Is it necessary to hang a thorn sign?
Is the “Spikes” sign necessary in 2019-2020: the sticker has been abolished, but there is a nuance on how to properly apply the Spikes sign
The Spikes sign on a car: is it possible not to use it? For a long period of time, drivers have been asking the question: is it necessary to stick on the Spikes sign? The sign itself is very controversial: just a few years ago, its absence could have resulted in a fine. But at the same time, numerous studies show that the absence of a sign has no effect on the number of road accidents.
From the conclusions based on the results of the analyzes it follows that a car without the Spikes sign can only in rare cases become the culprit of an accident on Russian roads. The law required the placement of this sign, and drivers, although reluctantly, were forced to obey. How are things now and are drivers of vehicles still fined if there is no corresponding label on the rear window.
The sticker has been removed, but there is a nuance
If road users had carefully followed changes in legislation, they would have been aware that the mandatory presence of the Spikes sign was abolished in 2019. But the fact is that the corresponding resolution has not yet entered into force, which means that traffic police officers will still have grounds for some time to stop the car and issue a fine to the driver.
At the moment, the problem with the absence/presence of a studded tire sign sticker on a car is only that drivers, like traffic cops, are not sufficiently information savvy in terms of innovations in traffic rules. When the cancellation of the sign is officially announced, the issue will be finally resolved, and drivers will be able to remove the sticker from the rear window, since they will definitely not receive penalties for its absence.
How to glue the Spikes sign correctly?
While the presence of a sign is better for the driver than its absence, it is worth figuring out how it should be placed on the car body. According to the law, a single place for gluing the sign, as well as its dimensions, are not established. Only a few norms and parameters are mandatory:
- a single established form - an acute-angled triangle of regular shape;
— the color of the base is only white, the letter Ш on it is black;
— stripes along the perimeter are exclusively red;
- the distance between the vertices of the triangle is at least 20 cm, but the maximum length is not established.
Since the rules do not provide clear instructions on where to place the sticker, the best option would be to attach it to the trunk or rear window. The main thing is that the sign does not cover the license plate and does not prevent the driver from looking at the road.
There are optimal mounting locations for certain types of vehicles. If we are talking about an SUV, then the choice is wide - rear window, body, spare tire cover. For a pickup truck, the option with a rear window is not possible, so it is best to attach the sign to the body (rear part).
Another option is to find a place on an awning. In the case of a sedan, a good place for placement would be the left side of the rear window - the faster the driver of the car from behind sees it, the better.
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Penalty for missing a spike sign
Attention! Starting from December 8, 2018, installation of the “Spikes” sign on the car is not required , because A new version of the traffic rules, discussed in a separate article, came into force.
Good afternoon, dear reader.
The text of the traffic rules provides for the installation of special identification signs, which until December 8, 2018 included the “Spikes” sign or the “Ш” sign.
This sign was intended to inform drivers of other vehicles that the vehicle has studded tires.
In this article you will learn about the features of this sign:
Is the spike sign required or not?
In practice, it was not possible to see the “Ш” sign on every car with winter tires. To put it bluntly, less than half of Russian drivers installed this sign.
In this regard, the question arises: is it necessary to glue the “Spikes” sign at all? Is this required by law?
The following identification marks must be installed on vehicles :
.
“ Spikes ” - in the form of an equilateral triangle of white color with the top up with a red border, into which the letter “Ш” is inscribed in black (the side of the triangle is at least 200 mm, the width of the border is 1/10 of the side) - behind motor vehicles with studded tires;
In addition, consider clause 2.3.1 of the traffic rules:
2.3. The driver of the vehicle is obliged to:
2.3.1. Before leaving, check and ensure that the vehicle is in good technical condition on the way in accordance with the Basic Regulations for the admission of vehicles to operation and the responsibilities of officials to ensure road safety.
Thus, until 2019, the “Spikes” sign had to be installed . This was required by traffic rules.
In addition, from April 4, 2017 to December 8, 2018, the absence of the “Spikes” identification mark was included in the list of faults for which the operation of vehicles is prohibited:
7.15 1 . There are no identification marks that must be installed in accordance with paragraph 8 of the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety, approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers - Government of the Russian Federation of October 23, 1993 N 1090 “On the Rules traffic."
Dimensions of signs for self-production
The thorn sign can be purchased in a store or made independently. In this case, the following conditions must be observed:
- The sign is a red triangle with a black letter Ш inscribed in it.
- The length of the side of the triangle is at least 20 cm.
- The width of the red border is 10% of the length of the side of the triangle.
If you do not want to draw a triangle yourself, then I suggest you download and print the finished version on an A4 sheet:
Please note that the triangle is quite large. A side length of 20 cm just fits on an A4 sheet (its width is 21 cm). However, this is the size regulated by the Rules.
Some tips for making your own sign:
- For printing, it is better not to use plain paper with a density of 80 g/m2, because... the sign will be short-lived. It is better to take photo paper with a density of 120 - 150 g/m2.
- A sign intended for black and white printers should be colored yourself. To do this, take a red felt-tip pen or pencil and paint over the edge of the sign.
- To attach the sign, it is best to use a suction cup (or 3 suction cups on the corners of the triangle). If you stick the sign with tape, then after it is removed there will be a mark on the car glass. In addition, a sign stuck with tape is unlikely to be reused.
When it comes to purchasing a “Spikes” sign in a store, you need to consider the following details:
- Finished signs quite often have dimensions that do not comply with traffic regulations. It should be taken into account that it makes no sense to install a small sign, because... it will be legally considered that there is no sign on the car. As a result, the sign will simply block part of the view through the rear window, but will not provide any benefits.
- There are several options for attaching a sign . I recommend choosing the option with a suction cup (with suction cups). The sign, made in the form of a sticker, can only be used once; when removed, traces of glue may remain on the glass.
Where to put the “Spikes” sign according to the rules?
The only requirement for installing the “Spikes” sign was given in paragraph 8 of the Basic Provisions. Namely, the sign must be installed at the rear of motor vehicles .
There is no information on this issue in other regulatory documents. So the “Ш” sign could be installed anywhere: on the rear window (inside or outside), on the door or trunk lid, on the bumper, on the rear body cover, on the awning.
Before installation, it was necessary to inspect the car and select a place where a triangle with a side of 20 cm would fit. The sign should have been attached there.
Fine for not having a “Spikes” sign
From April 4, 2017 to December 8, 2018, traffic police officers could impose a fine for the absence of the “Spikes” sign under Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code:
1. Driving a vehicle in the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which, in accordance with the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety, operation of the vehicle is prohibited, with the exception of malfunctions and conditions specified in parts 2 - 7 of this article, -
entails a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles.
Please note that this article deals with the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited. Paragraph 8, which until 2019 referred to the installation of the “Spikes” sign, refers to such malfunctions.
Therefore, the punishment for the absence of the “Spikes” sign was a warning or a fine of 500 rubles .
Passing a technical inspection without the “Spikes” sign
In 2020, during a technical inspection, the operator does not check for the presence of the “Ш” sign on the vehicle.
A complete list of requirements is given in Appendix 1 to the Technical Inspection Rules:
If you wish, you can study this section in its entirety, but you will not find any mention of the “Spikes” sign there.
In conclusion, I would like to note once again that the installation of the “Spikes” sign from December 8, 2018 is not mandatory and no fines will be imposed for its absence.
Is it necessary to hang a thorn sign?
Home » Transport » Is a spike sign required on a car in 2019?
Is a spike sign required on a car in 2019?
Government sources have previously reported the possible abolition of the thorn sign, and the government has repeatedly stated that it is outdated. However, the question of whether the sign needs to be attached still remains relevant.
With the onset of cold weather, car enthusiasts are wondering whether it is necessary to hang a spike sign on their car in 2019.
Content:
- What date was it canceled
- Why stick a spike sign on your car?
- Is it necessary to stick a sign in 2019?
What date was it canceled
On May 21, the resolution to repeal the spike sign underwent public hearings, but the decision has not yet been officially approved. But this circumstance only adds more confusion to the question of whether the spike sign on the car was canceled or not.
In 2017, it was extremely important and practically became a symbol of the winter season. The Ministry of Internal Affairs obliged drivers to stick a triangular badge with a red border with the letter “Ш” on the rear window if the car had studded tires.
Why stick the Spikes sign on your car?
It is necessary because studs significantly shorten the braking distance of a car, even on snow or people. It is necessary to warn drivers driving behind such a studded car about this and prevent the possibility of a collision. Also, if the car has tires with studs, this can lead to gravel and sand flying out from under the wheels, which is also better to notify other road users about.
The recommendation to use the spike sign has existed since the time of the Soviet Union, but only in the 2017-2018 season, if the car did not have a warning sticker, drivers were fined. If the tires had spikes and there was no sign on the rear window, you had to pay the traffic police officers 500 rubles. The innovation was contained in the new edition of the rules released in April 2017.
The sign, which has caused a lot of controversy and controversial opinions, looks like an equilateral triangle with red borders and a black letter “W” inside.
In addition to a fine, traffic police officers could prohibit the driver from continuing to drive until the violation is eliminated. This means that the owner of a car without a sticker lost not only his money, but also his time. Not surprisingly, the change was received extremely negatively by the community.
At the same time, it was necessary to use the sign also in the summer, because the rules do not say that you should warn about tires with studs only in winter. Therefore, if tires with studs were installed on a car in the summer or spring, but there was no sign, this could lead to the payment of a fine.
The answer to the question of whether it is necessary to attach a sign has an explanation from the point of view of law, because if an accident occurs and your car was “hit” by another driver, in the case of installed tires with spikes and the absence of an appropriate sticker, the insurance service has the right to consider you the culprit and recover the amount of damages. Allegedly, the sign would affect how the driver behind him would calculate the braking distance.
Is it necessary to stick a sign in 2019?
In the spring of 2018, a message appeared on the portal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs saying that the thorn sign, the use of which was mandatory, was recognized as having no special grounds. The wording makes it sound like there is no need to stick the sticker on anymore. Despite this, car owners are in no hurry to listen, since no one wants to receive a fine just for misunderstanding the interpretation.
According to official information, a bill to repeal the rule was prepared in May; it passed public hearings on the 29th of the same month, but has not yet been approved. The authors of the new bill say that the braking distance of a car and the trajectory of its movement depends on the presence of studs only to a small extent; other factors have a greater influence - traffic congestion, internal control systems in modern cars.
The amendment is at the stage of “formation of the final draft text.” State Duma deputy Sergei Boyarsky officially requested information about the possible time frame within which the amendment would be adopted, but did not receive an official response.
As experts explain, the difficulty arose due to the fact that the traffic police agrees to cancel the fine, but wants to leave such a recommendation in the rules. According to them, this will help, for example, in resolving conflict situations in the event of an accident.
This means that until the amendments to the law are officially adopted, drivers will have to stick a triangular badge with the letter Ш on their rear window. Otherwise, they will face a fine. Even the fact that the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not consider the badge to be an effective means of preventing accidents will not save the car owner from a fine. Skeptics argue that the “spikes” will not be abolished, because fines replenish the state treasury.
To check whether the long-awaited changes will appear in the near future, check article 12.5 of the traffic rules. Until it says that it is allowed not to use the sign, it will need to be glued to the rear window. Or pay a fine.
Have the “Spikes” traffic rules sign and the fine for it been abolished today?
Cancel sticker "Ш"
As the winter months approach, questions are increasingly appearing on the Internet about whether it is necessary to stick the “Spikes” sign on the back of the car, and whether it is true that the traffic police abolished the “Sh” sticker in 2019, and along with it the fine for its absence. It’s quite easy to understand this issue if you just read the current traffic rules with all the changes, and also understand how changes are being made in the legislation of 2019.
The "Spikes" sign has been canceled - is this true?
Current traffic rules have lost this obligation since December 8, 2018 - the corresponding law was adopted, that is, the sign was canceled, and on the specified date it came into force.
The obligation was stated in paragraph 8 of the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation (Appendix of the Traffic Rules):
8. The following identification marks must be installed on vehicles:
.
“Spikes” - in the form of a white equilateral triangle with the apex up with a red border, into which the letter “W” is inscribed in black on the back of motor vehicles with studded tires .
Thus, the latest news as of December 6, 2019 is that the “Spikes” sign has been canceled as of today.
How can you prove it?
At the beginning of the article, we already mentioned that everything here is quite simple. The obligation to install the “Ш” sticker was specified in the traffic regulations. This regulatory legal act has the status of a Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation. And changes to Government resolutions are made by similar resolutions - only if the legal acts themselves have the status of approved, then changes to them are made accordingly by Decrees on Amendments.
Thus, in order to make changes to cancel the sign in our case, the following stages of procedures had to occur on the part of the Government:
- a certain deputy proposes to make changes to the traffic rules regarding the abolition of the “Spikes” sign (and, accordingly, the fine for it),
- he develops a draft Resolution along with an explanatory note, where he formulates why this is,
- the project is discussed and submitted for consideration to the State Duma,
- goes through 3 stages of readings, at each of which it can be rejected,
- if the draft is adopted in all 3 readings, it is signed by the President of Russia,
- it is then published on the Government’s legal information portal
- and finally, the draft Resolution on the abolition of the “Ш” sign comes into force a certain time after publication.
In fact, back in May 2018, a corresponding draft Resolution was submitted to the State Duma with a proposal to abolish this sign from June 1. Today, it has entered into legal force, having passed all 7 stages indicated above.
But still, numerous publications came to their senses back in the fall of 2018 and began writing that the “Spikes” sign had been canceled even when this had not happened.
If you still don’t believe me, go to the legal information portal and you will see Government Resolution No. 1414 there - it was published on November 30, 2018. This means that according to the law it comes into force exactly 7 days after that - that is, December 8.
So, legislators listened and thought about the absurdity and unnecessaryness of the “Spikes” sign as such, as well as the purpose of warning drivers behind the car that you have studded tires. Therefore, the corresponding amendments mentioned above were adopted.
Is it necessary to put up a sign in winter 2019?
No, it's no longer necessary. Since the obligation to install a sign has been removed from the traffic regulations in force as of December 6, 2019.
Previously, at the same time, it was necessary to know several subtleties of the sticker, otherwise incorrect installation could be tantamount to the fact that it does not exist at all, and lead to a fine being issued:
- The “Ш” sign had to be glued to the back of the car, it was also possible in front, but in any case it also had to be on the back of the vehicle,
- there was no clear indication that it should be installed specifically on the rear window - only at the back of the car; this means that you could stick it on the bumper, the rear wall of the trunk, on the spare tire - even if it is inside, and so on,
- the minimum dimensions of the sticker were indicated - no less than 20 cm on each side of the triangle and no less than 1/10 - the width of the border:
if the sign is smaller in size, then this is equivalent to the fact that it does not exist at all, and would entail a fine, you can download the correct sign according to GOST, - the obligation to install was prescribed only for owners of studded tires - even if there is only one of them and even if you drive in the summer; if you have Velcro or every single spike has fallen out, then the obligation disappears (but remains if there is at least one spike).
Has the Thorns sign been cancelled? Is it needed on a car? Answer from official sources
Update December 1, 2018: The government has passed a law abolishing the Thorns sign. It came into force on December 8, 2018. Today there is no obligation to install the “Ш” sign on the car.
The abolition of the Spikes sign on a car in the fall and winter of 2019 is one of the most discussed topics on the Internet. The obligation to install a sign has been removed from the current legislation. We provide information about what new law abolished it, whether there will be a traffic police fine if you drive without it, and links to official sources of information, including the current traffic rules and the Code of Administrative Offenses.
The traffic police law on the abolition of the Ш sign - is it true?
He really is. The new law was developed back in the summer of 2018 and submitted to the State Duma for consideration in order to change the traffic rules in terms of excluding the Spikes sign from the list of those required for mounting on car windows.
The need for the sign was stated in a specially created annex to the traffic rules, which regulates the rules for allowing cars to drive on public roads. It lists the mandatory identification plates for cars, among which our notorious sign was the third paragraph:
The following identification marks must be installed on vehicles :
- .
- “ Spikes ” - in the form of an equilateral triangle of white color with the top up with a red border, into which the letter “Ш” is inscribed in black (the side of the triangle is at least 200 mm, the width of the border is 1/10 of the side) - behind motor vehicles with studded tires;
But the corresponding draft resolution proposed introducing changes to this paragraph regarding the exclusion of just 3 paragraphs:
2. In paragraph 8 of the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety: delete the third paragraph .
The truth is that this law, abolishing the Shipa sign, was adopted by the Duma as of December 3, 2019 and entered into legal force. As of December 8, 2018, the obligatory sign was abolished, and there is no obligation to affix it to the back of the car according to the Rules. Read the article about changes to traffic rules on December 8.
Update from November 30, 2018 (outdated): on November 29, news appeared on the Internet that Medvedev abolished the mandatory nature of the sign. The corresponding resolution was indeed issued by the Russian government, but it has not been adopted and has not entered into legal force. To enter into force, a change in the traffic rules must be officially published on the legal information portal, which has not yet happened as of December 3, 2019.
Update November 5, 2018 (outdated): The government has promised to abolish the "W" sign soon, without specifying how soon this will happen. The Duma emphasized that the innovation had previously been postponed due to more extensive changes to the traffic rules, which will be introduced by everyone at once.
No further legal acts on the abolition have been issued so far: no new laws, no official orders, decrees, resolutions and other documents.
Important note!
- This article provides basic information, but each case is different.
- In 92% of all situations there are important nuances that can affect the outcome of the entire case.
- An experienced lawyer will study all the materials of the case and indicate in which direction to move.
Therefore, our website employs on-duty legal consultants who delve into each case and are aimed at solving it.
or consult toll-free: 8 (499) 938-43-58 (Moscow), 8 (812) 425-13-31 (St. Petersburg), 8 (800) 350-14-83 (all of Russia).
Is the Thorns sign necessary in 2019?
We conclude that the “Ш” sign, as of December 3, 2019, has been cancelled, it does not need to be glued to the rear window of the car, and there will be no fine for its absence.
This is also evidenced by the official interpretation of the current traffic rules - the above text of the Rules has changed to this day, and the mandatory Thorns sign is excluded from it:
- here is the official interpretation of paragraph 8 with the obligatory Thorns sign on the Consultant Plus website,
- Here are the same traffic rules on the Garant website.
There is no text of the Rules on the official website of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, otherwise they would have provided a link to it.
But we have even more “proofs”! The fact is that changes to the Rules (and the need for the Spikes sign is spelled out, as you understand, in the traffic rules) are made by relevant decrees of the government of the Russian Federation. Such changes have been adopted and published on the official portal for the publication of regulatory acts.
Thus, as of December 3, 2019, the Thorns sign was canceled.
In what cases was it not needed before?
There were a small number of exceptions when it was not necessary to install the “Ш” sign on the car:
- when your car has summer tires - from the most obvious,
- when the car is equipped with “Velcro” tires without studs,
- when literally all the thorns have fallen out (and not a single one remains - if at least one remains, even the most worn and sunk, as a result, deep into the depths, then the Thorn sign already becomes necessary).
Where should I install it?
Before the changes, official traffic rules clearly stated only that the sign must be pasted or otherwise installed at the rear. Is it possible to attach it where it will not be visible? According to the letter of the law, it is possible. In practice, there is no legislation in 2019, because anyway the traffic police officer would have fined you, and the court would have supported the inspector if you appealed the fine. Alas, it would hardly have been possible to cheat!
By the way, both the first and the last instance will make absolutely no difference if you try to tilt your arguments towards the absurdity of the Spikes sign in the realities of 2019, when not only spikes determine the length of the braking distance. It was spelled out in the law - which means the sign is required!
Thus, it is better to install the sign on the rear window so that it is visible.
What's the fine?
So, today there is no fine, since the Spikes sign has been canceled according to the Traffic Rules.
For violation of any paragraph from the above traffic rules appendix, a fine of 500 rubles is imposed or a warning is issued under part 1 of article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. This provision provides for such a sanction for any violation of the provisions.
The fine for the Spikes sign could be paid at half the cost in the first 20 days after the fine was imposed (Article 32.2 of the Administrative Code). There were no other measures to ensure additional penalties, in addition to the main fine, for the absence of the “Ш” sign for 2019. And you wouldn’t even be at fault for the accident if you didn’t have a sign installed, and another car drove into you from behind, without keeping a distance.
But the traffic police promised not to fine
Meanwhile, the traffic police commented, albeit unofficially, that there would be no fines in the winter of 2019 for the absence of the Spikes sign even before it was cancelled.
With this statement, road safety law enforcement allegedly refers to the above-mentioned draft law - while it was under consideration, and until it was adopted, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was not going to fine drivers for the absence of this sign.
If you are still subject to a fine, please leave a corresponding comment below.
When was the sign canceled?
As we noted above, the corresponding draft law abolishing the Spikes sign has come into force. From December 8, 2018, there is no need to install a sign on the car window.
But the opposite is not the same - if, as part of the abolition of the sign, you still want to warn drivers behind you that you have studded tires, then there will also be no fine for installing the Studs sign.
Sign "Ш" according to GOST
The requirements for the Thorns sign relate only to the color, shape of the triangle and its size:
- the triangle must be equilateral,
- inside it is the letter “SH”,
- it must be installed on the glass with the top up,
- the background is white, the letter “Ш” is black, and the border is red,
- border thickness - 1/10 of the length of the side of the triangle,
- side length – from 20 cm.
Below you can download the Spikes sign that meets these requirements (there is no separate GOST for this sign):
- on a transparent background in png format (print the Thorns sign and cut it in the shape of a triangle),
- source file with layers for editing, if the finished one does not suit you in any way.