Hi there, my name is Dwight and I'm one of over 500 employee investors here at Gregg Distributors.
I'd like to welcome you back to another episode of Gear up With Gregg's!
Today we're going to find out exactly how a roadside flare can help you keep a vehicle
on the side of the road from becoming a hazard.
Did you know that more than 40% of all road fatalities happen at night?
And that's with 60% less traffic!
So if you get into an accident, or your vehicle breaks down on the road at night,
it's important to make sure other drivers are aware of the potential hazard.
Otherwise a bad night could get much worse.
Roadside flares, or fusees, are used for illumination and signalling.
Typically you'll spot these at the scene of a nighttime accident,
where visibility is low and the hazard lights on a vehicle just aren't enough or aren't working.
Let's say you've stalled the car,
it's late at night, and you're travelling on back roads that aren't very well lit.
Your hazards will provide some illumination,
but not enough that someone approaching at 80 km/hour is guaranteed to see them and slow down!
In addition to your vehicle's emergency lighting, you can use road flares
to warn other drivers of your immobile vehicle.
When you go to use a flare, the first thing you want to check out is the label.
This will have the instructions for lighting the flare.
You want to make sure the flares are stored safely and won't get wet or damp.
After all, exposure to moisture is going to affect the performance of your flare.
To avoid issues with moisture, you can use a seal-able plastic bag,
or a flare container like these.
The small container holds four 10, 15, or 20 minute flares.
The large container carries four 30 minute flares.
Lighting a flare is easy!
Hold the flare below the solid line. Next, twist and remove the cap to expose the igniter button
and remove the top lid on the cap to expose the scratch surface.
Gently press the scratch surface to the igniter button, then strike away from your face and body.
Always aim the flare downwind to avoid any sparks being blown toward you.
Quickly and gently place the flare on the pavement, or insert the spike into the ground.
Now, a good rule of thumb is to place three flares at an angle from the front of your vehicle
and three flares at an angle from the back of your vehicle to the curb or shoulder.
These flares should be spaced approximately 6 meters or 20 feet away from any vehicles
and apart from each other.
And remember, keep them away from plants and other flammable materials.
After all, flares burn as hot as 1,600° Celsius! That's hot...
Now even though these burn hot, that doesn't mean they can't go out.
Combinations of cold temperatures, high winds, and rain can all affect the performance
of the flare.
Keeping the flare upright and slightly above ground level eliminates the hazard of the cold, wet ground
and improves visibility.
That's why we offer these flares in two types: stand and spike.
Stand-type flares have a u-shaped piece of wire attached to them.
This wire can be bent to allow the flare to stand upright,
which keeps them from laying in puddles, mud, or snow.
And increases their visibility from a distance.
Spike-type flares have a spike or a nail that sticks out of the bottom of the flare body.
This spike keeps the flare dry and makes it much more visible.
This type of flare is perfect for unique surfaces such as uneven dirt roads or ice and snow.
Now, the length of a road flare directly relates to the amount of time the flare will burn for.
As an example, an 11 1/2" long flare will last for 15 minutes,
while a 17" long flare will last for 30 minutes.
The type of flare you get really comes down to personal preference,
but if you're spending a lot of time travelling on back country roads without a lot of traffic,
you may want to consider the 30 minute flares to give yourself more time to get the situation under control
without having to light new flares.
When it comes to illumination, flares are perfect for emergency situations.
But when you need to light an area for longer than 30 minutes,
they're not the best solution.
That's where light sticks come in!
These non-toxic, chemical lighting solutions provide light for 12 hours,
which makes them perfect for hiking, marking hazards or trails, emergency situations, and so much more!
They're even used in the military for everything from identifying camps to emergency lighting.
So what makes these little sticks so special?
Well, for starters, they provide 360° of light without producing heat or flames.
The industrial-grade construction means these illumination solutions are durable, waterproof,
non-flammable, and non-toxic.
And they last a long time, so keep a few in your car, backpack, or handbag just in case!
You never know when the power might go out, and you'll be stranded in the dark!
Now, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call us
or visit our website at greggdistributors.ca.
And if you liked this video, feel free to give us a like or a comment down below.
Again, I'm Dwight, and thank you for watching another episode of Gear up With Gregg's!