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.

Farm shops offer reflective vests to make chickens visible

 As if it were a pawn, the chickens now have a new security feature that for a few days now can be found for sale in some farm stores. A reflective vest that has a reflective top layer and adhesive velcro to hold them.

 

Its effectiveness has supporters and also detractors for being an animal that is usually cornered. The fact of giving it visibility is fine but raises doubts about the reaction of predators such as the fox. With a price close to 8 euros, in an agricultural store in Ponte Caldelas have already received calls interested in this curious complement.

Many drivers could be wrong. A new duty soon

 

Although it is commonly believed that this item is mandatory, many drivers still do not have it in their cars. Soon there will be a provision in the law that will change this. Check what will need to be carried in each trunk.

 

First aid kit

Contrary to popular belief, the first aid kit is not required equipment in a car. However, even most drivers who think otherwise do not pay much attention to it. This is a big mistake. Because how to help when we don't have basic supplies at hand? Aleksander Miszalski, a member of the Civic Coalition, concerned about the lack of imagination of drivers in this matter, issued an interpellation on the establishment of a first aid kit as a mandatory element of vehicle equipment.

 

Outdated regulations

For many years, there have been no major changes in the regulations regarding the rescue accessory, necessary in road transport. Currently, drivers are required to have a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle. The law also imposes an obligation on every citizen to help in an emergency. But has anyone ever thought about what exactly we should give it since there are still cars on the roads without first aid kits? MP Miszalski justifies his request, inter alia, the fact that we are unfavorable compared to other countries, most of which have imposed on their citizens the need to equip a vehicle with a kit for pre-medical aid.

 

You don't have to wait

Although there is no such obligation, you can equip the car with a first aid kit now. In automotive stores and supermarkets, ready-made kits with the required refill are sold. It is worth verifying their use-by date every few months. Also, remember to have your fire extinguisher checked. In addition, there should also be a reflective vest in the trunk, which will ensure your safety when, for example, during a night trip you change a hole in the wheel.

 

What must the first aid kit contain?

There are no universal guidelines on this matter, but it is assumed that each kit should contain at least:

- first aid instruction,

- sterile dressings, gauze, bandages, plasters with and without dressings,

- elastic band,

- wound disinfectant,

- thermal blanket,

- triangular scarf,

- safety pins and scissors,

- mask for non-contact artificial respiration.

ROAD SAFETY: REFLECTION OF REFLECTIVE VESTS AT THE ASRSM ASSOCIATION

 

On Wednesday, May 28, 2021, the SXM Road Safety Association organized a day dedicated to road safety, for the benefit of the youth of Quartier d'Orléans.

 

The purpose of the association is to supervise and support young people from school in their adult life, to promote social ties as well as the development of civic values ​​through school projects, to fight against dropping out of school, the prevention of delinquency, the problems of integration and professional integration.

 

This Wednesday, 70 children and adolescents, aged 6 to 16, benefited from road safety awareness including:

 

Knowledge of the highway code adapted to 06/11 years and 12/16 years,

road track,

fight against addictions (alcohol and drugs),

introduction to training for the Road Safety Certificate (driving a scooter) using a two-wheel simulator and expert advice from the Saint-Martin firefighters.

 

The associations of Quartier Orléans, the college of Quartier Orléans, SEMSAMAR, the family protection brigade (National Gendarmerie), as well as the firefighters of Saint-Martin made a strong contribution to this event.

 

On this occasion, an operation to hand over reflective vests to participants was carried out during this day. The Prefecture of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélémy offered some 30 reflective vests, thus allowing children and adolescents to be more visible on the axes of Saint-Martin.

 

Good visibility for the driver in traffic is essential. This is supervised to guarantee its safety, that of its passengers and other road users. Several “road safety” days are scheduled by ASR SXM. Other distributions of reflective vests will be organized in this context.

Listed the contents of the trunk to avoid a fine

 

Each driver must have a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, yellow reflective vest, and warning triangle in the trunk of the car. They will help not only avoid fines but also save lives if necessary. It is very important to ensure that the expiration date of the first aid kit and fire extinguisher has not expired.

 

Automotive expert Yegor Vasiliev told the agency of economic news "Prime" about it. He also advised me to personally check whether the fire extinguisher is fully charged. According to the expert, you cannot save on them. Cheap devices are almost ineffective because they have little or no extinguishing agent. In general, it is better to have two fire extinguishers in the car just in case.

 

Vasiliev suggested that the drivers immediately, as soon as they decided to get out of the car in case of a breakdown, put on a reflective vest and put up an emergency stop sign.

 

"It will make you much more visible and increase your safety level. When the problem is resolved, be sure to take the warning triangle with you. Often motorists forget them on the road, misleading the rest of the traffic participants," the expert said.

 

Vasiliev also advised, in addition to the mandatory means, to have in the car a tow rope, a flashlight, a pump, a glass breaker, and a minimum set of tools.

 

In November 2020, the Ministry of Health allowed Russian drivers to independently complete a car first aid kit by a special list of the department.

Do you know what a retro-reflector is?

 

Despite the strangeness of the word, it is a common element in a car's lighting system that serves to signal its presence and dimensions.

 

When we are behind the wheel, over 90% of the information we receive about what is happening on the road comes to us through our eyes, and to perform most of the maneuvers we rely on sight. It is therefore clear the importance of seeing… and of being seen. This is where the car's lighting system comes in, made up of several elements, some of which are somewhat unknown: the DGT clarifies what a retro-reflector is and what it is used for.

 

Although this is a strange word, the truth is that it is a component that is common to all vehicles. A reflector is a signaling element that reflects the light of an external light source, that is to say, that they come into action when another vehicle lights upon us. So it works like the reflective vest.

 

What is a retro-reflector used for?

Its function, according to the General Directorate of Traffic, is to indicate the presence of the car in addition to helping to distinguish and recognize its dimensions using this reflection of light which comes from an independent source.

 

Are they compulsory? Yes. In the case of cars, they must have four reds on the back. However, some models complement them with others located on the front or side. It should be taken into account that reflective license plates, additional panels (such as contour marking), or light beacons like the V-16 are not considered reflectors.

 

It's not exclusive to cars

Although we have talked about cars, reflectors are mandatory on all types of vehicles. the motorcycles and mopeds must have a non-triangular redback: if there is one, it must be located and if there are two, it must be symmetrical. Optionally, they can carry one or two on each side.

 

the bike they must integrate at the back: it must be red and not triangular. Finally, the vehicles for the transport of goods and people They must have two non-triangular redbacks. The yellow sides will only be mandatory on trailers and vehicles over six meters in length.