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The “Spikes” sign is a long-standing invention: this “cocked hat” came into use back in the nineties of the last century, when studded tires ceased to be exotic, available exclusively for motorsportsmen, and began to appear on civilian cars. At that time, the sign warning that the car was running on spikes was very relevant: it urged drivers following on all-season tires to keep their distance – it is clear, after all, that the braking distance on ice on spikes is noticeably shorter than on ordinary tires.
Recent changes in legislation
On November 29, 2018, the government signed a resolution allowing do not hang sign “Thorns” for cars, due to the fact that it has lost its relevance. The movement of the car is influenced by many factors and such a sign misleads other participants, not allowing to accurately judge the characteristics of the car, the Ministry of Internal Affairs noted. In addition, the sticker on the rear window impairs visibility and control of the road.
The Thorns sign is not required in 2022. Before its cancellation at the end of 2018, it was needed. Although few people bother with its installation. Its presence was regulated by such a document as “Basic provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety.” It contained paragraph 8, which stated that a car with studded tires must be equipped with the appropriate identification mark “Spikes”. By the way, the same paragraph also indicates other signs that should be present on the car in 2022, for example, “Beginner driver” (exclamation mark on a yellow background).
Dimensions of the sign “Spikes” according to GOST
The notorious paragraph 8 in the “Basic Provisions” also indicated the size of the “Thorns” sign: it should be an equilateral white triangle with a base of at least 200 mm and a red border, the width of which should be 1/10 from the side. The black letter “Sh” should be inscribed in the border. The maximum size of the sign could be any. But even the smallest option still comes out quite large
Where to glue the sign “Spikes” according to the rules
The location of the sign in the rules is not spelled out at all. So it’s up to you to decide where to glue the “Spikes” sign. It is absolutely not necessary to sculpt it on the rear window and thereby limit the view in the rear-view mirror. By the way, the sign itself does not have to be a sticker: in stores you can find it on a suction cup, or even in the form of a magnet that is easy to attach to a door or trunk lid. This badge is easy to remove at the end of the season. It would also be nice to pick off the sticker, but if you leave it for the summer, the tragedy will not happen: they will not be able to fine you for this.
Penalties for the absence of the sign “Spikes”
In 2022, such a fine does not exist, because the sign is not mandatory. But if we talk about the history of the issue, then the inspector had the right to punish for the lack of a sign on a car shod with a “pop”. In the spring of 2017, paragraph 7.15.1 appeared in the “List of malfunctions and conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited” (this is an appendix to the above “Main Applications”) – this is exactly what it says about the absence of identification marks that must be installed by car. This fully applied to the sign “Spikes”. And if he was not on the car, then the inspector could fine the driver under article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, part 1, which promises a warning or a fine of 500 rubles. The sticker was much cheaper. It is noteworthy that until 2017 there were no fines.
Could the Thorns sign be made mandatory again?
Representatives of Avtodor spoke about this in 2020. All due to the fact that studded tires destroy the road surface. No wonder it is banned in some European countries. And not only in warm regions, but also Scandinavian ones. As an alternative, Velcro tires are used there.
So Avtodor and other road organizations asked for the return of the sign. So that drivers who use spikes out of season begin to receive fines. But the medal has two sides: firstly, they obviously did not want to anger the drivers with the next sanctions. Secondly, it was then necessary to develop clear criteria for determining the seasonality of rubber. In other words, from what to what number can you use the “pop”. Bearing in mind that the weather here constantly presents surprises, this task seems almost meaningless. Therefore, the sign “Thorns” by 2022 has not returned to the category of mandatory.