[hellmet]

I notice conspicuity tape being applied on several commercial vehicles in AP, including cabs, and buses. I find them to greatly help vehicle visibility in the night, especially given that in India you find many vehicles without working tail lights.

I would like to have some of this tape on my vehicle as well, just to increase visibility and safety during night driving.

I asked around a few radium shops and was told that this tape was available only at the RTO (a place I'd rather not visit).

Can someone tell me if I can find this tape outside of a government agency?

I'm talking of this:




I'm slightly paranoid about safety. This is how I decked up my cycle.



Please suggest. Thanks!

[cityvic]

3M sells such tapes at their dealerships.

[Tassem]

A friend of mine with a similar need as yours, got reflective stickers in body color (white) for his car. Highly effective and cost next to nothing.

He applied it around the number plate area and on the bottom edge of the rear/front bumper.

Best part is that its hardly noticeable since its body color and does not make the car look like a decked up truck or rickshaw. However at night, its a bright white line on the bumper.

Any particular reason why you arent going for the normal reflective stickers? Are these so much better than the regular stickers?

If you must have only these, then they're available on ebay -

Here - http://www.ebay.in/itm/Auto-Car-Self...item5895b05643

And Here - http://www.ebay.in/sch/verodia.direc....c0.m270.l1313

[richie4u]

I do not know about Hyderabad but here in Goa you can get this tape at any of the spare parts store that deal in commercial vehicle spares/bike spares .

[hellmet]

Originally Posted by Tassem

Any particular reason why you arent going for the normal reflective stickers? Are these so much better than the regular stickers?

Much better reflectivity, in terms of brightness and angle of light that it can reflect back. My general observation.

[rm_arjuna]

Even I am looking for the same tapes of 3M brand, however was told to get it from the RTA office. Planning to go tomorrow. Will update

[fordday]

I saw this before in many vehicles, didn't know what it is called. Cons.. what a term!! I could not pronounce it even after trying a few times.

Need to check where in Bangalore this could be available.

[bhp_ranger]

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[hellmet]

Originally Posted by rm_arjuna

Even I am looking for the same tapes of 3M brand, however was told to get it from the RTA office. Planning to go tomorrow. Will update

Hello brother, did you happen to go to the RTO/RTA office by any chance? Please do update us.

I'm aware of a few shops in Ranigunj that sell 3M safety products such as ear plugs, eye glasses, gloves, etc. We regularly buy ear plugs to have some sound sleep in our noisy country.

Will check next time I'm there if they carry such tape as well.

[itwasntme]

Any place which sells SOLAS accredited stuff? Anything with that certification will be world class.

[rm_arjuna]

Originally Posted by hellmet

Hello brother, did you happen to go to the RTO/RTA office by any chance? Please do update us.

I'm aware of a few shops in Ranigunj that sell 3M safety products such as ear plugs, eye glasses, gloves, etc. We regularly buy ear plugs to have some sound sleep in our noisy country.

Will check next time I'm there if they carry such tape as well.

Hi , got a number from the Sec'bad RTA office counter , have been travelling hence have not been able to meet the guy . He stocks Reflexite tapes , big tapes cost 150 per metre & small ones Rs.80 per metre . These are RTA approved as claimed by him .

contact details :Rakesh # 9885854733 ,

[Vid6639]

Almost all the Volvo buses and Sumo cabs have this tape on their bumpers. What's even more surprising is that they are always 3M branded ones.

It's strange that it's not easy to find considering cabbies love them so much.

[hellmet]

Thank you "rm_arjuna" !

I went to the Trimulgherry RTO today and found out that they sell these tapes at the back of the campus. You'll see a lot of people selling tapes flashing prior cut pieces (of 1metre in length) in their hands. One of them is Rakesh whose number "rm_arjuna" shared with us. Seemed like a decent fellow. They sell Red, Yellow, White tapes in two sizes, one inch (Rs75/mt) and two inches (Rs150/mt) in thickness. I bought two metres each of white (1") and red (2") tapes for a total cost of 450/-. I did not haggle. I forgot to ask him why they're not available outside the RTO :(

Can't wait to stick these on my car. One metre red on the hatch, another metre white on the front bumper. My car's black and side visibility is an issue in the night, so I'm wondering what shape to cut the tape and where to stick for maximum effect. Leftovers on the motorcycle

Here are pictures of the tape:

[hellmet]

A bit of research on the internet told me that conspicuity tape is also called "prismatic" tape for its made up of tiny prisms (or mirrors). The run of the mill regular reflective tape you find at radium stores all over is called "glass-bead" tape and is preferred because it's thinner and you can cut & shape them using CAD.

The other day I happened to see UPPAL RTO en route my journey towards Champapet. On my return I went inside and found out a guy selling prismatic tape here too! He sold a different brand, there doesn't seem to be any legible branding on the tape, and is thicker + it has a different prism pattern as opposed to Reflexite. He quoted me the same price Rs150 for a metre of the 2" tape. Got another metre of white for use on my other "vehicles".

I applied one meter 2" on the rear bumper, and 1" tape on the front bumper. I'm not sure if or where I should apply them on the sides. Here are pictures (notice how the number plate also lights up, don't notice the scratches on the bumper ):






Here is a picture of the tape on my cycle. The regular glass bead radium stickering just pales in comparison to the reflectivity of prismatic tape. It's a must buy for cyclists out there.

[bejoy]

Originally Posted by hellmet

I forgot to ask him why they're not available outside the RTO :(

Probably due to the "demand", since it is mandatory to have these tapes on heavy vehicles, as per the CMV rules. And the RTO checkposts/offices is the place where the checks are carried out.

From the CMV rules amendment 2008

In rule 104 of the said rules, for the proviso to sub-rule (1), the following proviso shall be substituted,
namely:-
“Provided that in respect of the vehicles of -
(i) category N1 and category N2, 3.5 tonnes and above but less than 7.5 tonnes Gross Vehicle Weight,
manufactured on and after 1st
day of April, 2009, shall be affixed at the front with a white reflective
tape and at the rear with a red reflective tape running across the width of the body and the tapes affixed
at front and rear shall be not less than 20 mm width and shall conform to the requirement of Annexure-
4, 5 and 6 of AIS : 090 - 2005 till the corresponding BIS specifications are notified under the Bureau of
Indian Standards Act, 1986 (63 of 1986).
(ii) category N3 and category N2, 7.5 tonnes and above Gross Vehicle Weight, manufactured on and after
1st
day of April, 2009, shall be affixed at the front with a white reflective tape running across the width
of the body and the tape affixed at the front shall not be less than 50 mm width and shall conform to the
requirement of Annexure-4, 5 and 6 of AIS : 090-2005 till the corresponding BIS specifications are
notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 (63 of 1986).
(iii) category N3 including trailers or semi-trailers and category N2,) 7.5 tonnes and above GVW along with
trailers or semi-trailers, manufactured on and after 1st
day of April, 2009, shall be affixed with
reflective contour marking at the rear and side in accordance with AIS: 090 - 2005 till the corresponding
BIS specifications are notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 (63 of 1986).
(iv) category M2 and M3, manufactured on and after 1st
October 2009, shall be affixed at the front with
white reflective tape and at the rear with red reflective tape running across the width of the body and the
sides of M3 category vehicles shall be affixed with yellow reflective tape running across the length of the
body but tapes so affixed shall not be less than 50 mm width and shall conform to Annexures 4, 5 and 6
of AIS: 090-2005, till the corresponding BIS specifications are notified under the Bureau of Indian
Standards Act, 1986 (63 of 1986).”

PS. I couldn't find this notification on the MORTH website, but found this referred here:
http://acmainfo.com/docmgr/circular2...tification.pdf

Reflexite website:
http://www.reflexite.com/refl/in/en/

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Almost all the Volvo buses and Sumo cabs have this tape on their bumpers. What's even more surprising is that they are always 3M branded ones.

It's strange that it's not easy to find considering cabbies love them so much.

Looks like they are afixed by the manufacturer themselves, atleast for the Volvos.