Reflective Tape (Reflex)

[richard5933]

Our coach is definitely registered/titled as a motor home, not a commercial vehicle. It still has all the factory-installed lighting and reflectors. They all still function. My only goal here was to increase visibility in situations where the vehicle is parked at night to help other motorists see the vehicle. In my opinion I've accomplished this.

My understanding is that the requirements in effect on the date of manufacture are the ones that the vehicle needs to comply with if it's not in commercial service. I could be wrong, but I did some reading/research on this and could only find reference to retrofitting for commercial vehicles. If someone knows of a requirement to retrofit older vehicles I'd appreciate a pointer leading to the information.

[eagle19952]

If truckers can run a shiny hiny, I wouldn't be concerned with what a LEO might say about a few reflectors on a non commercial rig.

[Oonrahnjay]

If truckers can run a shiny hiny, I wouldn't be concerned with what a LEO might say about a few reflectors on a non commercial rig. 

     Yes, if FMVSS Std. 108 says that if a certain device is required on new vehicles after a certain date, it doesn't have any bearing on retrofit on earlier vehicles, under Federal law.  A complication could be Federal preemption - if a Federal standard says that a vehicle must have something, then no state can enforce a different requirement for a vehicle subject to the standard.  But if a state differs from a Federal Standard before the Fed. standard goes into effect, it can still enforce its requirement for earlier vehicle, in theory.  A vehicle that's not required to have something is not prohibited from having that safety device unless installing it creates an obvious hazard.
     I say "in theory" because I can't imagine any officer is going to see reflector marked vehicles running down the highway every day and then pull over a vehicle that has that and demand to see the registration to nitpick the model year to determine if he can write a ticket.  And, in general, unless there's an obvious hazard, LE tends towards allowing retrofits if it brings an older vehicle up to a later standard voluntarily.

[windtrader]

I really like the added visibility of the reflective tape. Before putting on, I'm going to pay attention to placement, colors, and arrangement/sequence on trucks and trailers on the road. Also, when shopping look for DOT approval. May be overkill but I certainly don't know the science behind the standards to know if certain patterns, placement, arrangements, colors, etc. may distract rather than enhance.

[Oonrahnjay]

...  Also, when shopping look for DOT approval. ...

     Good point for several reasons.  Back when I was a useful, productive citizen (you know, before I got my snout in the gummint trough and became fodder fer them Obommer Death Panels), working to assure compliance with DOT standards was part of my job for over 40 years. The national standards are recognized by States and Provinces (even if they aren't crazy about preemption).  If you have an officer who is "trying to find something to pin on you" and you can point to him and say "these reflectors match the requirements of the Federal Standards and here's the 'DOT' label",  you are likely to deflect all but the most determined to be a jerk.

      (Note to GWN friends:  We've been talking FMVSS and DOT here, but CMVSS and Transport Canada works the same way.)

[lostagain]

There is no overkill in how visible a vehicle should be. A common accident in the trucking world is when a tractor trailer pulls out onto a dark street at night and gets T-boned by a car because there isn't enough lighting along the side of the trailer.

JC

[buswarrior]

On the highway?

What about at the rally?

Finding the coach late at night, staggering back from the campfire...

If everyone puts tape on, how am I going to find MY coach?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[richard5933]

On the highway?

What about at the rally?

Finding the coach late at night, staggering back from the campfire...

If everyone puts tape on, how am I going to find MY coach?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Maybe you need to put one of these on your coach...

https://www.thetileapp.com/en-us/

[Oonrahnjay]

Maybe you need to put one of these on your coach...

https://www.thetileapp.com/en-us/

 

    Wait a minute, where did I put my phone?

[Jim Eh.]

And no puttin'  .|..  just for recongnition

[buswarrior]

You've never been at a bus rally campfire?

First, the (profanity deleted) phone shouldn't be at the campfire. You aren't there to check yer email, Google, or receive calls... and if you are on stand by as a kidney donor, chances are you aren't at the bus rally...

Second, manual dexterity is required to make the app work, now lost due to the extra-curricular campfire activities.

Third, is it going to work with no cell service?

Old fashioned flashlight and my reflective tape work REAL GOOD.

Bring on the EMP?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[chessie4905]

Come on buswarrior, you need your phone to take pics to post on Facebook.Geesh......😏

[buswarrior]

If self-actualization requires FB pics of a bus rally campfire...

Back to the urban cocoon, please.

Some of us are in witness protection...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[RJ]

Greetings, All -

Since I don't have photo resizing capability on my iPad, and the SMF software on this forum hasn't been updated to allow larger formats, here's a link to my contribution to this thread:

http://busnut.com/forum/index.php/topic,3278.0.html

FWIW & HTH...

[richard5933]

Greetings, All -

Since I don't have photo resizing capability on my iPad, and the SMF software on this forum hasn't been updated to allow larger formats, here's a link to my contribution to this thread:

http://busnut.com/forum/index.php/topic,3278.0.html

FWIW & HTH...

Can't see the pix over there. Does one need to be registered to see photos on that site?