Since April 2017, some changes have appeared in the existing traffic rules of the Russian Federation regarding the location of mandatory signs on the vehicle. Where should such a Thorn sign be attached, what is the reason for such an innovation and what fines can the owner of the vehicle expect for ignoring this mandatory requirement that has already come into effect?
Installation reasons
Why do you need a studded rubber sticker? Installing a sign on a car performs the following tasks and functions:
- Providing information to road users that the car in front of him is equipped with studded tires;
- Possibility to undergo technical inspection;
- No unwanted stops and document checks in winter.
Where to place
So, having figured out the answer to the question "is the thorn sign obligatory or not, it is worth finding out where to glue it according to the rules, so that neither the persons conducting the maintenance, nor the traffic police officers have any complaints against you. There is no clear regulation according to the placement rules. However, on the basis of paragraph 8 of the Basic Provisions of the Regulatory Rules, its location should be at the rear of the vehicle, and this should be done in such a way that the drivers of both cars and trucks following you could easily see the sign at a distance of up to 20 meters.
Depending on the brand of your car, you can choose a different locationbut experienced drivers and car school instructors advise placing it on the top of the car's rear window. The side of the placement can be any - to the right or to the left - in this case, the priority will be precisely the visibility to the drivers moving behind you, as well as the fact that such a sign does not interfere with the driver of this car in terms of visibility and does not block the necessary view.
In the case of attachment to the glass, it is no longer so important whether it will be inside the vehicle or outside, however, if your car has tinted windows, then the best option would still be to place it on the outside of the car. It will also not be a mistake to mount such a sign on the body or bumper of the car in a conspicuous place.
The dimensions of the sign in accordance with GOST must be at least 20 cm (one side of the triangle), the triangle itself must be surrounded by a red border, the width of which is at least 10% of the length of the side of the figure itself. In the center of the triangle there is a black letter "Ш". When purchasing or making it yourself, pay attention that it must necessarily correspond to certain parameters.
Responsibility for absence
On 11/29/2018, Dmitry Medvedev signed a government decree, on the basis of which, car drivers were canceled necessarily to glue the "Sign of the Thorn" and a fine for his absence. This is now voluntary.
Video: How to properly stick on the car
While Elon Musk is presenting a new electric sports car that can accelerate to a hundred in 1.9 seconds and at the same time drive 1000 kilometers without recharging, drivers continue to be raped in Russia, forcing anyone to hang unnecessary signs of studded rubber.
One gets the feeling that there are practically no cars left in the country without the "Spikes" sign. And for those rare cars on which he is absent, a real hunt is arranged by the traffic police. Real raids on the roads are being arranged. As if not motorists are being caught, but real terrorists.
About a year ago, a fine was introduced for the absence of the "novice driver" sign, but they decided to fine the company for the absence of all signs. So, the sign "Thorns" from voluntary turned into compulsory.
Russian motorists are no more stupid than domestic traffic policemen. Immediately, everyone stuck the sign "Spikes" on the rear windows from the inside. It turned into a real war on the roads:
And here's what came of it: 
This is not an isolated example.
Last year, 20,308 people died on Russian roads, but none of them died due to the absence of the "Spikes" sign. But who cares.
The meaninglessness of this sign is obvious to everyone, except for the people who introduced this fine. They explain the need for the "Ш" sign by the fact that the braking distance of a car on rubber with studs is much shorter than that of a car with non-studded tires. And the motorist driving next will be able to estimate the braking distance in front of the driving car and brake in time. However, none of the supporters of the "Spikes" sign, with whom I spoke, could remember when the last time he himself calculated the braking distance in front of a driving car (in a column, with a calculator?). And this is natural. The driver monitors the road while driving, looks at signs, traffic lights, pedestrians who can suddenly throw themselves under the wheels. In short, the motorist has something to do instead of counting the braking distances of other cars. It happens intuitively and nothing else.
We will not even say that all drivers cannot apply the brakes in the same way, each has a different reaction. But you can try to consider the ideal conditions for the braking distance of the car on rubber with and without studs. Let's turn to research on this topic, since there are plenty of them. Here is a graph of the dependence of the braking distance of a car on ice for different tires: 
As you can see, the braking distance is highly temperature dependent. And in cold weather, the "Velcro" even outperforms the "thorns". And here are the average test data for more than 20 models of different tires on different surfaces. The results are grouped into a chart showing the best and worst results:
What do we see? The braking distance is highly dependent not only on the presence or absence of studs. That is, a motorist, when calculating the braking distance in front of a driving car, must not only take into account many factors: road surface (snow / ice / dry or wet asphalt), presence / absence of ABS, air temperature, rubber brand (both his own and someone else's) , as well as the presence of a full set of studs on the tires.
Agree, these two wheels will slow down very differently, although the sign "Spikes" is the same for them. 
Okay, here's a harder task. The car is on studded tires, and the trailer is without studs. What will be the braking distance, and where do you even hang the sign, on a car or trailer? 
By the way, do you need to remove the Spikes sign from the car in the summer? Or should the traffic police fine for its presence, if the tires are without spikes? Of course, in the warm season, you need to change your shoes in summer tires. And if a person drives a winter car with a "W" sign, wants to warn the rest of the traffic participants about it?
Realizing the absurdity of the "Ш" sign, many motorists staged a real public protest. 
This has not been on our roads since the "blue buckets"! 
For those who see poorly: 
And this is especially for the traffic police: 
Why even out of the blue was to arrange such an orgy? It is urgent to cancel the obligation of this sign. 
Without spiritual bonds, nowhere 
If there is no sign, then you can do this: 
Do not forget to hang the "L" sign in the summer: 
While Russian drivers are frivolous about the Thorns badge, global carmakers have taken it seriously. Now an order for hundreds of millions of "Ш" signs has been placed at the State Sign. All of them will be glued to the cars of leading brands. New items have already been presented at the world's largest auto shows in Geneva and Los Angeles.
Even Elon Musk's company now cannot imagine a Tesla Semi electric truck without a corresponding sign. 
It has already been decided that the British Parliament and the US Congress will pass a law by the end of the week, including the new letter "Ш" in the Latin alphabet. Otherwise, foreigners will not be able to come to our country in cars with studded tires.
What is Britain, have you heard about the revolution in Zimbabwe? Few people know its true reason. And the thing is that the local president Mugabe did not want to introduce the "Thorns" sign, which is so necessary in this South African country. Zimbabwe constantly ranks first in terms of death in road accidents and all because of the absence of the "Sh" sign. The popular masses could no longer put up with this, took to the streets with protests and overthrew the "tyrant". 
Now let's get serious. While global innovations in the automotive industry are aimed at the development of unmanned vehicles, in our country all drivers are forced to hang the "Spikes" sign on their cars and to do oral calculations of the braking distance in front of a driving car.
Entering a penalty for the absence of the "Thorns" sign is an error. However, there is nothing wrong with it. Only the one who does nothing is not mistaken. The system as a whole is characterized not by the error, but by the reaction to it. Instead of admitting that they were wrong and canceling the "Spikes" sign as quickly as possible, the traffic cops are forced to catch drivers who have not hung a meaningless sticker on the car window, which, by the way, also closes the view!
Now "at the top" there is a struggle between common sense and extravagance. With this post I want to tip the scales in the direction of reason. I hope you support me with your comments and votes. 
Any experienced driver knows what the "Ш" sign in a red triangle, glued to the rear window of a car, means. But, if you are just learning to drive or are a pedestrian, then you may not be aware of the meaning of this sign. Now we will tell you what this sign is for, how it should look and whether it is mandatory to use it.
In fact, there is nothing mysterious about the "Ш" sign: it is glued to the rear window in late autumn or early winter and notifies the drivers driving behind that the owner of the car has installed winter studded tires on it. That is, the letter "Ш" is an abbreviation for the word "thorns".
The fact is that tires equipped with studs have much better grip, especially if the road surface is covered with a layer of rolled snow or ice. If the driver sees an obstacle on the road and brakes, his braking distance will be shorter than that of a car on conventional tires. Because of this, the driver driving behind must maintain a large distance between the cars, otherwise he will not have time to brake in case of emergency braking of the car on the spikes.
In addition, the spikes are not very strong on the tires. While driving, they can break off and fly out from under the wheels. Keeping a short distance from the vehicle behind it could damage the glass or scratch the hood.
How the "Ш" sign should look like
According to the standard, the "Ш" sign is made in the form of a triangle with equal sides, the length of which must be at least 20 cm. The standard also sets the width of the bordering red line, which must be exactly 0.1 of the length of the side of the triangle.
However, very few drivers think to draw the "Ш" sign with their own hands, since with the onset of autumn it can be bought at any auto shop for no more than 100 rubles.
Is it obligatory to stick the sign "Ш"
The rules state that a driver who has installed studded tires on his car must notify other drivers of this by sticking a corresponding sign on the rear window or hood. Typically, the letters "Ш" appear on cars in late autumn or early winter, when drivers "change" their cars in winter tires. In the spring, the sticker is removed, since in the summer there is no need for thorns. On the contrary, driving on studded tires in summer is not recommended, as they have a destructive effect on the asphalt road surface.
For the absence of the "Ш" sign on the glass of a car equipped with studded tires, the driver may pay a fine. Although its amount is not particularly large and is only 500 rubles. But, the traffic police inspector may limit himself to a verbal warning about the absence of the cherished triangle on the back of the car.
It should also be noted that at the moment there are many court decisions found guilty of a collision of a driver in a car with studded tires, and precisely because of the absence of the ill-fated "Ш" mark on his glass.
Some nuances of using the "Ш"
- When buying a sticker with the "Ш" sign in a store or at the car market, you must pay attention to the dimensions of the triangle. Its sides should not be shorter than 20 cm. A sticker that does not comply with the requirements of the standard is formally equivalent to the complete absence of the mark. If your car has a small sign, this can also be a reason for a fine.
- It is not necessary to glue the sign on the glass, because the rules do not indicate a specific location for its placement. It is enough to find a noticeable spot for the triangle on the trunk lid or even on the bumper. The main requirement is visibility for drivers driving behind.
- The sticker with the "Ш" sign must be present on the rear of the machine when passing the inspection. Of course, only those with studded tires need it. If this sign is absent in the presence of spikes on the tires, the passage of the technical inspection, most likely, will not be registered, even if everything else is in order with the car.
Due to the fact that there have been significant changes in the legislation related to the rules for replacing summer and winter tires, many car owners are interested in the question of how to properly use the "Spikes" sign on wheels and what threatens the driver if it is absent. After all, no one wants to receive an unwanted fine. Starting from April 2017, a traffic police inspector who stopped a driver who does not have a "Spikes" sign on the rear window of the car has the right to issue a warning to the latter or fine five hundred rubles. More details about all this will be written in this article.
A little about the main thing
All citizens who have a vehicle for personal use know that in the cold season it is necessary to drive only on studded tires. This is safer for the driver and other road users. Indeed, in the winter season, it helps a person driving to avoid drifts and, accordingly, not get into an accident.
However, not all drivers try to comply with the rules for operating vehicles. In this regard, in April 2017, a government decree was issued, on the basis of which every citizen who is driving a vehicle in the cold season must attach the "Spikes" sign to his car. All drivers will definitely need to do this when changing summer tires to winter ones. Otherwise, you can get a fine or warning from the traffic police inspector.
What this sign shows
This is not such a strange question as it seems at first glance. After all, every driver driving behind a vehicle with the "Spikes" sign installed must be aware that the braking distance of the car in front has become much shorter than in the summer, and therefore it is necessary to maintain a distance. Otherwise, when the first car is braked sharply, a collision will be inevitable.
In addition, studded tires are still not of very high quality. This means that if the required distance between vehicles is not observed, you can accidentally get a piece of tire in the windshield from a moving car in front.
What is regulated
Government Decree No. 333 of March 24 this year introduces the essential ones acting on the territory of our state. Thus, from April 4, 2017, each driver, when changing summer tires to winter tires, must affix the "Spikes" identification mark on his vehicle. This is a must for all motorists, without exception. Because the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation for non-compliance with this provision of the law provides for the imposition of a fine in the amount of 500 rubles. For the first time, the traffic police inspector may limit himself to a warning.
And even despite the amendments made, many car owners still continue to wonder if the "Spikes" sign is required. In 2014, significant changes were also made to the traffic rules, but not all traffic participants complied with them. If earlier drivers glued a triangle with the letter "Ш" to vehicles at will, now it is considered a prerequisite for operating a car.
Effects
What will happen if you do not install the sign "Thorns"? Is it necessary to glue it on the back of the vehicle or can you do without it? In reality, the consequences of not following traffic rules can be very unpredictable. Indeed, in the event that a road accident occurs, the traffic police officers who have arrived at the scene will most likely admit mutual guilt (if they do not see the "Ш" sign behind the car). And in this case, the driver who did not attach the "Spikes" will not be able to prove his innocence. The insurance company in such situations, on a completely legal basis, refuses to compensate for damage from road accidents to car owners.
If it's summer outside
Is it obligatory to install the "Spikes" sign if the driving season on winter tires has not started yet? Of course, this is not worth doing. Indeed, in this case, a driver driving in front of his car with a similar sign will cause confusion among other road users. In addition, according to the existing technical regulations, studded tires must be used only when it is winter and icy outside. In the summertime, car owners should limit themselves to standard tires. And it is advisable to attach the "Ш" sign to vehicles only in winter. Do not mislead other drivers.
Where to glue the "Spikes" sign?
The photo below demonstrates how to do this. This designation must be attached to the machine in accordance with existing regulations. The SDA states that a vehicle with spikes on its wheels must have such a sign at the back. You can stick it on either side of the rear window, as long as it is clearly visible to other road users. On trucks, it is allowed to attach the "Ш" sign directly to the body. In the event that the windows of the car are tinted, install the "Spikes" plate on top of it. Otherwise, the sign will simply not be visible.
But despite the fact that the changes in the traffic rules were made back in the spring, the disputes between drivers on this matter still do not subside. And therefore, many of them are still interested in the question of whether it is necessary to install the "Spikes" sign and whether it is possible to do without it, because in winter you still have to change summer tires to winter ones. It should be said right away that this designation should be attached to the rear of the vehicle after changing standard tires. Otherwise, unpleasant communication with traffic police officers cannot be avoided.
What should be
Before the driver starts driving the vehicle after changing summer tires to winter tires, he must affix the "Spikes" sign to the rear of the car. GOST established and approved a sample of this designation in the form of an equilateral triangle. The length of the side of the latter must be at least 20 cm. The outline is only red. The width of the strip should be ten percent of the side length. In the middle of the triangle there is a large letter "Ш" only on a white background.
Such legal requirements are directly related to concern for the safety of road users. The indicated dimensions of this sign allow other drivers to see the installed "Spikes" sign even from a distance. GOST also does not provide for changing the parameters of the latter.
Inspection
It will be impossible to pass on studded tires without a special sign "Ш". In addition, no one will allow the machine to operate without this designation. Therefore, in order for the driver not to waste his time, it is necessary to prepare in advance for the inspection. You can buy the "Ш" sticker at any car store, its cost is low. Another option is to change the tires before going through the inspection. But, as a rule, not all car owners are satisfied with this.
Therefore, if one of the citizens is still wondering whether it is necessary to put the "Spikes" sign when setting off or for a technical inspection of a car on such rubber, let him have no doubt that it is simply necessary to do this.
A responsibility
What threatens those drivers who do not comply with the requirements of the law and do not install the "Ш" identification mark on a car that is operated on studded tires? In the event that the car owner is stopped by a traffic police inspector, he will have to pay a fine. For the sign "Spikes", or rather, for its absence, the policeman has the right to issue a warning. Thus, the driver will not be able to get away from punishment for violating the law. Moreover, he will need to go to the nearest store or bookstore to purchase this designation. After all, the penalty for the sign "Spikes" (or rather, its absence) is the loss of which can significantly affect the budget of the offender.
Why you need to follow the rules
This is primarily necessary in order to ensure the safety of the driver and other road users. That is why legislators are making various amendments to the existing rules. As for the identification mark "Ш", indicating that the wheels are equipped with special spikes, everything is simple here: it serves as protection for other drivers driving behind the specified vehicle. Indeed, as mentioned earlier, the braking distance of a car with such rubber is sharply reduced. Therefore, the car behind the moving vehicle must keep a decent distance from it.
But is the "Spikes" sticker obligatory if the driver has not yet changed the standard tires to studded tires? In this case, it is attached only after the tires are replaced.
Can I do it myself
Due to the fact that at present there is an increased demand for the purchase of the sign, many citizens are interested in questions about whether the sticker "Spikes" is obligatory and whether it is possible to make it at home with your own hands, and not purchase it in a store. In principle, this is possible, especially if a person has a color printer and the Internet at home, but does not have enough funds to purchase a typographic sample, without which the operation of the machine is not allowed. It is only necessary to remember the parameters of the "Ш" sign, because they must strictly comply with the state standard. Otherwise, the traffic police officer who stopped the motorist will have every right to demand his replacement.
Conclusion
Still, drivers must follow the traffic rules and show respect for other road users. After all, various information signs were created not so that citizens ignore them, but to improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents. Therefore, every driver in the cold season after changing tires is obliged to attach a corresponding designation to the car. Car enthusiasts who are wondering where to hang the "Spikes" sign should be aware that it is glued to the back of the vehicle. After all, this is the only way other drivers will be informed that the braking distance in front of a moving car has become shorter than usual.
Also, do not forget that poor quality spikes can fly out from under the wheels during the vehicle's movement, so it is simply dangerous to go too close without observing the required distance in the cold season. So the designation "Ш" is also necessary in order for other drivers to remember this.
But despite all the warnings, there are some motorists who not only do not know where to hang the "Spikes" sign, but are not at all going to acquire it due to the fact that it spoils the view of the rear window and leaves stains after it is removed. So, for such non-compliance with the law, such a driver will be brought to administrative responsibility.
Content
Due to the climatic conditions of Russia, drivers on its territory have to change tires on car wheels twice a year. Winter "shoes" for vehicles can be presented in various options, including equipped with special spikes. Such a product improves the cross-country ability of the car on slippery roads, since it improves its grip on the road surface, and therefore the traffic rules oblige all owners of cars with studded tires to hang the Spikes sticker on the rear window.
What is a sticker Spikes
This car badge, as a rule, can be seen on transport during the winter season. Visually, it looks like a white triangle with a red border and equal sides. In the center of the figure is the letter "Ш", drawn in contrasting black color. According to the traffic rules, the identification auto-sign is set so that other road users can easily notice it.
What does
Winter tires with studs provide the car with better cross-country ability on icy or snowy roads. In addition, if the driver of such a vehicle is forced to stop abruptly, the length of its braking distance will be approximately halved, in contrast to the cases when summer tires are used. This explains the existing real danger of a collision between cars in winter and the need to install the Ships sign.
According to the Law on Traffic Regulations in force in the Russian Federation, the driver of a vehicle driving behind a car with a stud and seeing the Spikes sticker is obliged to maximize the distance between himself and the vehicle in front. With hard braking, the driver will be able to avoid an accident and, thanks to the spikes that allow you to quickly stop, will not crash into the car in front of him.
In addition, the stud is not very securely attached and often flies out of the rubber while the car is moving, when the wheel rpm increases and it slides on a frozen road. In this situation, a spike that has flown off from the car can fall directly into the windshield of the vehicle following it. If the W sign is installed on the car, then a large distance between road users will reduce the risk of such a situation and relieve you as a driver of any responsibility for damage to other people's property.
Why do you need
The need to hang a sticker on a car is prescribed by the rules of the road and is due to the desire of the traffic police to secure the movement of transport as much as possible. Why do we need the Thorns sign on the car glass? The main purpose of the sticker is to notify other road users that a particular car has a stud. So, the driver warns that:
- the braking distance of his car on a slippery surface is much shorter than that of others;
- spikes may fly out from under the wheels of the machine.
Installation of the sign Spikes according to traffic rules
It was said above that the studded rubber sign is necessary to warn other road users about equipping the car with studded tires. In additions to the traffic rules, there is a norm suggesting that this sticker must be installed on the vehicle if the car has studded tires. The main goal why you need to hang a sign on a car is to warn drivers about a shortened braking distance and the need to maintain the maximum distance.
Where to glue
There is no strict standard for the location of the badge, however, the rules for operating vehicles indicate approximately where to glue the Spikes sign. The sticker should be placed on the rear window of the car (if we talk about a passenger car), while it should be clearly visible to other road users. The exact location of the badge can be adjusted at your discretion and depending on the characteristics of the vehicle.
The motorist has the right to use not only the purchased, but also a homemade badge that can be downloaded from the Internet and printed on a color printer. Such an attribute is well glued with the help of double-sided tape, and the sign should be laminated beforehand. There are other options for fixing the badge on the car, for example, using suction cups (then the triangle can be used many times and after removal there will be no glue traces).
Dimensions of the sign in accordance with GOST
If the car owner makes a triangle on his own, you should adhere to certain traffic police requirements. According to GOST, the sign must:
- have the form of a white triangle with a red border and a black letter "W" in the center;
- be dense, for which the triangle is printed on special photographic paper (the optimal density is 120-150);
- be glued in a place visible to other road users.
What are the dimensions of the Spikes sign according to GOST? Each cocked hat should be at least 20 centimeters long, and the optimal width of the red frill should be 10 times less than the side of the figure (at least 2 cm). As a rule, car dealerships sell stickers of the right size. There is no point in acquiring and gluing a small triangle, since it will not be legally considered valid, and the driver may be fined in this regard.
Is it necessary to glue the Spikes sticker
The eighth paragraph of the "Basic provisions on the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety" suggests that all cars equipped with studded tires must have a corresponding badge. Driving without a sticker is a violation of traffic rules and is the basis for stopping by a traffic police inspector.
