Hi all, the following has been posted on a local Malawi site
""New regulations covering the appearance and use of triangles, reflective vests and reflective markings were published on the 8 September 2009, thereby revoking the regulations of two previous decrees, passed in 1963 and 1970 respectively. The new regulations will come into effect 90 days from the 8 September, or in roughly two month’s time.
The new regulations follow below as an interpretation of the unofficial translation of the decree provided by the Associaçao de Comércio e Indústria (ACIS). ACIS recommends that all uncertainties should be dealt with by consulting the original Portuguese legislation.
Each side of your triangle must be 500mm long and 50mm wide, with a thickness of roughly 5mm. The triangle must be uniformly-covered in red reflective material. The back of the triangle must either be uniformly white, or have a 5mm-wide white border. The edge of the triangle must be yellow. The reflective surfaces must be well-maintained. The triangle must be visible from at least 100m in the presence of light.
Your reflective vest must be made from polyester. You must be able to close you vest at the front, and adjust the vest at the sides. The vest must be equipped with polyvinyl reflective strips in yellow or green on the front, to the sides, and on the back of the vest. These strips must not be less than 400mm wide. You must wear your vest when at the scene of a car accident, when repairing your vehicle on the side of the road, and when reloading cargo that has fallen from your vehicle on to the road.
Reflective markings must be used on all vehicles and trailers over 10,000kg in weight or more than 6m long. Reflective markings should be placed on the sides and back or back edges of vehicles and trailers in continuous or contiguous (in close proximity) lines. Markings must be between 0.25m and 1.5m from the ground, and may be extended up to 2.1m. Reflective markings must be made of yellow reflective material, and be at least 50mm wide. If a marking is not continuous, than the distance separating markings must be no more than 80 percent of the length of each marking.
For non-compliance with the new regulations for reflective vests and reflective markings, you can expect a fine of between MT 500.00 and MT 1,000.00. For non-compliance with the new regulations for triangles the maximum fine is MT 500.00.
If your current triangle, reflective vest or reflective markings do not comply with the new regulations, you may purchase new reflective equipment from one of the companies listed blow in the table provided by ACIS.
Company
Email
Telephone
Location (all companies have the capacity to supply elsewhere in the country if necessary)
Duarte & Oliveira
aldiol@intra.co.mz
+258 23 322 189
Beira
Nova Vida
werner@novavida.co.mz
+258 84 310 6900
Maputo, Tete, Beira
Norco
norcomoz@intra.co.mz
+258 21 314 865
Maputo
Prosol
proman@tdm.co.mz
+258 25 122 385
Beira, Chimoio
Sem Custos
aderito@semcustos.com
+258 21 730 168
The new regulations do state that if you were already in possession of a triangle before the new decree was published, your triangle will remain valid for the next five years, presumably from the date the new regulations come into effect. However, it will be a matter of difficulty for the police to determine when a triangle was purchased.""
Sounds like a great oportunity for the notorious Moz police to make a liitle (more) on the side.
Ivan
