Will “yellow vests” be Macron’s red caps?

Five years to the day after the ecotax fiasco, the “yellow vests” want to roll back the Philippe government.

The first snail operation took place in Haute-Savoie on Monday October 29th. Organized by transport and construction companies in the region, mobilization brought together 50 trucks, slowing traffic on several important axes in the region for a few hours, says Le Dauphine Libere.

For several days there have been repeated on social networks and in the media the cries of indignation and concern over the fate reserved to the purchasing power of the French, truncated by the rise of the CSG and abused by the increase in price fuels. If the government says it is taking an “ambitious” decision, bringing the rise in taxes back to the fight for the energy transition, voices are rising and initiatives are multiplying.

A petition against the rise of fuels has more than 500,000 signatories. Launched in May by an exhausted motorist, the text has seen a sharp rise in the number of signatories in recent hours.

Scattered mobilizations according to several models, which are added to the call for a national blocking day on November 17th.

More than 200 gatherings planned in France

To say “stop the rise of fuels” according to the motto of this mobilization, Internet users call to put their yellow safety vest – mandatory in every car – prominently on their windshield, as do the users here -Dessous.

The new red caps?

What revive the specter of red caps and make the Philip government fear the same fiasco had experienced Francois Hollande and Ségolène Royal with the ecotax?

Five years ago almost to the day, the mobilization of several thousand workers, sailors, farmers, artisans, small and large Breton bosses had destroyed, literally and figuratively, one of the leading provisions of the Dutch Mandate on the energy transition aimed at taxing 800,000 lorries on the non-paying network.

As for the yellow vests with reflective fabrics, the mobilization had its source in a general loaf on taxes. Born in Brittany, the movement had then won the whole territory. Many radars and eco-tax terminals had been destroyed in all corners of France despite the government’s stated determination to impose its device.

This is another point in common with the current situation. As anger rises in the country, majority leaders take turns in the media to forcefully assume this “ambitious policy choice.” After the interview of Gerald Darmanin Sunday, October 28 in the JDD, deputies and ministers defend the government’s decision in block and ensure that it will go to the end, especially to promote the energy transition.

But despite these similarities, the movement of yellow vests with reflective tapes is still far from the wave of red caps. Born on social networks, mobilization will have to be structured to have repercussions beyond social networks. She will not be able to weld around the Breton identity as the red caps did. The latter were also supported by numerous trade union organizations, professional branches and elected representatives of the region. This is not yet the case of “yellow vests”. In particular, truck drivers and their great nuisance power played a decisive role in the conflict.

The organizers of the first block in Haute-Savoie on Monday 29 did not indicate whether they would take part in the next blockages, simply explaining that their movement “is different” from the citizen mobilization that concerns “all motorists.”

Will the outrage find an echo on the ground? First answers on November 17th.

A police appeal to drivers and pedestrians

The police are appealing to all road users for caution on the roads.

 

“In autumn, weather conditions change dramatically and affect driving. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the distance from the vehicle in front, and before the intersection starts the process of stopping and signaling maneuvers earlier than usual,” remind police officers.

 

Dark and cold mornings, faster twilight, morning fog, the wet and slippery road often covered with leaves, increased rainfall – these factors reduce visibility and extend the braking distance.

 

“Remember to adjust the speed to the prevailing road conditions, like SAFETY SPEEDS, which in difficult weather conditions is often lower than the speed of road signs,” added officers.

 

To safely travel it is worth to prepare the vehicle for difficult autumn-winter conditions:

Correct the air pressure in the tires, which, together with the drop in ambient temperature, decreases which significantly affects their grip on the road, plan to change summer tires to winter tires. It is recommended to do this when the air temperature drops below 7 ° C. Summer tire at such temperatures significantly lose its properties, it becomes much slippery and there is a risk of sudden slips, the driver must have good visibility, which is very important especially during difficult weather conditions. Replace worn wiper blades that frequently blur the windshield to create discomfort for the driver.

 

Special police appeal is also directed at pedestrians who are most exposed to danger on the roads. Remember to avoid entering the road directly in front of the approaching vehicle, make sure that the driver manages to slow down, and on a slippery wet surface the stopping distance of the vehicle is much longer.

 

A visible pedestrian is a safe pedestrian!

 

“Every pedestrian should be equipped with a reflective element in order to become more visible to the driver,” informs KWP. Reflective elements may be reflective bands, reflective vests, and reflective tape for clothing. They should be placed at the level of knees, elbows, around the center of the chest and back – then we will be sure that they are clearly visible to other road users. It is worth recalling that after dark a pedestrian dressed in a dark outfit – without a reflection is seen by the driver of the vehicle at a distance of about 30 meters. However, a walking person wearing reflective elements with reflective fabrics becomes visible even from a distance of 150 meters, which allow the driver to slow down and safely avoid walking. Drivers of vehicles must carefully watch the road and pay special attention especially to pedestrians who are invisible during dark mornings and early dusk and not having a reflective element.

Safety vest and fall harness in one

Visible and safe, that’s the new safety vest with integrated H-design fall harness by Miller.

 

Wearing clothing, backpacks or materials over a hi-vis safety vest is not permitted in many situations, according to Miller in a press release. But in practice, according to the manufacturer, there are many examples where a fall harness is worn over a safety vest with reflective material. However, it impedes visibility, which is why the company brought a vest with integrated harness onto the market.

 

Comfort and freedom of movement

The safety vest, offers comfort and freedom of movement and is very suitable for people in the construction industry. The lining of the vest can be opened through a large zipper on the inside so that the harness can be fully integrated into the vest. Through the openings in the front and back, the coupling points of the harness can be used with external fall lines and fall blocks. The vest is adjustable and can be worn over both winter and summer clothing. There are no less than five pockets in the vest, which is enough for tools and accessories. The safety vest with the reflective fabric is available in the colors yellow and orange.

 

Serious accident with five victims

A van had entered the road and hit an unsigned wagon violently. Six people were in it. Five of them, including two children, came to the hospital. An 11-year-old girl is now struggling between life and death, and doctors do not give her much chance of survival. In addition, the wagon was not wearing a reflective vest and was also drunk.

 

A poorly illuminated road and a wagon running without signaling. The van driver would not have seen it in time, lost control of the steering wheel and struck it in full.

 

The impact was extremely strong. The cart says he could not do anything else. Locals immediately called for help at 112. Five people, including two children, were urgently transported to the hospital. An 11-year-old girl was in serious condition. Witnesses say that the van driver would have gone.

 

On the other hand, the wagon was not wearing a reflective vest with reflective fabric and he was drunk. Ethyl test indicated an alcohol content of 0.27 per thousand pure alcohol in the exhaled air. Policemen will see who to blame after the investigation is complete.

The government is giving away reflective vests

The nationwide campaign for the safety of pedestrians on the roads “Good to see you” was inaugurated by the Minister of Justice Zbigniew and the Minister of National Education Anna in the primary school.

 

The campaign assumes next to educational activities, the distribution of 3 million reflective vests among children in Polish schools by the end of the year..

 

As she pointed out during the inauguration of the action, it is another solution for children to feel safe and their parents as calm as possible. “The most important thing I want to tell you is that we must be together with your parents and teachers who want you to be the wisest, make you happy, be safe,” said the minister, addressing the children.

 

She is reminded that the Ministry of National Education is preparing legislation to ensure the safety of students staying in school and going to school, teachers talk about safety on a daily basis, and the directors have sets of procedures. “Today we are together just to be happy that we have more solutions to make you feel safe, and your parents calm about the fact that they guaranteed you a good school and safe school.” she noted.

 

Zbigniew stressed that for parents and caregivers, the life and health of children are the most valuable. “Our task, the duty is to do everything to make you even safer,” he addressed the children. “Parents, your guardians have such a dilemma – on the one hand, they are happy, they are proud, you become more and more independent, but this greater independence is often accompanied by anxiety. Parents have that will always be to worry about you”. he stressed.

 

As he made a reservation, referring to Janis Kolchak, “there are times when children have to be left alone – face challenges and threats themselves, there are times when parents cannot accompany you (…) and we have prepared a program for such moments connected with improving your safety on Polish roads and streets.” he stressed.

 

“Because it is obviously safe – someone who is visible on the road is much more secure.” reminded the Minister of Justice.

 

As he explained, as part of the Justice Fund, which is to prevent crime (and the Ministry of Justice is in charge of it), money was allocated “that such events, which unfortunately take place on Polish roads, and sometimes are also a crime, were as little as possible”.

 

“That’s why today we will give you reflective vests that are designed to make you more visible, i.e. more secure” – emphasized Zbigniew. As he informed, vests will be delivered to all schools by the end of the year – for all children.

 

The head of MS pointed out that they will receive “a total of 3 million children because in Poland too many children participate in collisions involving the car”. “We want these events to be much less – ideally they should not happen at all, and certainly we can limit them if you are more visible.” he added.

 

As the organizers of the action explain, its size is caused by the scale of the threat. In 2017, there were 32760 accidents in Poland, in which 2381 people were killed and 39446 were injured. In 2822 road accidents, children aged 0-14 participated – 56 children were killed and 3116 injured.

 

It appears that from among the total number of accidents in 8197, pedestrians participated, and at pedestrian crossings, there were 13% traffic events.

 

During the Monday inauguration of the campaign, staff from the Police School in Katowice emphasized that reflective vests with the reflective fabrics significantly increase the chance for the driver to see the pedestrian. In unlit areas, with poor visibility, they should be visible in the car light from a distance of about 200 meters.

 

The ambassador of the action is actor Cezary Pazura, who among others occurs in the advertising spot promoting the campaign, and also puts the sound in the accompanying cartoons. On Monday, he said that he remembers his friend’s fatal accident from a childhood in a small town, although he was walking correctly on the left side of the road.

 

“I am happy that there is an initiative that children will get these vests for free, because sometimes we do not think about such things. Children in the city are easier at all, there is the light that regulate traffic. There is street lighting. In small towns, safety is often a big problem. “said Claw.

 

In addition to the 3 million reflective vests with reflective materials, the action “Good to see you” will include an educational campaign. Every student in the elementary school is to receive a leaflet (with a lesson plan on the back) containing “7 reflective road councils” – comprising a handy guide for safe behavior on the roads. All basic schools are also expected to find lesson plans on the subject.

 

Active advertising spots and accompanying cartoons are to be shown on television and the Internet. The message is to be: knowledge (on the rules of participation in road traffic), awareness (consequences of non-compliance with rules), responsibility (awareness of the impact of own behavior on own and other safety), readiness (adapt to conditions, also by inserting a vest) and kindness (positive attitude towards other traffic participants).

Family trip by bike in Lower Austria

Nice weather, vacation and holiday season – ideal conditions to make a trip by bike. Whether alone, as a couple or with the whole family: exploring Lower Austria with all its peculiarities on the bike is fun and offers enjoyment for all the senses. It should be well prepared for the cycling trip to be a complete success.

Being on the road means doing something for one’s own health and protecting the climate and the environment. In addition, smart means of transport are an answer to lack of space and noise in cities. “On the one hand, the bike is therefore the perfect companion for everyday life, but on the other hand it is becoming increasingly popular and used in tourism too. Excursions by bike are also a real insider tip for the discovery of the beautiful Lower Austrian landscapes. “reveals LH Deputy Stephan.

Lower Austria’s diversity of natural and cultural landscapes makes Lower Austria particularly attractive for cyclists. The signposted cycle route network in this country is a stately 4,200 kilometers. In addition to the varied topography, it is above all the bike-friendly climate that makes excursions so pleasant.

“Important for a relaxing bike ride is a good preparation. In addition to careful planning with regard to the level of difficulty of the route and accommodation options, route planners and maps in particular should not be missing. “said Herbert, Managing Director of Energy and Environment Agency NÖ. Before you start, check the bike for a short while: inflate wheels, check lights and reflective vests, test and service brakes, gear shift and chain.

For longer cycling trips, it is recommended to use waterproof bicycle bags that can accommodate light breathable clothing, rain cover, breakdown tools and food. It is also important that the bike is roadworthy on the road. In addition to a white headlight and a white reflector at the front of the bike, the right equipment includes a bicycle bell, working brakes, a red tail light and a red rear reflector at the rear, yellow reflectors on the pedals and two yellow or white reflectors on the sides of the bike. And the cyclists also have to wear reflective clothing with reflective fabric.

For children up to the twelfth year of age, there is a helmet requirement in Austria. But even after the head protection is useful and recommended. A good helmet complies with the standard DIN EN 1078 for adults or child helmets of the standard DIN EN 1080 and has a hard outer shell and reflective materials. It is very important to buy a helmet that fits really well – even when the cap is open and the head is tilted forward and slightly shaken.

For cycling trips in Lower Austria, there are also around 900 textbooks at around 200 stations in 76 communities. The next bike offer is ideal for combining with public transport, as there are 49 stations directly at train stations in Lower Austria. If you have a Lower Austria Card, you can also travel for a whole day with a next bike for free.

With these accessories, you are shining in the dark

Did you ever get scared while driving these days, when suddenly a pedestrian stood on the roadside you had not seen before? A situation that occurs on the streets every day during the winter months. And that often enough lead to accidents. But there is a pleasing trend: Flashing on the sidewalks and streets of the republic is becoming more and more frequent.

“We can confirm this trend. That’s definitely the case,” says Michael of the traffic accident prevention police in Dusseldorf. “And of course it makes sense because you are seen so much earlier.” Especially cyclists and scooter riders are increasingly traveling with safety vests.

The expert explains: If the spotlight falls on normal clothing. It is only visible from a distance of 30 to 40 meters. “With reflective clothing, it’s 140 to 150 meters, so you’ll be recognized in the spotlight up to five times as early.” And the sooner drivers see one, the better for everyone involved. How bad the visibility can be, shows this video of the Austrian Automobile Club ÖAMTC in a frightening and informative way:

Anyone looking for it soon realizes that there are plenty of light products and reflective clothing for people and animals in the trade. Many accessories are now even really stylish. Earlier, cyclists could choose whether to buy a safety vest in neon yellow or bright orange, and today there are reflective caps, glowing waist and waist straps to accentuate the sporty outfit, or cling and LED bands in all sorts of colors, variations and styles Wish even patterned. Who wants to be an eye-catcher in the dark, can even provide his shoes with shining shoelaces in pink, blue or green.

The products have another thing in common: many are doubly useful. You need a bike lock anyway – why not buy the reflective one then? Even the dog collar when going for a walk must be. If you can additionally protect the quadruped by flashing and lighting, that is an argument for many owners. Many parents may also find the idea of a reflective umbrella for children good: during the day it is light gray, but in the dark it light up when a car headlight illuminates it.

Today it is much cheaper than before to make clothes with reflective elements, which add fuel to the trend. “There are more and more often cheap products to buy, also and especially at the discount stores,” says Axel from BTE trade association textile. For children, in jackets, trousers and shoes, reflective fabrics are often seen from the outset. And last but not least, police, cities and associations are constantly launching traffic visibility campaigns, raising awareness of this issue.

Banda and security

Among the concerns of the holiday committee, the safety of people is an important part of the events it organizes. Festivals of this kind which concentrates a large number of young people are conducive to incidents or accidents, sometimes serious ones, for which one will inevitably seek the responsibilities of each one. The organizer is on the front line and must comply with very strict safety regulations. And it is also important to wear reflective vests at night.

Thus, during the Night of the Banda, we saw people from the Red Cross rotatable to their shoulder belt which sewn-on reflective fabric. They were armed with radios, to patrol in pairs. When declaring the event, the committee wanted a backup device. Departmental Red Cross had assessed the need and a convention had been passed to monitor the entire site. Antony Chapala, territorial director of emergency and first aid, was in charge of operations and led his teams. Same and the firemen were ready for any eventuality. Fortunately, using reflective materials in our life no accident to lament!

Minister Schultz van Hagen wears ‘safety jacket’

Why should not you look stylish in the construction industry as a woman? This is what traffic minister Schultz van Hagen must have thought. She did not wear a shapeless, reflective jacket on a working visit, but a ‘women’s reflective jacket‘: an orange, reflective blazer.

Rug invented the jacket because she was bothered by the lack of female clothing in the construction industry. Because a normal road worker’s coat, that really does not stand. “Then I would wear a jacket like that in size S and it would still be too big, it just did not look like a skirt,” says rug to RTL Niue’s. That’s why she asked for feminine clothing. “Then I was offered a pink overall and helmet, but I do not like that.” And there was no other thing.

That’s why she came up with the ‘cute ladies’ safety jacket’. Rug: “This is a symbol of” you can also be a woman in the construction industry. “And then you do not have to hoist yourself in a garbage bag.” The jacket is also fitted. “We women have a waist,” says rug. “At least let’s see them, and that waste is often hard to find for men in the construction industry!”

Rug gets a lot of enthusiastic reactions and gives the coat especially to women she meets in the construction sector, but also to politicians. In December, she gave him, together with Bookend Nederland-chairman Maxim, as a gift to traffic minister Schultz van Hagen. She has the coat in her car and carries him on working visits, such as yesterday.

The jackets with reflective fabric are for sale at Vermin from Nijmegen and cost 89 Euros each, excluding VAT. They are really only meant for companies, but, let the company know, if a private person comes along and wants to have the coat, that is not a problem.

Rug sees several possibilities for her safety clothing, in addition, to use in construction. “You can wear it on King’s Day or if the Dutch national team plays, but also for ready over’s it’s much better than the big standard safety jackets.”

Do you want to get this 50% Spade vest?

Spade and Motorcycling launch a promotion to equip you with reflective vest at half price.

SPIDI in collaboration with MOTOCICLISMO continues to bet on security. We want to collaborate with all motorcyclists, offering a high visibility vest HV VEST LIGHT, with 50 percent discounts (€ 24.95 instead of € 49.90).

To get it(vests sewn-in reflective fabric), you only have to show the coupon that will appear in the next Motorcycling number, 2552, which arrives at the kiosk on Tuesday, May 8 after the Jerez GP. The offer of this collaboration between Spade and Motorcycling will be valid in May and June or until the end of the stock.