# Aluminium chevron sign



## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

We have the plastic chevron sign but are hoping to go to Italy this trip and have read about needing a fully reflective sign.

How well is this enforced and has anyone just used the plastic one.

I thought I read somewhere that a chevron board was a legal requirement if the load stuck out beyond the rear lights but our bicycle rack has a lighting board so perhaps it is not strictly necessary.

Failing that any suggestions for a cheap source for another "overpriced motorhome accessory"


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

Panicked by the word of the law I bought one of the cheaper Fiamma plastic ones before our Trip to Italy this year arguing (in my head) that Fiamma are Italian, so...

Anyway, by no means a definitive answer but, in 3 weeks we weren't stopped or fined


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

AFAIK the reason why the aluminium one is required is that it is reflective all over it's surface, whereas the plastic one is only reflective at the four corners where circular reflectors are attached.

There have been numerous reports of people using the plastic one without any problems in Italy, indeed there was a recent report of someone using a cardboard one successfully without challenge.

Both the plastic and the aluminium are made by Fiamma - an Italian company..........

the plastic one's are about £6 to £7;

http://www.johnscross.co.uk/fiamma-rear-warning-sign.html

from John's Cross,

and the aluminium about £35 from Amazon;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiamma-Carry-Bike-Aluminium-Signal-Board/dp/B0019CFO7M

If this is a one-off trip to Italy and you perhaps are not going to be there for more than a short while, I would try for the plastic one..... but if you intended to revisit or to spend a long time then I would probably shell out for the aluminium for peace of mind...... The last thing I would want is to feel concerned every time I saw an Italian Police Officer...... but perhaps that's me.....

The plastic one (that I have and have used) is not very robust and tends to bend and be distorted very easily........

I believe that the aluminium one is very much more robust and likely to last longer.

I am sorry that does not really answer the question, in the end there is a risk in using the cheap one if you believe you may be breaking Italian law, but how likely you are to be challenged cannot be predicted.

Dave


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## MYFANWY1 (May 9, 2011)

Hi Webby1, got back last week, lake Garda, lake orta, Venice, Verona, never got stopped, went in few caravan spares shop nobody sold aluminium ones , so I got new plastic one for my mate for 5euro,
Don't worry just go and enjoy with plastic one.
Eddie


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## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*EC*

My understanding is that all vehicles from EC Countries have free transit across the other countries of EC, without hindrance for any lack of compliance, provided the vehicle complies with the rule and regulations of the country of registration.
That is for road going vehicles travelling across the EC.
But will not apply where local regulations exist regarding parking and tolls.
Which is why I have wondered about A Frames and Spain.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

It's a while since we were in Italy (_too long, actually_ :roll: ) but we were quite surprised by the number of Italians who didn't bother with the sign.

A few had them, but there were more who didn't - if that helps you decide.

Dave


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We used a plastic one, until it fell apart, all over Europe, including Italy, with no comments from anyone. We replaced it with an aluminium one which is much more robust and, as Dave says above, has reflective stripes rather than 4 reflectors.

A thought; you only have to follow the van to appreciate just how reflective the striped surface is and how much more visible it makes the back of the van, especially in the dark or in rain and fog. It's also a good warning to cyclists and pedestrians that you have bikes overhanging.

We use ours all the time, even in UK or countries where it is not a legal requirement and consider it money well spent if it stops people driving or walking into the back of us.

G


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

*Chevron*

Sorry to keep the thread going BUT if you have a lighting board at the back of the bike rack how is it different from the back of the van.............surely it cannot be classed as an overhang.

I don't know how to have this conversation in Italian so probably better to get a sign.

"Yes officer as a UK citizen in your country let me point out how my understanding of Italian law is actually better than yours"


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Now then Webby1......

You could try taking a suitable extract of Italian Law to justify your position with it's source.....

but may I also suggest sandwiches as well - for while you are waiting for the case to come up as I believe the Italian food is not brilliant in their remand centres, and their coffee is worse than Starbucks.....

Dave


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## klyne (May 10, 2005)

*Re: EC*



WingPete said:


> My understanding is that all vehicles from EC Countries have free transit across the other countries of EC, without hindrance for any lack of compliance, provided the vehicle complies with the rule and regulations of the country of registration.
> That is for road going vehicles travelling across the EC.
> But will not apply where local regulations exist regarding parking and tolls.
> Which is why I have wondered about A Frames and Spain.


Not sure its anything to the with the EU (EC) I am pretty sure such things are covered by the 1968 Vienna Convention and the UK has yet to ratify the treaty!!! Individual countries have their own regulations which apply to visitors to those countries just in the same way that speed limits apply. In the same way aluminium signal boards are required in Italy and they have to be certain way up. This, of course, does not mean that you are likely to be stopped for that alone but if you are stopped for any other transgression they might start checking other things very carefully 

David


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

*Re: EC*



> klyne said:- This, of course, does not mean that you are likely to be stopped for that alone but if you are stopped for any other transgression they might start checking other things very carefully
> David


Hi David

An excellent point there!

That is precisely why I'm sure some of us are often far more law abiding than might otherwise be the case. :wink:

_*Some *_laws and regulations are clearly rather pointless or misguided but as you say, if you get pulled over by a tyre kicking police officer he is likely to make it worth his while dragging himself out of his nice comfy car!

Good examples in France are the uncompromising, wheels-completely-ceased-rotating "STOP" signs at a junction with several miles of clear visibility in all directions . . . or the never ending solid white line in the middle of the road when you can see for miles ahead but are forbidden to overtake a tractor doing 5mph. _(Both positioned I suspect, by a plonker using Google Maps on his computer rather than assessing the lie of the land.)_

Worth hanging a cheap plastic sign on the bikes, if only to avoid the possibility of offering an easy target! :roll:

Dave


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## WingPete (Jan 29, 2006)

*Regulations*

David, can I suggest you read through some of the relevant guidance released by Traffic Regulators, regarding European rules.
I did some time ago, to assist in challenging the Spanish ruling regarding towing trailers behind motorcycles, and previously to that, Denmark had similar ruling which was repealed. Spain did so about 3 yrs ago. Police still are acting prejudicial to the European interpretation, so ended up carrying the relevant documents in both English and Spanish. Settled many a dispute.
The AA may be good starting point to save wading through pages of technical jargon.


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## klyne (May 10, 2005)

Pete
My philosophy when a guest in another country is to abide by their rules as best I can which I find is the simplest approach. I am not in a position, language wise, to argue a point sufficiently well so perhaps I take the easy option as I imagine do many others. It might seem a cop out but the more I can reduce any stress the better I like it. All power to those that wish to try and change things.
David


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

> klyne said:- It might seem a cop out but the more I can reduce any stress the better I like it.


Not to me it don't. :wink:

My philosophy exactly.

Dave


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Dunno where I read it but I think the OP is correct. If you have nothing sticking out behind your lighting board you dont need it.

I had a plastic one for a while. Rubbish, fell to bits but I did run over it.  Never bothered since but my lighting board sticks out beyond the scooter.


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