Sign "Spikes" on a car: why you need it, what a fine and how to attach
Content
Among the many duties of drivers, there are some that seem incomprehensible and meaningless. These include the obligation to install the “Spikes” sign if studded winter tires are used. Consider the situation with a red triangle known to every car owner with the letter “Sh” as of mid-2018.
Sign "Thorns": is it necessary
The sign "Spikes" means that the car has studded tires. If winter wheels are installed, but not equipped with studs, the sign should not be displayed.
Vehicles must be marked with:
"Spikes" - in the form of an equilateral triangle of white color with the top up with a red border, into which the letter "Ш" is inscribed in black (the side of the triangle is not less than 200 mm, the width of the border is 1/10 of the side) - behind motor vehicles with studded tires.
The operation of vehicles that do not meet the requirements of the Basic Provisions is not allowed. This is directly stated in the Basic Provisions themselves, which provide a list of malfunctions and conditions that prevent the operation of the vehicle.
There are no identification marks that must be installed in accordance with clause 8 of the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety, approved by the Decree of the Council of Ministers - the Government of the Russian Federation of October 23, 1993 N 1090 "On the rules road traffic".
The absence of a sign is not a malfunction of the car, but is considered as a condition without which the car cannot be used. Accordingly, you cannot pass a technical inspection on studded tires without a triangle.
Violation of the requirement to install a sign falls under Part 1 of Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which provides for liability for driving a machine in violation of operating conditions. Ignoring the requirement to install a sign will cost the driver a warning or a fine of 500 rubles. Formally, if a violation is detected, the traffic inspector must prohibit the further operation of the vehicle and require the installation of a sign. The possibility of detaining the vehicle (evacuation) in case of such offenses is not provided.
Clause 7.15(1) of the Annex came into force on April 04.04.2017, XNUMX. The need for innovation was due to two reasons:
- on a winter road, the braking distance of a car equipped with studded tires is much less than that of a car with conventional wheels, therefore, the driver moving behind must be informed about the presence of studs and choose a distance taking into account the difference in braking if his car is not equipped with similar tires;
- with low quality studded wheels, metal studs may fly off when driving, which must also be taken into account when driving from behind.
Based on such considerations, the Government considered it obligatory to establish a sign. The expediency of imposing a duty, especially one fixed by measures of administrative responsibility, is somewhat doubtful. It is possible that some car owners still continue to use summer tires all year round, but such “80 lvl” drivers, even without any warning signs, realize their exclusivity and understand that the car in front is almost certainly on winter wheels. Detachment of a thorn is a rather rare phenomenon. In winter, it is much more likely to get a chip due to a poor-quality sand-salt mixture scattered along the roads than from a flying spike.
The history of the sign goes back to the early 90s, when studded tires were rare. In those days, ordinary rubber was mainly used all year round, and the movement on studded wheels really stood out from the general picture in terms of its characteristics. But the installation of the sign was advisory in nature, failure to comply did not entail responsibility. Currently, the road situation has changed fundamentally. The nature of the movement is largely influenced by the design of cars and the brake systems installed on them, and it is almost impossible to find ordinary summer tires on a winter road. Why changes are needed now is not clear. However, in the winter season 2017-2018, the rule was in effect. Traffic police officers monitored the compliance of car owners with the requirements of the Basic Provisions, although there was no information about any special raids or checks.
Sign parameters and installation
The sign is an equilateral triangle with the letter "Ш" located inside in the center. The border of the triangle is red, the letter is black, the inner field is white. The side of the triangle is 20 cm, the width of the border is 1/10 of the length of the side, i.e. 2 cm.
The sign must be installed at the rear, more specifically, the location is not specified. In most cases, the sign is placed on the rear window. The view is least limited when placing the triangle in the lower left side. There are signs on the trunk lid, rear body panel or bumper.
There are two types of signs for sale:
- disposable on an adhesive basis for fixing outside the car;
- reusable with suction cup for attaching to the back glass from the inside.
In the vast majority of cases, car owners prefer cheap signs on an adhesive basis. By the end of the need, the sign is easily removed, the remaining traces are eliminated without difficulty. You can buy a triangle at gas stations or in car dealerships. The cost of the simplest one-time sign is from 25 rubles. The device on the suction cup will cost a little more.
The sign is not supplied with any security elements or registration marks, therefore, if desired, it can be made independently by printing on a color (color sign) or monochrome (sign for coloring) printer. The side of the triangle fits neatly into an A4 sheet. A black and white image should be colored according to one's talents and capabilities in compliance with the above color scheme. A self-made sign can be attached with adhesive tape from inside the car.
"Spikes": prospects for using the sign in the next winter season
Following the results of the first winter season, when the badge became mandatory, the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to an unexpected conclusion that its further use would be inexpedient. The result was a draft Government Decree on amendments to the traffic rules, according to which the sign "Spikes" is excluded from the mandatory installation on a car. At the same time, some other minor changes to the rules are expected to be made. On May 15, 2018, the project was submitted for public discussion (you can see the project progress here). As of May 30, 2018, the discussion has been completed and the document is in the process of being finalized.
Considering that the public did not react to the proposed changes, and the only interested ministry itself took the initiative to cancel the duty in question, it is highly likely that in the near future the installation of the sign from mandatory will again become recommended. On 01.06.2018/XNUMX/XNUMX, the news on the central channels even reported that the decision had already been adopted, but in this case, the journalists were somewhat ahead of the actual events and no changes had yet been made on the specified date.
The question of the obligatory installation of the sign "Spikes" is losing its relevance. But it will hardly be necessary to be very surprised if, after some time, similar changes are made to the traffic rules again. Sometimes the actions of legislators and rule-making bodies do not fall under the usual understanding.
