In Lannion, the reflective vest flop for school transport

 

Mandatory since the beginning of the year, high visibility vests are hardly worn by the 3,500 pupils and students who use the school transport network. LTC intends to react well: announcements are planned in the coming days.

 

Have you seen a student wearing an orange safety vest? Since the start of the year, middle and high school students using the school transport network managed by the Lannion-Trégor community must wear a high-visibility vest. And this, "throughout the journey from home to the establishment and vice versa, including inside the coach, throughout the school year, whatever the season or the visibility conditions: morning, noon and evening, even on a clear day". And beware of the recalcitrant, specified LTC in October 2019: "If the college or high school student does not have his safety vest, the driver will still let him get into the bus, but he will take his name and a warning letter. will be addressed to parents. In the event of a repeat offense, penalties are provided for".

 

The rules are clear. Alas, a year later, hardly anyone wears the famous waistcoat. "That's how we recognized the sixths at the start of the school year," says a mother. "They were the only ones to wear it". The habit has visibly been lost. It is enough to go for a walk near the places of teaching in Lannionnais to be convinced of it. In Park-Nevez, a young girl stands out among her friends. "It is my parents who force me to wear the vest." "The bus driver told us that given the sanitary context, it was already good if we put on the mask," continues his neighbor. The mask seems to be unanimous. For the waistcoat, that's another matter.

 

School transportation. Reflective vests for all students

When questioned, drivers announced that checks will take place at the start of the school year, after the All Saints holidays, and an awareness-raising operation. "We are currently preparing various actions", simply comments Carine Hue, elected in charge of mobility at LTC. Communication on the subject should take place in the coming days. "Nobody cares," laments Pierre Houssais, mayor of Kermaria-Soulard. "We wait until there is an accident". The city councilor had been particularly active in setting up these vests. "When we make a decision, we must give ourselves the means to apply it". And the mayor to appeal, in addition to LTC, to heads of establishments and elected officials to promote the measure.

 

Collective of Kerhuel. Fluorescent vests and pedestrian safety

In schools, we do not evade the question. But, proof if it were that the waistcoat is rarely worn, an interlocutor, member of the management of a Lannionnais establishment, admits: "I did not even know that the waistcoats had been distributed". "It's a real problem," recognizes Philippe Le Faou, director of the Bossuet high school. The problem is how to convince? ". "Young people have trouble ...", recognizes Jean-Bernard Goubert (Le-Dantec). "It is even more complicated with the health context and the mask". "What is the capacity of LTC to require the wearing of the vest?" resumes Philippe Le Faou. "All through the use of drivers who are not its employees. We met LTC at the start of the school year and share the observation that the vest is not worn. We remind parents of the need to wear it in our weekly letters. Even more in the open countryside. Back to school, we'll be in the middle of fall. It concerns us".

All first graders are given safety vests for the way to school

 

Verkehrswacht and ADAC equip all first graders in the state of Bremen with reflective vests with the help of sponsors.

 

The dark season is dangerous

It is particularly dangerous to be outside during the darker months of the year: drivers have trouble seeing pedestrians. But of course, the children still have to go to school. To protect the first graders, in particular, there has been a campaign for years to give high-visibility vests to school beginners in autumn.

 

Gewoba and Wulfes Foundation are helping

This year, Verkehrswacht and ADAC have again found enough sponsors for this: Gewoba and the Ursula Wulfes Foundation supported the purchase. The first vests were presented in the Goethe School on Friday. The appointment was so important to Michael Frost, head of the school department, that he was there too.

Arval bets on the function bike in long-term care

 

While Thursday, June 3 will mark International Cycling Day, Arval France has just confirmed its desire to orient its fleet towards this sustainable mobility solution. It must be said that, since the end of the first confinement, the little queen has lived up to her name since she now reigns on our axes with a lot of cycle paths and 30 zones. According to the survey “Bicycles and employers: what employees expect” of May 2020, it is not even less than 17% of the working people who are already thinking of using it as a priority means of transport to get to the office. A coherent ambition when we know that 60 to 65% of journeys made by car are less than 5 kilometers according to Ademe.

 

360 ° support

Aware of these changes in mentality when it comes to travel, the European leader in long-term vehicle rental now offers all its employees the possibility of equipping themselves with an electrically assisted bicycle in LLD. A conversion to the financing of which Arval, which recently carried out tests to promote the deployment of offers of function bikes with the Decathlon group, Azfalte, and Zenride, ensures that it is participating. Thus, the company plans to cover 70% of the total cost of a 36-month LLD VAE for employees who do not benefit from or waive the reimbursement of a public transport subscription. This rate will even increase to 100% of the total cost of the 6-route offer (car + bicycle) for employees who benefit from a company vehicle -  "provided that the employee takes a vehicle of the lower category than that initially planned", Specifies Arval.

 

For this range of long-term rental electric bicycles, Arval France offers three types of electrically assisted bicycles, namely the classic VAE, the cargo VAE, and the folding VAE. A safety kit consisting of a helmet, a reflective vest, and an approved anti-theft device is also included in the service package. As well as assistance in handling the bike, awareness of safety rules on the day of delivery, annual preventive maintenance to be carried out directly at Arval, as well as dedicated insurance. Wishing to take part in this evolution of the bicycle object on a company scale, the Arval France group wishes to extend this VAE in LLD offer to all of its customers with the ambition of a fleet of 15,000 bicycles rented in 2025. For good reason: "We are at the start of the French bicycle revolution and are committed at Arval to supporting these new forms of mobility", explains Ferréol Mayoly, CEO of Arval France.

How to ensure safety on the yacht?

A vacation on the water can quickly turn from a carefree moment into a dangerous situation. Disregarded safety rules in combination with risky behavior is a mixture that can lead to a tragedy, so it is always worth remembering the basic rules. In this article, we describe the most important recommendations and describe the equipment that should be on each vessel.

 

Safety on the yacht - basic rules

The basic, but unfortunately not always observed, rule of safety on the yacht is the presence of at least one person with the necessary qualifications and knowledge. There are financial penalties for sailing without a license, not to mention the dangers of inexperience. Another rule, unfortunately notoriously broken, is the absolute ban on drinking alcohol on board. Sunny weather and a gentle breeze sometimes encourage high-alcohol drinks, but it is necessary to wait with them until they arrive at the port - we guarantee that their taste does not change depending on the place of consumption.

 

Moving on a rocking yacht is not easy, especially for inexperienced people. Trips may result in painful bruises or even joint injuries, so avoid running, and when moving, it is worth following the principle of "one hand for yourself, the other for the ship". This means that you should always stick to a fixed piece of tooling. For stability reasons, it is also best to wear comfortable flat shoes instead of high heels or flip-flops.

 

Checking the yacht before departure - what should you pay attention to?

The first steps to guarantee safety on the yacht should take place in the port. First of all, you should check the condition of the rigging of the selected vessel and what other essential equipment, plating, and sails look like. The appropriate number of life jackets is also extremely important - there should be one more of them than the participants of the cruise. Before setting out, all people must learn the safety rules and wear appropriate vests.

 

Life jackets - are they really necessary?

Even if a person knows how to swim, it is not known how he will behave in a crisis of falling overboard. In addition to the panic itself or the unforeseen reaction of the body such as heat shock or contraction, there can also be dangerous vortices. For this reason, everyone should always wear a fastened life jacket with reflective tape.

 

Those who can swim well can afford a belay model. It only provides additional support in the event of being in the water, it is also less weight and stiff. Life jackets are designed to keep the survivor afloat and will work well for those who cannot swim.

 

Lifebuoy to help possible survivors

Falling overboard is not that rare. It happens not only during storms but also as a result of a slippery deck, tripping, or hitting a boom. Nothing calms you down in sudden contact with water like a lifebuoy thrown to help. Despite its name, it sometimes takes the shape of a horseshoe and is designed to keep the survivor afloat. Usually painted in red and white stripes, it is easily visible in any weather.

 

A life raft for extreme situations

In most cases, it probably won't be useful, which doesn't mean you should give it up. The life raft is useful when you need to suddenly leave the yacht in the middle of the lake. Interestingly, there are separate models for use at sea and inland waters. The latter are usually slightly smaller. A good life raft should have three air chambers (so if one is punctured, the other two will stay afloat), preferably eight sides, and systems such as collecting rainwater.

 

Taking care of the safety on the yacht is not such a difficult task, and it can pay off in the least foreseen moment. Water is an unpredictable element, so it is worth being prepared for literally every eventuality.