Put on a vest and lead by example

 

500 reflective vests were purchased by the County Office. The policemen will distribute them to pedestrians and cyclists.

 

The vests were handed over to the deputy chief of Parczew policemen by the chairman of the Parczewski council, Janusz Zieliński. They are marked with county signs. During patrols, officers will distribute them to pedestrians and cyclists. They will go especially to small towns where there are no bicycle paths or sidewalks.

 

Probably everyone has several vests like this at home. The problem is that young people are ashamed to wear them. They are afraid of being laughed at by their peers. Older people, on the other hand, tend to find themselves safe on the road. They are walking or riding their bike on the side of the road, so what harm can happen to them? Nothing could be more wrong.

 

The county authorities hope that people will understand that wearing a reflective vest can save our lives. "We have been repeating this action for several years. Previously, we donated the vests to schools so that teachers would distribute them to students. This time the schools are closed, so we entered into cooperation in this matter with the headquarters," says deputy starosta Adam Jaszczuk.

 

As he notes, the most important thing is that residents should start putting on vests. "It is getting darker and earlier, we still hear about many tragic accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists, not only in our voivodship but throughout the country. Unfortunately, the truth is that people who are walking or riding a bicycle without a vest or other reflective elements, and still dressed in black, are noticed by the car driver at the last moment when he has no chance to avoid an obstacle or slow down," adds the local government official.

What are the rules to follow when traveling in a motorhome?

 

Motorhome road trips are becoming essential on vacation ... But there are rules to be observed in terms of parking, permits, etc. We tell you everything!

 

Since the first confinement, sales of motorhomes have exploded. It must be said that it is a way to go on vacation particularly suited to the current situation. Respect for social distancing, comfort like at home, and discovery of unusual places.

 

But there are also specificities specific to motorhomes in terms of legislation. Which license for which motorhome? How many people can you carry onboard? But also authorized parking lots for this type of "house on wheels". We explain everything to you so that your future stay goes as smoothly as possible.

 

Which license to drive a motorhome?

The B license is sufficient to drive a motorhome on the condition that it weighs less than 3.5 tonnes. If your vehicle is towing a trailer weighing more than 750 kg and the weight of the motorhome and the trailer is between 3.501 tonnes and 4.250 tonnes, you will need to add the B96 training to your B license. The B96 training is done for 7 hours in driving school.

 

If the weight of your trailer is over 750 kg or if the weight of the trailer + the camper van exceeds 4,250 tonnes, you will need to obtain the BE permitted. Finally, if the trailer exceeds 3.5 tonnes, it will be necessary to opt for a C1E permit.

 

What equipment is required onboard?

In France, the mandatory equipment is the same as for a car, namely a safety triangle and a reflective vest. Be careful if you are traveling in Spain, the highway code imposes two triangles to be able to signal in both directions of traffic.

 

All people on board the motorhome must be able to be fitted with a seat belt. Attention to know the authorized number of people on board, it is necessary to refer to the gray card and not to the number of beds present.

 

When to carry out the technical control?

The technical inspection of a motorhome due before the 4 th anniversary of the first vehicle into circulation if it is new. The check must be carried out every two years for a vehicle over four years old or bought used. As for cars, a technical inspection of fewer than 6 months is necessary for the event of a sale.

 

Where to park with a motorhome?

Unless a municipal decree to the contrary, motorhomes can park freely in a car park and even sleep there. However, the vehicle must be in a parking space and it is forbidden to remove accessories such as a table or wheel chocks on the public highway. This would be qualified as public camping and reprehensible.

 

Many municipalities offer reception areas reserved for motorhomes. On these, it is possible to take out the table and chairs for the meal. Be careful, however, some municipalities only allow parking and not the "unpacking" of accessories. Still, others limit the number of nights allowed in these reception areas.

 

Finally, campsites, of course, which offer special pitches for motor homes and all the necessary amenities… For the price of a pitch of course! You can now travel the roads of France in full knowledge of the laws that govern the world of motorhomes...

Traffic Accident Statistics: How often do we not (not) get caught?

 

The use of seat belts multiplies the chance of survival. As a result of traffic accidents on roads in the Czech Republic, persons not wearing a seat belt make a significant contribution to the number of all people killed and injured every year.

 

In the automotive world, seat belts, as part of the car's mandatory equipment, first appeared in series production on Volvo models as early as 1959. In what was then Czechoslovakia, the use of seat belts on front seats was mandatory by law since 1967.

 

The aim was to drastically reduce the fatal consequences of traffic accidents. And although the development of seat belts has taken a huge step forward over the past 60 years, saving more than a million lives worldwide, the subject of their use remains very relevant. This fact is also confirmed by current statistics.

 

In the past two years, 80 people without a seat belt have been killed in passenger cars on Czech roads every year. Last year alone, another 146 people were seriously injured and 678 lightly injured. The share of unrestrained persons in all persons killed in passenger cars was 26% last year. In the case of severely injured 18%, in the case of minor injuries 5%.

 

Of the drivers killed in passenger cars in 2019, 23% were unrestrained, and 35% of passengers killed were not restrained. In the category of severely and slightly injured persons, the shares of unrestrained persons among passengers have been steadily higher for a long time.

 

Differences between men and women can also be traced to the consequences of accidents. Women are more responsible for the use of restraint systems, as the proportions of unrestrained women are lower in all years than the proportions of unrestrained men.

 

Between 2006 and 2019, 34% of men killed, and 24% of women killed were not restrained. In the category of severely injured persons, 21% of men and 15% of women were not restrained, in the category of slightly injured persons, 9% of men and 5% of women were not restrained.

 

During the weekends, significantly higher shares of unrestrained persons in the consequences of traffic accidents were recorded. For the entire monitored period (2006 to 2019), on average, 28% of unrestrained persons were registered on working days and 38% of unrestrained persons on weekends in traffic accidents in passenger cars.

 

17% of severely injured unrestrained persons were registered on working days, 22% on weekends, 6% of slightly injured persons were registered on working days, and 9% of unrestrained persons on weekends.

 

The highest shares of unrestrained persons in fatal car accidents were recorded in the South Bohemian and Liberec regions, while the lowest shares of unrestrained persons were recorded in the capital city of Prague and the South Moravian region.

 

Higher shares of unrestrained persons were registered among younger persons. With increasing age, these proportions decrease - except for exceptions (persons aged 55-64 and slightly injured persons aged 65 and over) in all categories - persons killed, severely and slightly injured.

 

The use of seat belts is one of the indirect indicators of road safety. Last year, 7.8% of unrestrained drivers, 10.2% of unrestrained front-seat passengers, and 15.6% of unrestrained rear-seat passengers were registered.

 

Violation of the obligation to wear a seat belt or wear a safety helmet while driving is the 3rd most common scoring offense. In 2019 alone, over 60,000 such meetings were registered. And it is also important to keep a reflective vest in the car.

Memo for winter fishing lovers

 

With the onset of cold weather, ice cover formed on some water bodies of the capital. At this time, it is extremely dangerous to go to its surface. However, every year winter fishing enthusiasts neglect precautions and go out on thin ice, thereby endangering their lives.

 

With the onset of cold weather, ice cover formed on some water bodies of the capital. At this time, it is extremely dangerous to go to its surface. However, every year winter fishing enthusiasts neglect precautions and go out on thin ice, thereby endangering their lives.

 

In this regard, the Civil Protection Department of Ufa reminds residents of the capital about precautions and asks to observe safety rules on ice.

 

So, before you go to do what you love, you need to prepare: tell your loved ones where you are going and when you plan to return, dress for the weather, charge your phone. In addition to tackle, you must take a life safety jacket with you (it will provide additional protection from the wind, and in case of falling under the ice, it will not let you go under the water), an ice pick, a rope at least 5 meters long with a dead loop and a load at the end (the safest option load - a small bag of sand The load will help to throw the rope to the comrade who has fallen into the water, the loop is needed so that the victim can hold on more reliably), handles.

 

When going out on the ice, you need to make sure that it is strong enough. To do this, you need to measure with a drill. Remember that you only need to measure the thickness of the bedrock ice (sludge-like compressed snow, which makes up the top layer, is not taken into account). It should be remembered that the thickness of the ice is not the same everywhere: near the coast, it can reach 15 - 20 cm, but after just a couple of meters - 5 or 7 cm - the principle works here: the closer to the middle of the reservoir, the thinner the ice.

 

Also, many hidden factors negatively affect the thickness of the ice, eroding it. Therefore, it is necessary to take measurements throughout the entire journey along a frozen lake or river. It is also a mistake of some fishermen that they rely not on measurements, but on the color of the ice cover when determining the ice thickness.

 

Note that the safe ice thickness for one person is 10 cm, for a group of people - at least 15 cm.

 

Before reaching the next measurement site, you will also need to check the ice strength. This is where the pest comes in handy. You should tap the ice surface both in front of you and on both sides from the side. If, after a strong blow, the ice began to crack or water began to seep, then this means that the ice is thin and you cannot walk on it. With sliding steps along your trail, quickly move away from the dangerous place to the shore.

 

Remember that it is not safe to gather in large groups in one place. The distance between anglers should be at least 3 meters, and between holes - 5-6 meters. The holes should be small in diameter if you saw that water began to gush with a fountain from the hole, leave this place urgently.

 

It is also necessary to pay attention to changes in weather conditions, if the air temperature above 0 degrees remains for more than 3 days, then the ice strength decreases by 25%. In no case should you go out on the ice at night and in poor visibility (fog, snowfall, rain).

Roll safely through the winter

 

In the darker months of the year, light is not only atmospheric, it is also essential to be seen by other road users. Most often, cyclists are injured in accidents with car drivers. This makes the bike light and its correct setting all the more important. In addition to the helmet, the reflectors on the bike and wearing a safety vest provide further protection.

 

Also, the brakes, tire profiles, rear derailleurs, and reflectors on the pedals and spokes on bicycles should be checked. The workshop professionals from Radsport Bert advise all cyclists in the shop - after making an appointment by telephone- which measures the best suit the condition of the bike.

 

The police in Ostrow appeal to the inhabitants of the Ostrów to use reflective vests/bands for their health and life when they walk outside the built-up area on the left side of the road in the evening.

 

The closer to the end of the year, the shorter the days. In the evening and the morning, mists limit visibility on the road. Such conditions are not favorable for both drivers and pedestrians. Before we decide to go out onto an unlit road without glare, let's "put ourselves in the role" of a driver who will be driving this road and will notice a pedestrian-only at the last moment.

 

In autumn and winter, we choose a darker color for clothes. Unfortunately, when we come out onto an unlit road, we virtually "merge" with the surroundings. From a distance, the driver will only notice the outline of our character, which may well be perceived as a forest animal that is present in large numbers near the roads at this time of year. Therefore, for your safety, it is worth wearing reflective vests when walking outside the built-up area unlit on the left side of the road.

 

In this way, we signal drivers to be more careful due to the presence of a pedestrian. By putting on a reflective vest, we increase our chances of reaching our destination safely.

 

Scooters: the rules to follow

 

In some cities, news of more or less serious accidents involving electric scooters is too often chased in the local news. At the same time, however, the means for the so-called soft mobility represent one of the possible cornerstones in the transition towards more sustainable urban travel. The use of hoverboards, segways, monowheels, bicycles, and scooters is encouraged both by the mobility bonus and by the need to reduce the crowding of public transport as a measure to combat the pandemic. In short, an important technological resource, which collectively we must learn to exploit in the right way.

 

But what is allowed and what cannot be done on a scooter? From a legal point of view, the fundamental reference is an amendment approved on December 27, 2019, published in the Official Gazette 3 days later, and in force from January 1, 2020. The law 160/2019 paragraph 75, in particular, equates fledged scooters to bicycles, making them vehicles recognized by Italian law by Articles 68 and 182 of the Highway Code. The only two constraints that must be respected for the scooter-bicycle equivalence to be valid are power and speed maximum: the upper power limit is set at 500 watts (0.5 kW), while the speed limit is 25 km / h, except in pedestrian areas where it is necessary to stay within a maximum of 6 km / h.

 

Before getting on board

It is all very simple: just like a bicycle, a scooter does not require registration, nor a license plate, nor to wear special protections (for adults), nor to take out an insurance policy. On this last point, however, it is possible to organize independently, through forms of insurance that protect in the event of an accident. Many of the companies that offer urban electric mobility services on two wheels already have policies on their entire fleet, for obvious reasons, but other individual ones can be taken out for damage and accidents. Always present should then be an acoustic signal (the bell), just like on bicycles.

 

The rest of the things you need to know depends on your age, the time slot you want to use the scooter, and the weather conditions. Under the age of 14, for example, the use of the electric scooter is prohibited, while between the ages of 14 and 18 it is allowed only as long as the user wears a helmet. Over the age of 18, the helmet is only optional, even if there are some stakeholders who (for safety reasons, or simply of economic interest) push for the obligation to be extended to everyone. Weather and time slot, on the other hand, affect visibility. When it gets dark or the conditions are particularly bad, you need to have a headlight with white light and rear light with red light, with a reflector. Furthermore, it is mandatory to wear a reflective vest or similar suspenders.

 

To be precise, the night mode is foreseen from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before dawn, obviously including all-night hours, plus all those cases in which visibility is compromised by the presence of fog, heavy rain, or in general of perturbations.

 

Finally, it should be noted that if the maximum power of 500 watts is exceeded, or if a saddle or a seat more than 54 cm above the ground is installed, the scooter would transform from a regulatory point of view into an electric moped, subject to completely different legislation. In particular, the license plate, homologation, registration, driving license, insurance, and homologated helmet would become mandatory. And all the possible fines and administrative penalties would become much higher.

 

Once onboard

Scooters can't drive everywhere, but just like bicycles, they have a wide choice of roads on which they are allowed. In general, and more than anything else, they can circulate on all urban roads where the limit of 30 or 50 km / h applies (for the scooter, however, the maximum is always 25 km / h). On extra-urban roads, they cannot circulate unless they are flanked by a cycle path: as is obvious scooters can circulate on all cycle paths, while they cannot go where access to bicycles is precluded. Finally, even in urban areas, it is not possible to use a scooter where the limit for cars is higher than 50 km / h, such as on fast roads.

 

As for the relationship with pedestrians, there are two things to know. In pedestrian areas, they can circulate freely (the speed limit is 6 km / h), while on pavements they cannot be used, except by getting off and transporting them by hand. The pavement rule also applies to pedestrian crossings - unless there is also a cycle crossing next to it - and in general extends to all those situations in which only pedestrians are allowed.

 

The rest of the rules should first of all be of common sense, even before being sanctioned by law. Only the driver can stay on the scooter, i.e. one person at a time, and you cannot take large and bulky objects with you. A backpack and handbag are allowed, but luggage, animals, friends, and children are not. In the case of a second person on board, one speaks of the infringement of undue transport of passengers. The handlebar should always be held with both hands, except when the arm is extended to signal a turn. And of course, it is forbidden to drive up or make other changes and stunts on the streets and in pedestrian areas.

 

From the point of view of multiple scooters in formation, it is generally suggested to proceed in a single file. In the streets open to car traffic it is mandatory to keep a single row, while in the pedestrian areas it is allowed that you can proceed with scooters side by side in pairs, but never more than two.

 

The administrative penalties provided, however, are rather mild. Except in the case in which damage is caused to other people or things (a scenario that is far from rare), the fines amount depending on the type of infringement from 50 to 200 euros. With a combo of infringements, you can still go up to 400 euros. Exceptions to these relatively low figures are the aforementioned cases in which the electric scooter has been rigged to exceed the power limit or modified effectively transforming it into a moped: in addition to the confiscation of the vehicle, penalties of up to several thousand euros are also envisaged, corresponding lack of insurance coverage, driving without a license and much more.

 

Finally, a positive note: if they can be folded to the size of normal luggage, electric scooters can be taken on board public transport at no extra charge, both on trains and buses.