# Aluminium Square warning Panel



## pfil32 (Jul 27, 2005)

After making our first trip to the continent last year when we spent a total of 5 weeks in France and thoroughly enjoyed it, we have decided to branch out a bit further and make our way to Italy at the end of the month. After reading the do's and don'ts in the CC caravan Europe 2 book it has come to my notice that an Aluminium Square warning Triangle (Plastic ones not recognised according to the CC)is required for the bike rack. Most sites I have tried to purchase one from say the Plastic ones are OK. Can anyone put me right on this ? Can I have a plastic one or does it need to be ali and also do I need one if I have no bikes on the rack as some sites state. The Alumininm ones seem a lot harder to get hold of and are 4 times the price

Thanks

Phil


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

You do indeed need an aluminium one for Italy.

I believe that this is because the plastic ones are not reflective across the whole area, just the four reflectors. On the aluminium ones the whole board is made from reflective material.

Fiamma do one, if you have problems finding one, have a word with JCM.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

For what it's worth we've been to Italy many times with the plastic one and no-one has noticed or complained. We've seen many Italian vans with plastic ones and wonder why Fiamma ( an Italian firm) would sell them if they were not legal in Italy. The aluminium one is quite a bit heavier than the plastic as well.

We don't put it on the van if we don't have the bikes on but we do use it in all countries - including UK- when we do have the bikes on. After all, it is intended to increase the visibility of the sticking out bikes and that is just as important in Oxford as in Orvieto !

There was a thread some time ago on the subject of which way up to position it for Europe and UK. We thought we'd got it right but we're not sure and no-one has ever questionned it.

G


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

We have just got back from a tour that included Italy. I was a bit peeved to see that although I had the aluminium (and far more expensive) board that nearly everybody else, including Italian truckers, were using the plastic ones.  

My understanding is that the stripes should slope down to the off-side for which ever country you are in.


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

You are correct, four times the price

Peter


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## pfil32 (Jul 27, 2005)

Thanks everyone for your help. I think I will chance a plastic one.

Phil


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

well you learn something new avery day. I was unaware that we had to put these boards on in a specific way.
3 weeks ago i was in Italy with a plastic board. No problems.
We travelled thro France Belgium Luxemburg Switzerland Germany and Italy on our trip. Not once was i checked for warning triangle beam deflecters spare specs. The gas was not checked to ensure it was turned off, or that we were carring illegal immigrants.
We did see many m/h with the plastic boards, no GB stickers or beam deflecters though.

Dave P


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Not once was i checked for warning triangle beam deflecters spare specs.
> Dave P


I doubt anyone would check for the things you list Dave, we've certainly never been checked in 30 odd years. If however you have an accident and need to warn people you're stopped on the hard shoulder, if you break your specs and can't see to drive, you come across an accident and have nothing to give first aid with or try to put out the fire, THEN you would be glad you took the listed items with you.

We carry them in the car and the van in UK too, where it is not compulsary, simply because it makes sense.

I am also aware too that a stroppy policemen somewhere in Europe COULD stop us and ask to see a compulsary item and we would then have to pay the fine and endure the consequences. My command of foreign languages is not too awful but even I would not want to argue with a policeman !

Remember too that France anyway operates a Good Samaritan law which obliges anyone who is first on the scene of an accident to stop and give aid. You'd need the warning triangles, first aid kit and high viz jackets then.

G


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

I too have learned a lot from this thread, so thanks everyone.

One further issue. I believe (though am not sure) that if you break down on the continent and get out of your vehicle with your hi-viz jacket in your hand ready to put on as soon as your feet hit the ground . . . you could, in theory be done. 8O 8O 

I believe the law states that you must be wearing the jacket at all times while outside the vehicle. :? 

Could anyone verify or otherwise clear up this point please. If I'm correct it only needs a bored or "jobsworth" police officer to be nearby and there goes another bundle of Euros!!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Zebedee said:


> I believe the law states that you must be wearing the jacket at all times while outside the vehicle. :?


That's what I understand too Dave. You must carry it in an accessible place in the vehicle- ie not in the boot or a locker or somewhere, and be wearing it when your feet touch the ground. I notice a lot of MH drivers now have theirs over their seat back, like lorry drivers. We were told, by one of them, that it had to be visible from outside the van but I don't think this is so.

We compromise in that ours fit neatly in the door in a small pocket above the proper door pocket, that looks like it was designed for that purpose.

Hands up all who have seen French, Italian, German etc policemen and others attending accidents with no sign of a high viz jacket ? This I note included the French police who appeared on the BBC porgramme on driving on the continent, last week.

G


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I carry everything and more than prescribed in m/h van and car.

In the whole of our 2500 mile trip 3 weeks ago we onlysaw 3 police cars on the roads. Six police persons in florence having a coffee.

they seem to be in small numbers whichever country we visit.
dave p


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Marker boards/reflective jackets et al*

 Buon giorno tutti,
the marker board must always be on any rear protruding item, whether it be bike rack, scooter rack, a piece of board sticking out the back window, or anything else that protrudes beyond the normal dimensions of the m/home/van/lorry or car. 
On my m/home it is a plastic one, and this has never been questioned, or should I say checked. However I do believe that close scrutiny of the latest highway code would show that a metal one is required. With a plastic one you won't have a problem in normal use - very unlikely that you would be stopped to have this item checked. However, in the case of an accident/injury/insurance claim it would then be a totally different aspect.
The reflective jacket has to be donned before you leave the vehicle; and yes, like all the laws, the worst offenders are the enforcers - be it not using safety belts, using the phone whilst driving, not wearing reflective jackets and any other misdemeanour you care to name.
Also remember, you need TWO triangles for motorway use.
However, driving is fun.
Enjoy your Italian Experience folks.
saluti,
eddied


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## suffolkian (Jul 25, 2007)

Just out of interest does the High Viz jacket have to be of the yellow variety or are the orange ones acceptable? Yellow is so last year!

Ian


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## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Jackets & panels in Italy*

Ciao Ian - you are so right, but haven't seen any ornage ones on sale here yet.

If you are not all already bored to tears by this subject, done a bit of research. Discovered that it had been raised early 2007 by me on an Ialian forum, probably because it had been raised on here too.

If you are interested and can read Italian, you can go to www.patente.it and look up the relative article of the highway code which is art. 164.
This then has to refer you to art. 361 which explains how the panel should be made. It has to be 2500 square cms. i.e. 50 cms. by 50 cms. AND COVERED IN REFLECTIVE PLASTIC red/white stripes set at an angle of 45 degrees. It says that the panels are USUALLY metal, but doesn't specify that they have to be. (My question - is a plastic one reflective enough?)They do have to carry an homologation stamp.
This then refers you to article 192, which makes it incumbent on the police forces to stop you, fine you from 76 to 500 Euros, take away your driving licence, and confiscate the vehicle until such a time that you affix a proper panel - if you don't have an approved one of course.
Think I'll take my bike rack off - never use it anyway, was already there when I bought the van.

All this answers my question in the signature! :roll:

saluti,
eddied


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