Has the MTFCA ever offered or thought about offering an orange safety banner for purchase? I have one that's about 20 years old from our local AACA chapter. It is perfect for attaching to the rear spare tire carrier of a T. Makes you VERY visible to other drivers from behind, is easy to remove, and rolls up for storage under the seat. Plus, it would be a great way to advertise for the club.

Here's what I'm taking about:

http://www.aaca.org/images/regions/safety_banners.pdf

I would take a picture of it installed on my Touring, but it's in hibernation...

What do you think?

Ask not what you can have others do,when you can do it yourself..

Hello Jack

Dan,

It might make a good fund raiser for the club? You might want to suggest it be considered at the upcoming MTFCA board meeting that will be held in Mar. In some cases items sell well and they recoup the initial cost of the design etc. quickly. In other cases it can take a long time to "break even." I have no clue about that one for signs or banners. But if you did some research and let the board know how much ordering 100 would cost and then what they would need to sell for – that could give them a starting point. I.e. if they sold for $100 each – they probably would not sell well and at $10 each – we probably would be losing money even if we sold a lot of them. I also like the idea that it helps advertise the club.

But anything that helps make the T stand out more -- especially from the rear of the car should be helpful to owners who drive their cars. There are several known safety issues with Ts (babbit thrust washers in the rear axle, front spring perches inadvertently swapped, hand cranking but forgetting to retard the spark for starting etc.). Another known problem is modern day drivers not noticing the T (distracted [similar to the U-tube where you count the number of basketball passes as the bear walks through the court and not seeing the bear]). And in some cases they are not distracted – it just doesn’t register that it is a car going much slower than they are speeding along at. I would think anything within reason that helps the driver behind you notice you are there would be a positive help. And some reflective fabric (the Air Force uses that on some of their safety gear) on the sign would help out at night.

For those of us without the spare on the rear of the car, but that have the steel body panels – a magnetic emblem/sign might be another format folks would like (maybe not so much for the runabout).

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off

Thanks Hap. I think they're at least something to consider.

Go on home for dinner Jack. I think I hear mommy calling.

Dan B. Sorry you took my post wrong,but There are many opportunities out there for folks to help the hobby. Why would you want to ask the club to take all the risks and work? Plenty of the folks on here help by doing things and making repo parts.

Jack - The AACA does it. Figured the MTFCA might want to consider doing the same as a way to promote safety and the club. That's all.

Bad idea,

Any automotive product used in the operation or transportation of a vehicle opens the ' Liability Can O' Worms '....

Great idea, but ....

What if:

The banner flies off and causes an accident ?

What if someone is distracted by the banner and that leads to an accident ?

If you want to do a homemade banner - great

The moment you link it to any organization it places that organization in a position of liability.


Jim

Those club banners with the soft flannel linings come from entrepreneurs.....just takes some $$ to pony up and buy them....then it takes effort to market them....then ship/bill/collect that's all. For me, would think few would buy these...maybe...but to pony up some one's else's (MTFCA club or dues) money for inventory is the issue.

Here is the source used by several clubs for tour banners, sure would think she could obtain some orange outer liner for these banners to make a safety banner.

On the MTFCA Classifieds

Services Offered: Tour/Club Banners: 14"x18", durable canton flannel to prevent scratching. Twill bound edges with 1" strapping, 72" end-to-end for ample tying around a door/spare tire. An excellent tribute to a club or tour. Blank banners: $7.25 Printing available. Sample swatch also available.
Nancy Lang Curtin <nancyecurtin@msn.com> 413-896-6948
55 Colony Rd, West Springfield, MA 01089 - Sun Dec 9 21:02:39 2012

Hmmm...I don't buy the liability argument. But I'll take your word for it.

Incidentally, I took a look at the MTFCA store before posting this. Looks like they were willing to take the commercial risk on die cast toys, hats and coffee mugs.

Oh well. Thanks for the info.

Well at least this thread is a another good reminder to make our vehicles stand out to traffic approaching from the rear. I sure like my LED lights and orange triangle. Sure some states don't want you using a SMV triangle if you travel at 35 mph but
Some states it does not matter.

Is a good reminder....while the cotton banners may be extra fine, I get these magnetic and adhesive signs, have them on all my T's




Better to be seen than not!

Sounds like a good idea to me. Use the MTFCA symbol on the bottom and CAUTION or something else on the top. Then it could be used by every chapter.

Isn't the standard banner for tours usually placed on the side of the vehicle?

Don't know how I would attach it to my speedster, but might find a way.

Most of the time, the banners are out back.



but...some guy has so many stickers and banners, perhaps he will soon run out of space....

I don't buy the liability argument either, certainly not in this case. It's the same as my carrying a copy of this morning's St Louis Post-Dispatch on my front seat, and having it blow off and block the vision of the driver behind me, causing an accident. The Post-Dispatch is not going to be sued because its name is plastered across the front page of the paper. If my negligence caused the accident, then the victim's beef is with me.

The Nancy Curtin ad that Dan posted above looks worth pursuing, and also pretty reasonable in price.

Many years ago my insurance agent (State Farm at that time) told me he gave a customer (who had his kids with him) a couple of helium balloons. On the way home, the kids were batting the balloons around in the car, and one blocked their dad's vision and he had an accident... It hurts my head too much to try to figure out the liability in this case....

Dan, you're an 'ideas guy.' Some people are idea people (i'm one of them) and some are doers. Your idea spurred the thought about magnetic signs (which has already talked about above.)

So 'doers' out there might want to make a buck, and find out how much magnetic signs cost.

Give two weeks for delivery because it takes one week for the local sign maker to make them and one week for you to mail it.

Hey, I'm starting to like my own idea!

That guy with too many stickers doesn't seem to have any on his hood yet. Maybe we could plaster one there.

Dan,

Where did you get your magnetic caution banners from?

Darin

Darin

Here is their webpage, I got the 8"x24" magnetic

http://www.incolor-inc.com/Caution-Slow-Moving-Vehicle-Decal-Sign-or-Magnetic_p_ 267.html

Dan,

Thank you, that magnetic option is perfect.

There is a company here in Knoxville that can do anything you want, the website is charlesb.com.
ask for Janice

Rick