The obligations that cyclists must observe

The advent of spring and the improvement of the weather conditions create the right conditions for the increasing use of bicycles. On this occasion, the police recalled the requirements for this group of road users.

The Road Traffic Law obliges cyclists to wear a reflective vest with reflective tape outside the settlements, during the dark part of the day and with reduced visibility, moving as close as possible to the right border of the lane.

Under the ATC, cyclists are required to use bicycles that are in good working order: brakes, bells, a device for emitting white or yellow well distinguishable light at the front and a red reflector at the rear, as well as white or yellow reflectors or reflective elements on the sides of the wheels. The law permits the placement of a red light-emitting device at the rear.

The rider is not allowed to move parallel to another two-wheeled vehicle, to operate the bicycle without holding the handlebars, and to release the pedals to control it, to operate the bicycle in pedestrian-only areas. On a pedestrian path, the cyclist is obliged to get off the bike and then cross to the other side, this prohibition does not apply to cyclists up to 12 years of age; move in or close to another road vehicle.

Traffic police are urging all road users to adhere strictly to road safety rules.

Grower harm mutant automated reflective color-fabric roller

As consumers growing buy apples by color, and as Michigan growers continue to shift to the fresh market, growers there have been experimenting more with reflective fabric to get light to fruit on the bottoms of trees.

Traditionally, the fabric is laid by hand in Michigan in what is a three-person job, but at least one grower family is working to automate the process — a task that hasn’t come without challenges.

Kyle Rasch's early attempts at an automated color-fabric roller involved a distributed trampoline. "It was not ideal," said Kyle, 25, a third-generation grower in Greenville, Michigan, northwest of Grand Rapids. "We could do only one row At a time, and it was a slow process, but it did the job."

The Ranches had seen a few custom-built pieces of equipment, but little on the market for the task. So, Kyle used the U-shaped leg from his wind-battered childhood trampoline as an axle to hold a roll of color reflective fabric like a paper towel roll holder in a kitchen.

He attached that to the hydraulic weed-spraying booms on the family’s tractor, along with a spring to hold it tight against the tree trunks. "We took some duct tape, some zip strips and made a little farmer apparatus," he said.

He and his family liked the results, so they worked with their equipment vendor, which manufactured two rollers that fasten to the sprayer booms, the arms of which fold up and extend to allow them to lay the fabric on both sides of the alley at once.

They prefer exposed ground in the middle of the alley to allow access for people and equipment.

 The family demonstrates the use of the rollers in July at the International Fruit Tree Association’s Summer Tour.

It's still a three-person job — one to drive the sprayer, the others to shovel small piles of dirt on the stretched fabric to hold it in place. They consider the rollers a cheap improvement to speed up the job — less than $1,000 for each Adapter that holds up to 40-inch rolls on each side.

Reflective material itself, common in Washington state, is pretty new in Michigan, said Phil Schwallier, a Michigan State University extension horticulturist.

Midwest sunlight is typically more diffuse to spread light more evenly, while up until 10 years ago, growers produced primary apples destined for the processing market, where color doesn’t matter.

These days, the climate has been changing to make color inconsistent, while growers have been converting to high-value fresh varieties like Honeycrisp and SweeTango.

Typically, in Michigan, growers lay strips only under the trees to leave access to the orchard alleys that get muddier than in Washington.

The machine speeds things up, but stretching foil by hand is a relatively easy chore, Schwallier said.

"It's not that bad," he said. Just thread a rope through the roll. One person pulls it and walks backward while two people shovel. That method covers only one row at a time, so the machine doubles the pace of work and Eases the stress on workers' backs.

Last year, they stretched fabric on about 5 acres and noticed packets increased 10 to 15 percent from those trees, said Tom Rasch, Kyle's father. "This is from the sun reflecting in and giving the fruit a Better background color," he said.

The reflection material also ripened their fruit more uniformly, allowing them to pick as much as 70 percent in the first pass.

"We're impressed with what we've seen so far," he said.

Studies elsewhere by the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission also have reflected reflective fabric to increase fruit size and yield.

This year, the Rasches are expanding to 15 or 20 acres of SweeTango, Honeycrisp and some of their harder-to-color Galas.

The Ranches advised growers to use caution with the fabric — put it out during a heatwave and you could sunburn the fruit on the bottom. Instead, they try to stretch on a relatively cool day to let the fruit build up a little sun tolerance before The hot weather arrives.

Tom Rasch next hopes to work with the equipment company to add a disc to furrow dirt on top of the fabric automatically, cutting down on labor even more.

The sole occupant of sunk fishing boat rescued after hours in the water

A man who was plucked out of the sea by French-side sea rescue service SNSM on Thursday night after his fishing vessel sank in the Anguilla channel is thankful to be alive after spending more than seven hours in the water hoping for rescue.

SNSM was informed by the surveillance center CROSS at 2:15 pm that the fishing vessel Integrity had sunk "around Anguilla" with one person on board. A crew of four SNSM volunteers on the semi-rigid inflatable Rescue Star headed for Anguilla, but initially without the Position of the sunken boat. A few cushions spotted in the water in the middle of the channel, but no evidence of a sinking boat.

It was learned the individual, identified as Kumakie Parris, had managed to alert a friend by phone at 11:15 am when his boat sank, and the friend then went out with his boat to look for him. It was only after 1:30 pm That the friend finally alerted the Anguilla fire department to launch the official emergency chain.

The Anguilla police had one last contact with the shipwrecked man around 1:45 pm, confirming that he was in the water and still alive, but without being able to specify his exact position.

Major resources were then deployed: the Dutch Coast Guard on two Metal Sharks, which took on board two police officers and some Anguillian firemen; the Gendarmerie's Nautical Brigade; private boats Funtime, Night Rider, and others; Rescue Star of SNSM St. Martin; As well as a DASH-8 aircraft which flew over the whole area making round trips.

Despite all the resources being deployed the missing man was still had not been located as night began to fall. Rescue Star re-fuelled at the Delta Petroleum dock and resumed the search with thermal binoculars, this time searching the area from Pointe Plum to Blowing Rock, from South to North.

Suddenly the man was spotted in the water in the beam of the flashlight and was hoisted on board. He is in good condition, with no visible wounds or injuries. CROSS was immediately informed at 7:40 pm that he had been found

Parris explained that his engine had broken down, then a big wave broke on his boat. At that time, about 11:15 am, he contacted his friend in Anguilla, put on a life jacket (a decision that saved his life) and tried to pump His boat to empty it, when another big wave hit him on the beam and the boat capsized.

"He saw boats looking for him; he shouted, raised his arms; the plane passed over him; but no one saw him," SNSM reported. "A small head between the waves is almost impossible to see. He had nothing to signal his whistle, no light, no reflective tape on his safety vest. His phone in a waterproof pocket no longer worked. He swam for hours trying to reach the coast of St. Martin.

"The crew gave him a phone to call his family who was ecstatic that he was alive."

SNSM particularly thanked sponsor Delta Petroleum, which came out to refuel the Rescue Star after closing time, permitting the search to be resumed and the man saved. SNSM also thanked CROSS, the Dutch Coast Guard, Brigade Nautique, DASH-8 plane, and all The private boats involved in this international maritime rescue collaboration for their efforts.

SNSM advises sea-goers to always wear a life vest, in water sports and, ideally, equip it with a light, a whistle, and reflective tapes to have the maximum chance of detection if the worst happens – because miracles like the one last night happen very, very rarely!

Readers Respond to the High Number of Traffic Deaths in Portland This Year

Last week, WW wrote about three of the 34 people who have died in Portland traffic this year. To improve safety, the city has spent more than $47 million in the past two The number of traffic deaths in the first six months of 2019 equals the number for all of last year. Here's what readers had to say.

Martin Crommie: "Would be nice if someone was out there to stop the Mad Maxes that seem to think the road is for them alone."

John Retzlaff: "When Vision Zero in Portland is about being anti-car and not about pro-safety, then this is what you get. Road diets do not improve safety, half the lanes and the same amount of traffic Is not safe."

 Frosti11icus, via Reddit: "My dad always told me, 'Just assume a vehicle won't stop for you because if you're wrong you'll die.'"

Rudi Van Desarzio: "You can blame pedestrians and cyclists all you want, but that's not how the law is written and never has been. It is your responsibility as a driver to have control of your vehicle Such that you do not run into people and kill them. That's the bottom line. If it means you have to drive 5 mph and that riding a bike or taking the bus is faster, so be it. Driving around in your single occupied vehicle At 15 mph above the speed limit is not a 'right.'"

Nick Sauvie: "The fact that the majority of these deaths occur in outer Southeast Portland is a result of decades of insufficient transportation investment. Vision Zero and road diets are steps in the right direction."

Morningside: "Right or wrong, pedestrians and people on bikes need to act defensively. I see it too often where people don't pay attention to."

Harley Leiber: "East of 82nd, everyone who is bipedal should wear an orange reflective vest."

Aww, via Reddit: "As someone who is one degree away from TWO people who have killed a pedestrian while driving in the last 18 months, this article strikes home. While I know most people here mean well by sharing their experiences with transportation issues, Let me say this one thing: Please never drive while intoxicated. Ever."

Caltrans increases traffic line width with high-profile striping on the state highway system

Motorists across the state of California will notice a new generation of road striping on highways, freeways, and interstates that is wider, brighter, and long-lasting. The California DOT (Caltrans) has increased the width of all 4-in.-wide Longitudinal traffic lines to 6-in.-wide high-profile striping on the state highway system.

The new 6-in.-wide, highly reflective road striping debuted in 2017 as part of the "Across the Top" I-80 project in Sacramento. Crews made various improvements across a 10-mile section of I-80, and the $136 The million project was an ideal project to test the new striping since the interstate is heavily traveled and a main route to the capital city. Caltrans was able to see if the materials could sustain the wear and tear of heavy traffic, and monitor the durability and effectiveness Of the new striping.

Using glass bead retro-reflectivity, light rays enter glass beads and are reflected at drivers allowing motorists to better see the traffic lines on the road.

After seeing the success, Caltrans decided to re-stripe 50,000-plus lane miles of the state highway system in the next decade with the new road demarcation lines replacing the longtime standard 4-in.-wide stripes. The material of tape and thermal plastic embedded with glass beads. Both the reflective material and reflective tape used in striping contains tiny glass beads that enhance reflectivity, particularly when illuminated by vehicle headlamps or in rainy conditions. a minimum level of reflectivity despite constant heavy wear. However, not all parts of the state will see the new striping material because it will not be applied on roadways above 3,000 ft in elevation where snow removal equipment is used. The shovels that scrape snow and ice off the roadway would also remove the thermoplastic striping so Caltrans' maintenance crews will continue to repaint those lines when damage occurs.

Also disappearing, as the new striping is laid, are the raised, non-reflective pavement markers known as Botts' dots, named after the Caltrans scientist who invented them in 1953. With the advent of the new striping, the ubiquitous little bumps have lived Their usefulness as lane separators.

Caltrans has implemented the use of health marking material by developing warranty-based performance specifications, permanent tape, methyl methacrylate (MMA), and thermoplastic with enhanced wet-night visibility. The marking selection guideline was developed to aid Project Engineers with the process of selecting Traffic marking on highways. The marking material selection process is based on the estimated remaining pavement service life, pavement type, climate, location, and the expected performance of the striping material.

Caltrans recognizes the potential cost-effectiveness and safety enhancement of broader traffic stripes and warranty-based markings on a system-wide basis. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Amendment (SNPA) to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Based on the document, the minimum retained retro-reflectivity of markings.

Based on the technical literature and agency responses, wider stripes improve driving conditions such as long-range detection under nighttime, stimulation of the peripheral vision, lane positioning, and driver comfort. Markings provide an important means of visually communicating how drivers must use a roadway The new 6-in. striping, with its wider and brighter profile, is expected to enhance safety for older drivers and truckers as well as in challenging conditions such as rain. Per FHWA's Handbook for Design Roadways for the Aging Population, the increase in the width of longitudinal traffic lines benefits older drivers and increases the visibility of lane line delineation for all road users by providing improved roadway guidance, especially during periods of impaired visibility, such as wet night conditions.

Markings must be capable of conveying information during inclement weather and evening hours when there may be little to no illumination from overhead lighting. The 6-in.-wide striping provides a valuable continuous stream of information about the roadway that signs or signals cannot supply. They alert drivers to changes in the roadway and help them maintain their position inside the lane without requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road. Striping is used to separate vice traffic streams and channel traffic into the proper roadway positions. When motorists operate a vehicle, they use markings to guide them through the roadway.

More visible markings with wider widths and higher retro-reflectivity can increase the distance with which the lines are detectable and may improve a motorists' ability to perceive the marking in their peripheral vision. These enhancements improve lane keeping and positively impact safety.

As Caltrans prepares for future innovations and technologies, the department has been proactive in reaching out to transportation industry leaders. Caltrans consulted with auto manufacturers Tesla and Google, two major players in the autonomous vehicle industry, about the striping changeover. Autonomous vehicles feature configured sensor The technology of the digits of the highways, the lines of the highways and the high-performance markings of the highways and the markings. The 6-in.-wide highly reflective striping will be a better roadway guide for autonomous vehicles than the 4-in. striping.

Caltrans'goal is to enhance safety on California state highways and make it easier to navigate no matter what time a person travels. In the past, fog and heavy rain have hindered motorists' abilities to see the striping on the road so it is Caltrans hope With the bright material 6-in. striping will provide more visibility. With the new material being used to enhance reflectivity and the light rays from vehicle headlamps that project off the glass beads, the white 6-in. reflective striping will shine a safe passage For motorists traveling in the Golden State.

Not wearing life jackets is among the causes of deaths in marine accidents

Lack of wearing a safety jacket on small, medium and large vessels is among the causes of deaths during navigation in the Amazon rivers. So says the Fluvial Captaincy of Santarém, Pará. In 2017, the Captaincy opened 28 inquiries to investigate nautical accidents in the region. In all, 19 people died from accidents.

Small boats are widely used by the riverside as a means of transport. Most vessels even have the safety vest, but crew and passengers are unaware of wearing it. For individual use, the vest allows the person to remain afloat in the water in the event of a wreck.

"Usually what we see here in Santarém and the municipalities of the jurisdiction is a disobedience to the rules. Many times we approach some vessels that their crew have their vests with reflective tape, but insist on not wearing them," explains the deputy commander of the Fluvial Captaincy of Santarém, Renato Ferreira.

The Fluvial Captaincy states that any vessel must offer life jackets for the right amount of crew and passengers. Throughout the year, campaigns are developed in schools to warn of the risk of accidents and the importance of using rescue equipment while traveling.

CRUISING WITH DOGS

We are five minutes out of the port of St. Petersburg, Fla., bumping up against a light chop coming across the long fetch of Tampa Bay, and Junior Seaman Sammy has what looks like a smile on his face. But I recognize that Mona No, he's thinking about giving back the breakfast kibbles that are suddenly sitting uneasily on his stomach. I can tell that he's thinking about how to keep his balance because his four legs are splayed. He's hunkered down like a basketball player waiting for the tip-off. In other words, he's trying with all the might his five-month life experience can muster to be ready for anything. He just has no idea what it's going to be.

Meanwhile, Chief Security Officer Bindi, with a year and a half of maritime work under her belt, has assumed her customary perch beside the helmsman and is dozing unsympathetically as we get underway. Ho-hum, she's thinking, at least I'm not in the car. For the day, she'll keep to the shady side and lap up a bit of water from the cockpit water bowl. Otherwise, she'll sleep or, when the sales are up, keep one wary eye Out for signs of rebellion. You can't trust a sail to stay where it belongs is her motto. She's a born powerboater.

Which is all part of the great adventure that is cruising with pets? When you introduce a dog to cruising, you can never be sure what's going to happen. Sammy, for example, has just completed his first month aboard and considers every inch of the Down runs, Sammy has his sleeping crate and a basket of toys to play with; on deck, he has boats to watch and ducks to bark at. Day and night, his home rocks gently in her slip.

But then one morning, the lines come in, the hum of the engine, and without warning his home is slurping along through the water. And Sammy's whole world changes. What's his reaction going to be, I wonder. First, the Mona Lisa smile and the Seeing that no one else seems the least bit ruffled, he searches for a safe place to settle. Thirty minutes later, he is sleeping soundly on the cockpit floor, his legs twitching as he dreams. The junior cadet is now a junior cruiser.

Sammy, like all other novice seamen, has a lot to learn about cruising on the Bay, whether he's off on a day sail or a two-week cruise. So here are some of the things that he and others like him-and, of Course, their owners—need to know.

Every dog, like every human crewmember, needs to have a sturdy, well-designed lifejacket. You want one that fits well and won't slip off, yet also doesn't impede movement. It should also have good handles for lifting out of the water, guiding on and off the dock and snagging if the dog decides to jump ship. The lifejacket should have light-reflective tapes or even an emergency water-activated beacon. Bindi wears an Aussie Natural, while Sammy sports a Paws Aboard model. Rough Wear also makes good

When does your dog need to wear it? That depends on some factors and, in the end, your good judgment. Slip it on when the weather is rough if your pooch tends to fall (or jump) off things On the afternoon, the occasional wear lifejackets offshore and in rough weather. Lifejackets are also required when riding in the dinghy more than a very short trip In calm water. When it's rough, I also add a tether to make sure they stay in the cockpit. I'll also do that while docking because mine is always ill-behaved and run around and bark. Perhaps yours are better.

For all those non-lifejacket occasions—like dozing in the cockpit and people-watching in the slip, Bindi and Sammy wear their harnesses. Bindi and Sammy's current models are called Truelove and have reflective tape all over and small but sturdy handles on the back There are some other good ones. Getting a good fit is key.

I use European leashes as tethers because they have a lot of rings to allow for varying lengths.

Finally, they need identification tags on harnesses and life jackets. I particularly like the ones from Boomerang, which slip over the straps rather than dangle from the leash ring.

For short cruises, teaching the dog to "go" on the deck or an artificial grass pad or pee pad is probably not necessary, unless you plan to anchor out where there is no land access. There are a few anchorages on the Bay with nice Sandy beaches in parkland, but most of the Chesapeake is private property and owners are often not keen on having cruisers dinghy up with their dog—especially if they don’t clean But after matter where you are, as a pet owner you are obligated to pick up pet stuff and hang onto it until you get to a receptacle. Be sure to carry plenty of biodegradable poop bags. We store the picked up poop in a separate little garbage can until we get home or into a marina. Many marinas now provide poop-bag dispensers and a separate collection can.

I've never met a marina on the Chesapeake that didn't welcome dogs. So many people now cruise with their pets that it would be bad business for them not to put out the Fido mat. As I mentioned, many now provide Poop bags. Some have designated walking areas, but if they don't, avoid the picnic areas. Common sense applies.

Some marinas are better for dogs than others, either because of their docks or because of their location more than anything else. Floating docks are a dog-cruiser's ideal. But most of the Bay's marinas have fixed docks because there is little tide change; On and off is usually pretty easy.