RTO demands reflective stickers?

[karlosdeville]

Of late I have spotted many cars/trucks/ricks in Pune sporting relective tape on their bumpers, much like this, white on the front, red at the rear





A friend told me that it is compulsory for all vehicles over 15 years old, but I ignored it. Yesterday I was at the RTO getting a car passed, and I noticed every new commerial vehicle getting registered was being fitted with this tape simultaneously. Then a young boy came up to me selling the tape telling me its compulsory, but I ignored him as well, since I had red tape on both (he wanted me to fit white on the front). The inspector checking the car didnt look like he could care less, and just checked the lights and went off, so I didnt bother asking him about the stickers. I asked a couple of agents, they told me its a new rule, but nothing concrete.

Has anybody else heard of this? Is this unique only to Pune?

[condor]

Definitely been around for the cabs / yellow boards .. looks more a means to make some silly money, in a silly way.

[gbpscars]

sounds like a parasitic trade practice,... just like what one gets to experience outside temples? yeah?

[nikkibike]

Those reflective stickers/tokens are mandatory for all vehicles which are up for "FITNESS TEST"!!! Be it Transport/NonTransport Vehicle. I guess this is followed everywhere in India.

[karlosdeville]

Can anyone point out where exactly it is written in the rules? It wansn't mentioned on any form or board at the passing office. Sounds very ridiculous to me. Besides the chance to make money at the RTO, cops now have one more excuse to flag down us oldies.

Those damned stickers will ruin my chrome bumper, besdies being an eyesore.

[itwasntme]

The MVD should make it compulsory for ALL commercial vehicles (including taxis etc) to sport the same on both front and back.

Given the breakdown rate on our unlit highways/expressways, that tiny piece of reflective tape could mean the difference between a catastrophic accident and a emergency stop/lane change manoeuvre!

The EU already specifies reflective tape on front and back of commercial vehicles and are contemplating mandatory stickers down the sides as well.

Ensure this change and I am very sure that the rear-ending and head ons will drop on our highways and ring roads!

[Rudra Sen]

What's the idea of putting these stickers?

[condor]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

What's the idea of putting these stickers?

A parasitic trade practice at worst, a life saver at best. Both points by gbpscars & itwasntme are spot on.

But nothing in the RTO rules says so, that we need to have these on our vehicles.

Like another TBHP-ian in another thread had said, he had carried a spare set and used that instead of buying it from the chaps the cops directed him to, since he didnt have the stickers with him when the cops flagged him down.

OT, If I really need to have these, I'd prefer a strip like the Volvo's have (KSRTC Volvo's, for those who are familiar with the reflective red-white strips on the rear of these buses)

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Given the breakdown rate on our unlit highways/expressways, that tiny piece of reflective tape could mean the difference between a catastrophic accident and a emergency stop/lane change manoeuvre!

Every car's rear lamps cluster has a reflective element built in. This does serve the purpose to a large extent, does it not?

[JayD]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Every car's rear lamps cluster has a reflective element built in. This does serve the purpose to a large extent, does it not?

yes, but on some older cars, it may not be too clear. Currently only older cars are being made to stick this on them.

[Vayalam]

Every car's rear lamps cluster has a reflective element built in. This does serve the purpose to a large extent, does it not?

It does, but one sees lot of trucks on highways without rear lamps at all!

[Thad E Ginathom]

At a wild guess... making the idiots who drive at night with no lights on a little more visible?

[kartikkumar]

I'm not so sure about private vehicles, but this would be a great way of making those monsters visible on roads at night, considering their tail light clusters are invariably absent or completely broken. I don't believe there is a law to this effect (will check though), it looks like an cheap way to try and protect other road users.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Every car's rear lamps cluster has a reflective element built in. This does serve the purpose to a large extent, does it not?

I suppose ideally the reflector should be more effective than this tape. But there are thousands of nyncompoops out there with no taillight assemblies completely, forget fused bulbs. Infact spotting an old Amby or Fiat with working brakelights is so rare today, that the last time moralfibre and me saw one we had to document it!



Of course, this was expected from the elderly gent driving it...hes been maintaining it in showroom condition for around 40 years now. The present generation never learned these things. Read Srinivas Krishnans great article on the same subject in this months BSMotoring.