus, truck, van (panel, van, stakes, and van), tractor-truck (tractor truck), dump trucks, etc. as in trailers and semi-trailers with a gross vehicle weight of more than 0.75 tons. In this way, the National Police seeks, with the ‘Make Yourself Visible’ campaign, that road actors become aware of the importance of using reflectors at night, which becomes a preventive tool on the road that will help avoid accidents and pay fines.

Small guide to motorbike trips abroad, with the 5 things to know: necessary documents, mandatory equipment, traffic regulations, useful numbers, and travel policy

From 3 June Italy will reopen the borders with the EU + Switzerland and the United Kingdom countries (waiting to be able to do so with other States) and therefore motorbike trips abroad will also be possible in the complicated summer 2020, unless changes dictated by the evolution of the pandemic which unfortunately we cannot rule out. However many bikers are already planning the itinerary and others will do it in the coming weeks: for their benefit, we publish the 5 most important things to know when traveling abroad by motorbike.

1. MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: WHICH DOCUMENTS

For motorbike trips abroad in the countries of the European Union and the Schengen area, therefore including Switzerland, all you need is an identity card + driving license, registration document and certificate of insurance, obviously all valid. The Italian driving license is sufficient, in Europe the international driving license is required only in very few States (Russia, Armenia, and Georgia). Instead, the so-called green card, the insurance document that certifies the effectiveness of the RC motorcycle also abroad it is not necessary for EU countries and other states. In Europe, they could still request it in Albania, Belarus, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine (inquire before leaving). Finally, if you go abroad driving a motorbike that you do not own, it is advisable to have a delegation to lead by the owner: in plain paper for the EU and with a signature authenticated by a notary for non-EU travel.

2. MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: MANDATORY EQUIPMENT

Oh well, needless to say, that the helmet is mandatory everywhere, then depending on the destination other equipment is needed. For example, limiting ourselves to neighboring or neighboring countries:

Austria: Din 13167 approved first aid kit.

Croatia: Din 13167 approved first aid kit; retro-reflective vest; replacement bulbs.

France: reflective vest, protective gloves approved by EU for driver and passenger; approved breathalyzer kit.

Slovenia: Din 13167 approved first aid kit; reflective vest; replacement bulbs.

Switzerland: reflective jacket.

3. MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: THE RULES ON CIRCULATION

Also for the rules on the movement of foreign countries, the complete guide of the ACI and the Viaggiare Sicuri website can be consulted, here we report only the countries bordering Italy (+ Croatia), focusing especially on the rules that differ from our country:

Austria: motorway toll via ‘vignette’ ( here the rules on motorway tolls in Europe ); blood alcohol limit 0.049%.

Croatia: forbidden to carry a child under 12 on a motorcycle; dipped headlights mandatory even during the day; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

France: 80 km / h limit on departmental and state two-way and single track roads ( here all the speed limits in Europe when traveling by motorbike ); dipped headlights mandatory also during the day for motorcycles and mopeds registered after 1 July 2004; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

Slovenia: highway toll via ‘sticker’; it is forbidden to carry a child under 12 on a motorcycle; use of mandatory dipped headlights also during the day; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

Switzerland: motorway toll via ‘sticker’; dipped headlights mandatory even during the day; blood sugar limit 0.05%.

4. MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: USEFUL NUMBERS TO KNOW

Abroad it is always recommended to write down some phone numbers to contact in case of need.

Austria : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 120; Italian Embassy in Vienna: 0043 (1) 7125121.

Croatia : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 1987; Italian Embassy in Zagreb: 00385 -1- 48 46 386 – 00385 – 98.417660.

France : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 0800 089222; Italian Embassy in Paris: 0033 1 49 54 03 00.

Slovenia : single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 1987 or 00386 1 5305353; Italian Embassy in Ljubljana: 00386 1 4262194 0038614262320 – 0038614258659 – 00386 41 736773.

Switzerland: single European emergency number: 112; roadside assistance: 140; Italian Embassy in Bern: 0041 31 350 07 77 – 0041 79 3219202.

5. MOTORCYCLE TRIPS ABROAD: TRAVEL INSURANCE

In addition to the compulsory motorcycle insurance, to which any additional guarantees may be added (for example, Accidents to the driver), before leaving, it is necessary to consider whether to take out a travel policy to cover at least the health costs. To tell the truth, until recently, these policies were required above all for travel overseas or in exotic places. But the vicissitudes of recent months, with the pandemic that has shocked the world and from which we will not free ourselves quickly, advise greater caution even when traveling in Europe. On the web, many online companies offer travel insurance rather low prices and they are all quite reliable. Important: those who decide to take out one and wish not to have any surprises make sure that the policy signed also covers the infection by Covid-19.

A study confirms that accidents between cyclists and vehicles are caused by a combination of inadequate infrastructure and risky behavior by drivers and cyclists.

According to the Colombian Traffic Police, by September 2017, 42% of the accidents with cyclists that had been registered that year had occurred in the night hours and involved cyclists without a reflective vest.

In recent years, more and more people around the world have chosen to use the bicycle as a means of urban transport. However, many abstain from talking about it due to the danger that often involves moving with this means of transport. the scenario is not exclusive to Colombia: in the European Union, for example, in the last 30 years accidents between cyclists and vehicles have suffered a systematic increase.

According to the Institute of Legal Medicine, in Colombia in 2016 there were 4,447 accidents involving bicycles; in 589 of them the cyclists died, and 3,858 were injured.

“Given the characteristics of the vehicle and the little use of passive safety measures, cyclists are, along with pedestrians, the most vulnerable road users to suffer serious injuries in the event of an accident,” Sergio Alejandro Useche, a researcher at the Research Institute of Traffic and Road Safety (INTRAS) of the University of Valencia.

In urban centers, it is where 70.7% of accidents and 67.4% of victims’ injuries or deaths occur, compared to rural roads, where 29.3% of claims and 32.6% of the victims. 47.2% of serious cyclist injuries occur on conventional urban roads.

To understand the increase in incidents with cyclists and to be able to develop preventive policies, a study led by Useche has analyzed the relationship between roads and human factors with traffic accidents. The results, published in the magazine Sustainability, show that, in collisions between motorized vehicles and bicycles, both factors are present. These data could serve to explain and prevent road accidents.

Lack of driver education

The researchers interviewed 1,064 cyclists (38.8% female and 61.2% male), on average 33 years old and from twenty countries in Europe, South America, and North America, in an online survey. According to the expert, the increase in accidents with cyclists is due to “the widespread use of the bicycle, which is still disorganized, poorly controlled and unregulated today, and rarely linked to the education and road training of its users,” emphasizes the investigator.

Scientists highlight the need to intervene in infrastructure to reduce problematic interactions with other users, which occur when cyclists must share roadways with the motor vehicle or pedestrian users; simplify circulation on friendlier roads; and strengthen the culture of bicycle use and respect for it in all users.

On the other hand, the researchers have observed that in the traffic codes “there is a worrying lack of regulations to regulate the use of the bicycle in shared mobility with other types of vehicles.”

Regarding individual or human factors, the study highlights risk behaviors, divided into two main types. The first is the so-called unintended errors or failures by drivers. “These can be reduced by carrying out adequate road training, as is done, for example, with motor vehicle drivers,” says Useche.

Another behavior observed in accidents is traffic offenses. In the opinion of the experts, it is essential to strengthening road training by cyclists and drivers to avoid them. “This requires the support of the media, institutions and the educational system,” conclude the authors, for whom this would improve public health and social coexistence between the different mobility systems.

The Ministry of Security of the Nation made official on Tuesday the decree that requires changes in Traffic Law 24,449 regarding the control of motorcyclists. Even though Mendoza is governed by the Provincial Traffic Law 6.082, the measure will be applied on national routes and international corridors.

The modifications expressed in Decree 171/2017, which will be implemented as of Thursday, June 15, require that “the identification of the domain registered in the patent plate located on the vehicle, the mandatory identification of the domain number registration in the protective helmet, mandatory for the driver and front passenger, as well as the mandatory use for the front passenger of a reflective vest.”

The passenger vest, according to the standard, maybe pure yellow, and yellow or orange-yellow in the background and will have at least two horizontal reflective white bands on the front and rear top, five centimeters wide and with a separation among them 14 centimeters, in the middle of which the vehicle’s domain number will be printed in reflective white letters and numbers.

These new measures implemented to combat insecurity, as pointed out by the Minister of National Security, Patricia Bullrich, should not be applicable in Mendoza, which is governed by the Provincial Traffic Law 6.082.

It dictates, among other regulations, in article 49: “In the case of mopeds, motorcycles and the like, the occupant or occupants wear a special motorcycle safety helmet. Helmets for industrial use are prohibited.”

See also: In June, the new controls begin for motorcyclists

The regulations in the province

The undersecretary of Institutional Relations of the Ministry of Security, Néstor Majul, assured that the new decree will not be applicable in Mendoza as it is related to the National Traffic Law. However, on national routes and international corridors, federal security forces – such as the Gendarmerie – may be required to comply.

“Once the change is implemented, we will evaluate whether it gives results and is adjustable to the province. However, this new measure will be being carried out by the Gendarmerie on national routes,” said Majul.

The second commander of the National Gendarmerie, Sergio Salinas, told El Sol that they will enforce Traffic Law 24,449 within national routes and international corridors.

“Although we have not been informed of the modification, from June 15 we will enforce it. And, to those who do not comply with it, the corresponding fines will be applied”, confirmed Salinas.

The Ministry of Transport of the Nation informed this newspaper that “the patent of the helmet and the reflective vest must be paid in the corresponding Automotive Registry.”

With this measure, Mendoza residents who wish to travel to Chile by motorcycle must comply with the patenting of the helmet and reflector vest of the companion to avoid fines and be able to pass to the neighboring country.

Data of national routes and international complexes in Mendoza

The province is crossed by several national routes, standing out 40 – from North to South – and 7, from the border with San Luis to the East to the border with Chile, to the West.

Also, on route 7, the International Corridor to Chile stands out. The Province has a connection with the Argentine Los Horcones complex and the Chilean Los Libertadores complex.

Also, Mendoza people usually circulate on the following national routes: 7, 40, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 149, 153, and 188, where the mandatory helmet and patent-pending vest will be enforced.

New health work safety protocols are forcing companies around the world to activate their imaginations. The redistribution of spaces and the installation of partitions help to ensure the safety of workers who occupy a fixed position, but those who move constantly during their activity are often still unprotected. So this anti-virus vest is succeeding in Germany. It is a reflective vest that lights up, beeps and vibrates if two workers approach within less than a meter and a half of safety distance established by the German authorities. Warned by the vest, the worker himself is in charge of moving away from his partner.

One of the first companies to test them has been Austrian freight vehicle manufacturer Schwarzmüller, whose CEO, Roland Hartwig, explains that “as the de-escalation progressed, the government has been very clear in insisting that the safety distance is now the main tool to keep infections at bay and we were exposing ourselves that, if there are positives among our workers, we would be forced to stop the activity. That is why we have focused our strategy on these vests”, which the workers have accepted with satisfaction.

Schwarzmüller is based in Freinberg bei Schärding, but the vests are made a long way from this idyllic region of Austria. The German company Linde Material Handling, also affiliates in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Italy, is the one that has had the idea of ​​supplying its customers with this product designed specifically for the Covid-19 crisis. The vests weigh about 300 grams and their battery holds up to a full work shift of about eight hours. Peter Markschläger, the spokesman for Linde Austria, explains that this technology comes from a system applied in transport vehicles in logistics centers or in large construction sites, which serves to avoid collisions, by warning both the driver and the pedestrian that they are approaching. each other. “Through a 4 gigahertz ultra-broadband signal we ensure that the vests always stay connected without interference with other systems”, he says, convinced that this system is much more practical and efficient than connections via wireless internet or bluethooth since they are less stable and exact in an industrial environment.

Markschläger does not dare to predict if we will soon wear private pedestrian vests like these, to avoid unwanted approaches in supermarket aisles or zebra crossings, but there is no doubt that it is a truly anonymous device, which preserves our privacy and our freedom to a much greater extent than the mobile applications that Google and Apple are already starting to take advantage of in terms of big data.

It is extremely important to stay safe on both roads and streets as it gets darker and brighter every day. A recent photo released by the Lithuanian police perfectly illustrated that even during daylight hours, a pedestrian without a reflector or other light-reflecting device can be difficult for drivers to notice. We encourage all road users to be visible, wear reflectors and share some tips.

How to choose the right reflector and light-reflecting vest?

The reflector must be made of a suitable light-reflecting fabric. There are a variety of alternatives on the market, such as bright ribbons, pendants or similar accessories, as well as low-quality reflectors that hardly reflect light, so make sure your chosen item is a reflector and reflects light properly: in the dark, aim the flashlight at the light and watch as it reflects light. The reflector must also not be less than 15 cm² and the inscriptions on it must not exceed 20%. the total area of ​​the reflector. It is much safer and more reliable if the advertisement is under reflective film. Also, it is known that bright yellow reflectors are better visible in the presence of fog. Another quality indicator is the special code LST EN13356 on the reflector or label, which means compliance with LST EN 13356: 2002 “Accessories for non-workwear to improve visibility. Test Methods and Requirements”.

A reflective vest is an even more effective way to prevent possible accidents, especially during the dark hours of the day. Before purchasing a vest, make sure that it meets the applicable requirements: the vest must not only be bright (yellow, orange, etc.) but must also have at least two or more horizontal light-reflecting elements at the waist.

Where to mount a reflector?

Since the reflector itself does not illuminate but only reflects light, it should be mounted at the height of the vehicle headlamps, approximately at the level of the adult road. The strip reflector should be mounted on the sleeve of the garment, just above the wrist of the hand or on the right side of the calf. The road traffic regulations stipulate that the roadside must go in the direction of travel of the car, so the reflector attached to the handles of the backpack or handbag does not even reach the light of the car headlights. In this case, it is recommended to strap the reflector and allow it to swing at approximately the height of the human knees.

What do cyclists need to know?

The bicycle must be fitted with reflectors: there must be a red light reflector or lamp at the rear of the bicycle and orange light reflectors attached to the wheel spokes on both sides. When riding on the carriageway, the cyclist must wear a brightly colored vest with reflective elements or have a lit white light at the front of the bicycle and a red light at the rear. When driving on the road in the dark or poor visibility, both a brightly colored vest and lights at the front and rear of the bike are mandatory.