Tag: reflective tape

Car emergency kit: the necessary accessories

Having an emergency kit in your car is always advisable for your safety and that of your loved ones. The kits available on the market are so many, you can therefore buy one already assembled, but you can also create it with the DIY and customize it for your needs. In principle, each kit should have certain basic supplies. Today we offer you some tips on how to customize it.

 

Emergency kit

First Aid Kit: You can buy a prepackaged first-aid kit or assemble your own. Either way, they should include disposable gloves, sterile bandages, medical tape, antiseptic wipes, aspirin, antihistamines for allergic reactions, instant cold packs, tweezers, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream, and gel.

 

Jumper cables, jack, and spare wheel:  a car with a flat tire or a  flat battery are two situations that can happen very easily. Make sure your car has these items and the part is inflated.

 

Reflective tape or triangles: In the event of an accident or run aground, you need to have street flares, reflective tape, or triangles. This will make the vehicle more visible on the road. It is also important to have reflective vests with you.

 

Multi-tool: perfect for any emergency kit. It should have pliers, a screwdriver head, and a pocket knife. It can be used to fix small mechanical problems, cut a seat belt, or break a window.

 

Trash Bags: Keeping a few bags folded in the kit could be helpful, so they can be used as a rain poncho, to cover a broken window, or as an emergency cover for someone who is injured and needs to warm up.

 

Bottled water: it is recommended to have at least one liter of water. You can use water to stay hydrated, for an overheated vehicle, or to clean a wound.

 

Medicines and Health Equipment: If you have a medical condition that requires specific medications and which are not sensitive to temperatures, you can create a small supply for the emergency kit. For conditions such as asthma or diabetes, consider keeping a backup meter and inhaler in the kit as well.

 

Disposable Camera: A disposable camera will be useful for documenting an accident if the phone is broken or not working.

 

Emergency Numbers: Let’s face it, it’s especially hard to remember if you’re in an emergency, so just to be safe, keep a selected list of people and the numbers you would call in case of need.

 

Energy Foods: Protein bars, a bag of nuts, dehydrated fruit are all foods that not only keep well for long periods and in most climates, but will also provide you with energy while waiting for help.

The panoply for safe night running

In mid-autumn, the sun sets earlier and earlier and night falls faster. Some people, often the most motivated, still go out to train despite the darkness. This is remarkable, but it is necessary to get out equipped to run safely.

Reflective jacket, headlamp, safety armband,…? What equipment to take on a night outing? Here are our tips on what to take on a night out and how to run safely.

When you run at night, you must be seen by other users of the public space: pedestrians, joggers, cyclists, or even motorists, especially in unlit places.

For this, it is necessary to equip yourself with clothing composed of reflective strips, especially on your last layer.

Here is an example of a jacket you could wear: The  Brooks Carbonite Jacket, the runner’s yellow vest.

The panoply for safe night running

In mid-autumn, the sun sets earlier and earlier and night falls faster. Some people, often the most motivated, still go out to train despite the darkness. This is remarkable, but it is necessary to get out equipped to run safely.

Both light and waterproof thanks to the Seal fabric, ripstop nylon, it is quite warm, but above all, its fairly wide cut does not hamper movement and you can easily wear two layers underneath depending on the temperature. It turns out to be a jacket that is comfortable to wear and performs well for night jogging in winter, and the rain.

Last but not least, the inserts in carbon black and yellow reflective materials allow you to be seen in the dark. Their distribution over the movement zones should in principle allow more or less lucid drivers to identify you as a running rider and therefore to brake in time!

You can also purchase a reflective safety armband to wear on the arm that is on the roadside. This is so that the car or the cyclist can better understand the safety distance to leave between you and him. You can also wear two, one on each arm if you wish.

A little extra that can be important: equip yourself with a flashing red light. To be visible from behind, in the fog for example.

Then you will need a lamp to light your way. There are two options for this. You can opt for a classic headlamp, which you will wear on your head.

Where else, you can buy a chest running light that you will wear as the name suggests on the chest. It’s up to you to see which one is the most comfortable.

Running on winter nights is like running in the cold. It is therefore essential to cover yourself well. I am thinking particularly of the extremities: the hands and the head. Remember to put on gloves and a hat or the like to keep as much heat as possible. The hat can be fitted with reflective tapes to be seen a little better. Tell yourself that the more visible and well equipped you are, the safer you will be during your outing.

When you go running at night, it is safe to let someone know your route, your estimated time out. So that in case of a concern, the person can intervene quickly. Better yet, go for a run with a family member! Avoid forests or paths with obstacles on which you could hurt yourself.

Experts and police would welcome reflective elements in the communities

For nearly three years, pedestrians outside the village have to wear reflective vests at reduced visibility. Yet last year, 101 pedestrians died in traffic accidents, of which about a third were in the dark or fog in the village, where they do not have to wear reflective elements. Such a rule applies, for example, in Finland or Slovakia. In the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Transport is not considering it yet, although it would be welcomed by both police and experts.

 

“The states that introduced reflective elements before us, such as Finland, Estonia or Slovakia, also first introduced reflective elements outside the community. However, the development of traffic accidents clearly convinced them that it would be good to introduce them to municipalities. Around half of the pedestrians die in the dark in our country, in Finland, the measures have led to it being only 30 percent. In this respect, he has the most favorable statistics in the EU,” says Roman Budsky of the Road Safety Team.

 

Last year, 101 pedestrians died in the Czech Republic, 60 of them in the dark and at low visibility during the day when the rain or fog is raining. Over half of these sixty deaths hit a car in a village where reflective elements are not mandatory. According to Brodsky, they have a sense in these cases and clearly reduce the risk of tragic accidents.

 

“The reflective element should have a minimum effective dimension, which is basically a reflective tape that is sold or distributed at various traffic safety events. The ideal color is yellow-green, the spectrum on which the human eye is most sensitive. And if a pedestrian so marks, the driver should see him at some 150 to 200 meters. If he is dressed only in black clothes, it is some 20 or 30 meters,” he explains.

 

Such a measure would be supported by the police. “If this discussion is reopened, the Police of the Czech Republic supports the introduction of reflective supplements in these locations,” says traffic police chief Tomáš Lerch. However, the government’s legislative council cut a similar debate two years ago.

 

“In preparing the amendment to the Act that came into force in 2016, we discussed where the obligation to wear reflective tapes should be introduced everywhere. We agreed that it should be in a place where there is no pavement and where there is no public lighting. We also discussed whether it should be in the village or outside the village. Finally, it was decided by the lawmaker that this obligation was established outside the municipality,” he recalls.

 

The change is not going

However, the Ministry does not plan to change the rules. “We are not considering extending the obligation to carry elements in the village at this time. Significant are the riskiest situations that occur when moving a pedestrian outside the village,” says the Ministry of Transport spokeswoman Lenka Rezková.

 

According to Radiožurnál, the ministry does not want to burden people with another duty, even though it knows that it could help road safety. At least the resort recommends that pedestrians wear reflective elements at low visibility everywhere.

 

But it is not a binding rule, so nobody can follow it. On the other hand, outside the village in low visibility and at night, a pedestrian without reflective materials can get a fine of up to two thousand. However, accident statistics alone may be a bigger warning. Over the past 10 months, 90 pedestrians have died in traffic accidents. Thirteen more than the same period last year.

There is no reflective tape as reflective tape

The duty to have reflective materials on clothing is in law this February. But there are still many tragic accidents with “invisible” pedestrians. In most cases, pedestrians simply had no reflective elements. But as BESIP pointed out, some reflective tapes that pedestrians buy do not work as well as they should.

 

The reflective tape is one of the ways to meet the requirements of the new road law for pedestrians who go outside the village in low visibility. However, according to BESIP’s Department of Transport, not all tapes are the same.

 

They should be right at 200 meters. “There are also cases where the material works only within a distance of 60 to 70 meters,” said Martin, director of BESIP. How well the reflective tape is visible should give a leaflet, respectively marking directly on the tape. The elements that meet the European standard EN 13356 are well visible.

 

Top on foot

In addition to the tape itself, however, its location also plays a role. It may seem best to place it on your sleeve. But from a security point of view, this is not the case. Car headlights shine to the ground, so the legs are first seen. The reflective strap on the leg is the most effective solution that truly guarantees pedestrian visibility up to 200 meters.

 

Reflective strips handed over 300,000 to the police and BESIP staff this year. Yet many pedestrians still do not use them. For example, during a traffic safety event last week in the Ústí nad Labem region, police officers controlled 193 pedestrians, 111 of whom were “invisible”.

 

Your money or Your Life

For the time being, police officers usually need to talk. However, by law, people who do not use reflective elements(like reflective vest or reflective tape) are threatened with a fine of up to two thousand, when they go off the road outside the village.

 

The rule is not the lawmakers’ will, it responds to the annual tragic accident statistics. Eighteen pedestrians only died on the roads this year in October, which contributed significantly to the particularly high number of road accidents during the month. According to Traffic Lines Director Tomas Lerch, visibility contributed to most car crashes with pedestrians.

Mitsubishi sent to hospital a pedestrian-lichen in Voronezh

The man was crossing the road, not on a zebra.

The accident occurred on June 2 at about 1:20 am in the Central District of Voronezh. On Stepan Razin Street, a 30-year-old local resident crossed the roadway in the wrong place. At that time, from the direction of Brusilov, in the direction of Sakko and Vanzetti, a 28-year-old Voronezh traveled along the road to Mitsubishi Lancer.

 

As a result, an impact occurred. A pedestrian with injuries was taken to the hospital. Now the police are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

 

The traffic police reminded pedestrians that you need to use clothes with reflective tapes, and even better to cross the road where necessary, and not where it pleases.

For safety, pedestrians are offered to wear clothes with reflective elements

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, trying to protect pedestrians, decided to modernize their wardrobe, adding reflective elements to it.

 

Pink hearts, yellow bears and red men – this is it, the future of the wardrobe of the Moscow dandy. The mental agony of the lady in furs, adorned with such a reflective “brooch”, is not difficult to imagine. However, there is a solution. “For ladies who are very concerned, and how is it that I’ll put a reflector on my coat, we’ll make glamorous reflectors that suit everyone. The material is the same – fixing and shaping,” explains the chairman of the inter-regional public movement Union of Pedestrians Vladimir Sokolov.

 

In the world of fashion, he has long been in the trend, even the term was invented – “smart fabric”. From the element of workwear long ago migrated to the podiums. Elena Lubina’s collection “The Shining of Time” created a real sensation at the international competition of young designers “Exercise”.

 

Experts are sure: all this will easily go to the people, and therefore commercial success is not far off. New trend collection spring-summer 2014. Such a course of design thought fashionable Europe did not even dream. Paraphrasing the classic – the star will burn not only in the forehead, in the dark drivers can see the whole starry sky on the road. The struggle for the safety and health of pedestrians is somewhat reminiscent of this reflective T-shirt with reflective tape. A thing, in general, is useful and necessary, but the performance is more like a joke.

 

The philistine about the bill about the obligatory wearing of reflectors heard a lot. Knows that the naughty will be fined.

 

On the capital market, no more than eight companies are represented, and they mostly trade via the Internet. Annual turnover and up to a million rubles is not enough. Firms say that chain stores are not interested in their products. One hope for government orders. “Of course, the initiative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from this point of view is a very big plus for all of us, not only because we start selling very large volumes, but the main thing is that people will finally think that there is a very good and convenient accessory that enhances your safety,” says Alexander Knyazev, commercial director of the company for the sale of reflective elements.

 

The security course is also a trend. So the Customs Union suddenly became concerned with the health of the weaker sex. Like, cowards, whose hygroscopicity, that is, the ability to absorb moisture, below six percent – not to import.

 

The public rebelled – they say, how is it that, without panties, then? The seller, Elena, has been in the laundry shop for many years. He says that if they cancel synthetic materials, the owners will definitely go bankrupt. 90 percent of customers buy it.

 

And yet the lace underwear is like the light at the end of a tunnel of the Soviet era. Thick pantaloons with a pile – a kind of symbol of the time. Almost the entire female half of the population of Moscow put on them in the cold season. “I just have an acquaintance who is a wonderful violinist, who is now famous so that in the winter he stopped caring for girls in general, in the winter he had a time out,” laughs theater artist and collector Victoria.

 

Whether the timeout will start again for men now seems to depend on customs. One can only hope that she has no more serious problems.

Three new versions of its trail set

Thanks to Bihr, the exclusive distributor for Spain and Portugal of RST, three new versions of the Rally set of the British firm arrive in our country. Available in three versions, this set stands out for its ability to adapt to any climatic situation and its high level of protection.

 

With the arrival of good weather also comes the time of motorcycle routes. For users of trail bikes and maxi-trail RST brings to our country, with Bihr, three new versions of the Rallye set. Three different models that will cover the needs and tastes of all pilots.

 

The version in yellow and black fluorine is intended for those who want to become the center of attention during the adventure. If you want to achieve an elegant style, the model in silver and metal is perfect for you. The version in earth and sand tones is designed for lovers of off-road routes. In addition, the Rallye set is also available in black, for those who are looking for garments with a design that works for the whole year.

 

The Rallye set made of ballistic nylon and Maxtex fabric, with triple seam laminated nylon reinforcements. This makes their level of resistance to tears and abrasions very high. It also has protections with CE approval on knees, elbows, shoulders and a level 1 trellis. Reflective tapes have also been included to allow the pilot to be seen by others.

 

The jacket and trousers in this set have the advantage of adapting to any climatic situation. This is possible thanks to its waterproof and breathable Sinaqua membrane, its heat-sealed zippers and ventilation perforations, with which the body will perspire while eliminating heat. It also has a removable inner thermal lining that will keep the body safe from the cold no matter how low the temperature.

 

To ensure comfort while driving, RST has provided this set of ergonomic elastic panels behind the knees, elbows, and shoulders. In addition, the three versions have inner and outer pockets and zipper binding, so that the pants and jacket remain attached. Both garments have an adjustable waist and arm straps, and other adjustable adjustments in the neck and lower part of the trousers for a perfect fit.

Visibly well dressed in high visibility clothing

High-quality and highly functional warning clothing is justified in countless occupations and work areas. It protects against various professional risks and attracts the attention of third parties in poor visibility and darkness over long distances

 

FE Engel has long been appreciating the advantage of being easily recognizable: as Scandinavian winters have long dark periods and the oblique evening sun shines in the summer, high-visibility clothing has long been a central component of the protective clothing concept at the Danish clothing manufacturer.

 

In countless situations, high visibility clothing that is recognizable in any lighting conditions improves the protection of professionals. The eye-catching fluorescent colors and the retro reflective tapes clearly signal when workers move in dark halls, workshops, warehouses or construction sites, or travel on confusing terrain and poorly lit paths. They are a visual display for people at work. FE Engel has long appreciated this outstanding function of high-visibility clothing: “In Scandinavia, darkness dominates in winter, and on summer evenings a low-lying sun hides. That limits the view and becomes a risk factor, “explains managing director Carl E. Engel.

 

“Based on this experience, we have made the ISO 20471 warning function a central part of our protective clothing concept. It improves the chance of craftsmen and employees in industrial companies to be reliably and remotely recognized, even under special lighting conditions. This allows them to work undisturbed and safely. ”

 

Visibly safe dressed in everyday working life

With its two ranges Safety and Safety +, FE Engel offers one of the most comprehensive, highly functional and thoroughly thought-through safety-protection collections in Europe. The safety line is dedicated to an appearance on traffic routes that is safe in any weather. The numerous tops and pants meet ISO 20471 and offer various solutions in protection classes 1, 2 and 3. The Parka Shell jacket, the Shell pilot jacket, and rain jacket and pants also protect reliably against bad weather; they are additionally certified according to EN 343.

 

Safety + combines warning protection with the plus of other protection features required in trade and industry. These include protection against welding, heat, and flame (ISO 11611 and ISO 11612) in protection classes 1 and 2 as well as protection against the thermal hazards of an arc (FprEN 61482), chemical protection of type 6 (EN 13034) and protection against electrostatic charging (EN 1149-5).

 

The versatility of the FE Engel high-visibility collection is also reflected in the variety of colors: Safety and Safety + are available in the hi-vis basic colors red, yellow and orange, or are combined with the sought after shades of gray, green and dark blue in many industries.

 

The Safety and Safety + ranges include jackets, softshell and fleece jackets, safety vests, shirts, t-shirts, polos and sweatshirts, trousers, dungarees and shorts, and combinations.

The extra-light harness lanyard

With the ProLine harness lanyard, Wichard offers a sophisticated high-end model.

 

Introduced in 2013 by Wichard, the ProLine lanyard is only available on the market this year. Why? Simply for reasons of a manufacturing technique that made the realization too expensive. This point now resolved, this superb harness lanyard will finally be able to protect us.

 

A long-standing player in the field of safety, Wichard has developed this range to meet the needs of boaters and demanding riders. Indeed, with a narrow strap and a very light carabiner, this lanyard is very comfortable to wear. The carabiner is hot-forged in special aluminum to provide good corrosion resistance and significant weight gain compared to stainless steel. Similarly, the strap is in a textile that absorbs little water and dries quickly. A retro-reflective strap with reflective tape, visible at night.

 

The carabiner design has been heavily engineered to open with one hand while having a lock (unintentional opening impossible). The shape of the hook is also designed to easily catch the lines of life, even models strap.

 

By offering the possibility to change the strap without changing carabiners (EcoLogic system) Wichard is committed to extending the life of its product. A good idea not to consume too much and limit investments.

 

This ProLine lanyard is available in a model with a strap and 2 carabiners, or with a single carabiner and a ring. So you can compose your lanyard by transforming it into a 1 or 2-strand model.

Not everything gold shines – reflections

As promised in the previous article, once a month we will post information about reflections for motorcyclists. For what? Increase your visibility and thus improve your safety. The time has come for news from the world of flares. The first question should be “how do flares work”?

 

Retro reflection is the principle on which glare works. It consists in the fact that the light (like car headlight) bounces off the reflective material and returns to its source. Reflective materials have such a structure that the light is reflected in a direction close to that from which it falls (not only when it falls perpendicularly). This structure is created by special elements placed on the material – glass microspheres or small acrylic prisms.

 

When describing these technical details, we had a specific goal. Since we already know how the reflectors work, the next question should be, do all the reflections “shine”? Unfortunately not. Only certified glare “shine”. There are two ways that will allow you to check whether your motorcycle reflections work:

 

Take a picture with your phone turned on with your reflections off at a distance of about 6m. If you see a characteristic flash in the picture, it means that your reflections are OK. After a few washes of your motorcycle clothing with reflective elements, do this again. If the picture has the same effect, it means that your reflections are of good quality. Unfortunately, it often happens that unproven reflections lose their qualities after several washes (fluorescent material and reflective tape lose their properties).

 

The second way is to remember this abbreviation – EN 471. If the reflections are certified, the label should indicate that the product made of materials that meet the EN 471 standard or the product meets the EN 471 standard.

How were the different reflections taken?

 

The creators of the Hen Visocznia campaign intentionally took pictures with a mobile phone with a flash so that everyone could do the test themselves. The warehouse where the photos were taken – the light is minimally entered through the windows above the model.

 

We have two types of photos:

 

The light coming through the window + fluorescent light;

Turned off fluorescent (imitation of semi-darkness).

The pictures show how different reflections are available on the market. It’s great that you want to ride in reflections. However, our article is to educate, what to look for when buying accessories with reflective elements.

 

What is the EN 471 standard?

 

High visibility warning clothing for professional (professional) use. The standard specifies the requirements for clothing visually signaling the presence of the user, to be seen and seen in hazardous conditions with daylight, and headlight. Specifies the visibility class of reflective, fluorescent material and the class of reflective material depending on its reflectivity factor.

 

This article contains some technical information about flares. Maybe a bit boring, but very important and worth remembering. Why are we writing about it? Because we met several times with the actions of many companies that wanted to promote their brand, handed out various reflections, most often reflective vests. The objectives of the campaign were lofty, but unfortunately, these vests were often not certified, they simply did not shine in artificial light (in the headlights of automobiles). So someone in Poland has overcome and put on such a reflective vest to increase his visibility. Moves after dark in an unlit place, with the awareness “I am visible.” And here is a surprise – reflections do not “shine” and we have a tragedy.

 

If you already wear reflections, pay attention to whether our reflective motorcycle vest, belts or suspenders are certified and shine.