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Reflective Tape Question

No.2Diesel

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I am still on the hunt for my very own tag-along trailer. I would like to paint whatever it is OD (JimK style) but can't stand that mile long strip of red & white reflective tape that you see on most trailers.

Here's the question: Can you substitute the tape for marker lights?? What is the actual NYSDOT requirements? I can never find diagrams of whats required. Thanks and have a happy Cadbury Bunny Day.
 

jimk

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The requirements can be found in the a catalogs the co. manufactures tape.My parts store- PBS (Pat's Brake Service) had info in A cat. Good to review .Statement made is' I am legal'. You will notice that every big rig has it on the trailers .It is a % of toal length ,and across the back. Instuctions tell where it needs to go, like side needs to be as close to the ends as possible (mine does not). You can use many small 2 ft sections. 2 ft lengths are sold . I may have posted some details in a previous post. Will take a quick look, but If I did it would be a brief overview, not the complete details found in the book. I would like to have used less, or none. It is expensive ~1-2$ per ft if memory correct. I found a deal on e-bay. Kit for a horse trl. 40' for 18$.

Good to be legal. I Went on a 600m road trip one night. Left at 3AM. 1/2 mile out followed by Sherriff (5-mile?) .Not a worry,as every light worked, even a LP light on deuce for the 70's vintage plate. I'm sure officer friendly notices details like that. Gave him a real show, with a heavy foot,fast thru the corners(well relitively) and fat smoke screen...JimK
 

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BEASTMASTER

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get some of that magnetic sign stuff and cut it into stips the size of the reflective tape and stick the tape to that.stick it to the trailer for safety and peel it off when not needed. :beer:
 

jimk

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Yes, but there are other reasons:

A driver will need a CDL if the vehicle meets one of the following definitions of a CMV: [3]

Class A - Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds (11,793 kg) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds (4536 kg).
Class B - Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds (11,793 kg), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds (4536 kg) GVWR.
Class C - Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.
States may require drivers of additional vehicles to have CDLs...

source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_driver's_license

As for myself I hold, and have for over 24 years, a Class A+M(motorcycle),endorsements incl. double/triples,hazmat,tank,metal coil,tow truck. JimK

p.s. If you stay local might get by without tape. There would be some h--l to pay if you didn't have it and that contribuited to an [serious]accident
 

Elwenil

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All heavy trailers manufactured on or after December 1, 1993 must be equipped with red-and-white retroreflective tape, sheeting and/or reflex reflectors around the sides and rear to make them more conspicuous. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) established this requirement, with its various options, in December 1992 by amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment." However, retroreflective tape has been used almost exclusively for meeting the standard, and it is the subject of this evaluation. Heavy trailers are at least 80 inches wide and have a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating over 10,000 pounds.

In March 1999, the Federal Highway Administration extended the application of this important protection to the entire on-road trailer fleet by directing motor carriers engaged in interstate commerce to retrofit heavy trailers manufactured before December 1993 with tape or reflectors. These older trailers must have some form of conspicuity treatment, by June 1, 2001, in the locations specified by the NHTSA standard for new trailers, except on the rear impact guard. In other words, as of June 2001, almost all heavy trailers on the road will have some form of conspicuity treatment. This Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation furthermore gives motor carriers until June 1, 2009 to retire their pre-1993 trailers or retrofit them with treatments that conform exactly to the NHTSA standard (again, with the exception of the rear impact guard).
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/regrev/Evaluate/809222.html

S5.7 Conspicuity Systems. Each trailer of 80 or more inches overall
width, and with a GVWR over 10,000 lbs., manufactured on or after
December 1, 1993, except a trailer designed exclusively for living or
office use, and each truck tractor manufactured on or after July 1,
1997, shall be equipped with either retroreflective sheeting that meets
the requirements of S5.7.1, reflex reflectors that meet the requirements
of S5.7.2, or a combination of retroreflective sheeting and reflex
reflectors that meet the requirement of S5.7.3.
S5.7.1 Retroreflective sheeting. Each trailer or truck tractor to
which S5.7 applies that does not conform to S5.7.2 or S5.7.3 shall be
equipped with retroreflective sheeting that conforms to the requirements
specified in S5.7.1.1 through S5.7.1.5.
S5.7.1.1 Construction. Retroreflective sheeting shall consist of a
smooth, flat, transparent exterior film with retroreflective elements
embedded or suspended beneath the film so as to form a non-exposed
retroreflective optical system.
http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cg...ISdocID=90550982281+4+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve
 

rmgill

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Once again, state regs vary. Federally, the regs exclude lots of vehicles based on their not being used commercially. They don't for example, exempt recreational vehicles because of configuration, but rather because of their use. Driving back and forth in your state or between states is NOT commercial because you're not doing business.

390 part (3) subsection (f) designate vehicles used to move personal property as NOT being commercial and subject to the section in 390. 383 exempts vehicles NOT used for Commerce. Not using your vehicle for commerce (aka some sort of business) then you're NOT commercial according to the feds.

390.3 General Applicability
(f) Exceptions. Unless otherwise specifically provided, the rules in this subchapter do not apply to —

(f)(3) The occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation nor in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise


There's a guidance section too.
Question 21: Does the exemption in §390.3(f)(3) for the "occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation nor in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise" apply to persons who occasionally use CMVs to transport cars, boats, horses, etc., to races, tournaments, shows or similar events, even if prize money is offered at these events?

Guidance: The exemption would apply to this kind of transportation, provided: (1) The underlying activities are not undertaken for profit, i.e., (a) prize money is declared as ordinary income for tax purposes, and (b) the cost of the underlying activities is not deducted as a business expense for tax purposes; and, where relevant; (2) corporate sponsorship is not involved. Drivers must confer with their State of licensure to determine the licensing provisions to which they are subject.
 

BillIdaho

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Speaking of reflective tape...I have about 3 or 5 rolls of Mil-Spec reflective tape, the stuff that looks kinda gray/silver during the day, but looks brilliant white when a light hits it at night. When I got it, I peeled a few inches off and it didn't feel very sticky....I put some on the rear of my 5-ton, and a few days later I went out and tried to peel it back off. Darn-near couldn't! The tape set-up or something, it stuck way more than I would have figured. It's about 2 inches wide and the rolls are about 6 or 7 inches in diameter. They look kinda like a roll of duct tape. For sale.
 

jimk

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Good info Ryan,Lanty,

NY State regs. on what is an 'exempt' vehicle is similar to fed but offers fewer examples. The one that best applies is recreational vehicle. I called Albany a few years ago and discussed MV's with the expert (NYSDOT Commercial Vehicles). He said a transported MV(private use) would be included [exempt] ... if there were a problem he would write a letter for the judge...
Around that time I discussed issues wiith the NY State Police Heavy Vehicle Iinspection Unit. Also -not- required (for RV use) - fire extingusher, triangles/breakdown refectors, trailer breakaway system. We both agreed that these are all very good thing to have. I do.

Last Saturday AM I stopped at a closed inspection station. Officer Friendly arrived, opened up, and grabbed the first big rig. I went over and asked about tape. His words: "you should be able to get away with [out] it". I expected a more difinitive answer(i.e. Not req.).

For myself I like to have the option to transport anything(Ok almost anything).I also feel having some tape on a 55' long flat OD/camo rig at 4AM, in the fog ,thru Hickory Run SP, going half the speed limit... is a good idea.

Beastmaster offered a great solution. Magnetic backing. I may try that.JimK
 

rmgill

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Triangles, Extinguisher, first aid kit, etc are a good idea. I carry them as well. Squirttruck has reflective tape that he stuck to magnetic strips that he puts on his truck's cargo bed to increase the visibility at night but he can take them off at MV shows. Not a bad idea actually.
 
Bill said:
I peeled a few inches off and it didn't feel very sticky....I put some on the rear of my 5-ton, and a few days later I went out and tried to peel it back off. Darn-near couldn't!
Reflective does indeed become more aggressive over time as do all vinyls. But reflective has a 3 part lamination that will separate when it becomes old and is really a bear to remove.
After a few years the material becomes cloudy and not as reflective due to the UV. The stuff is getting better in quality but you can expect 3-5 years out here.
When I get vehicles in here with reflective material on them (for removal or changed out) I have to grind them off with a special rubber wheel attached to a die grinder and them little buggers ain't cheap since they don't last long.

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/p-11631-14333.aspx
 

No.2Diesel

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Thanks for everyones input but I still don't have a definitive consensus regarding substitutes for reflective tape.

Can amber marker lights be placed at regular intervals along the trailer sides instead of the continous tape? Marker lights would be less flashy in the daytime but still provide notice that a trailer is being towed at night (a good compromise in my opinion.)
 

Crash_AF

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Reviving an old thread because I just ran into this with my car hauler.

DOT does not require not-for-hire operators to retrofit reflective tape on their trailers. It is, however, recommended for safety reasons. The legal answer I got was that to meet DOT regulations for commercial use, the reflective tape had to extend the ENTIRE length of the trailer, to include any over the bed portions of the gooseneck. This was in addition to any amber reflectors or running lights that were installed (mine has lights every 2 feet). The thought is that if your vehicle is broken down and blocking the road with no power available for the lights, the tape will warn drivers.

For private use, anything is better than nothing. So to answer your question, if you think that amber reflectors/markers look better than red/white tape, then install them since they are better than nothing at all.

Later,
Joe
 

acetomatoco

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In a combat situation, all markings are normally covered by sandbags or painted over with the exception of those needed for friendly ID...lately, that has been done by electronic devices... fof indicators...but the > V etc works, too... No one is ever going to gig you for add on safety devices at a show... Just like directionals on a MB...or two brake lites on a WC etc...
 
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