Trafficguard Blog

Removable Bollards Improve Security

trafficguard — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:35:27 +0000

Removable security posts can provide protection to public buildings without becoming an eye sore. Bollards are used at the capital building in Carson City, Nevada. Posts such as these keep facilities secure from unwanted vehicle access and those looking to do harm to property and people, or simply someone not paying attention in their vehicle. It is important before selecting a bollard to determine what the requirements are in terms of the posts ability to stop vehicles and the requirements by local authorities such as police and fire departments. Most police and fire districts have a preferred type of bollard as well as the type of locking mechanism used. Steel bollards can be used in conjunction with bollard covers to provide both functionality and the desired look. Covers are an inexpensive way to improve the look of existing permanent and removable posts.

Bollards Help Prevent Ram-Raiding Crime

trafficguard — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:54:04 +0000

Bollards provide substantial protection against ram-raiding crime. Ram-raiding crime occurs when a vehicle is driven through a door or other entry point of a business with the intent to leave with valuable merchandise or information. The cost of a bollard system is relatively inexpensive in comparison to the damages caused by a thief. Typically, criminals in this type of crime will steal a vehicle and drive it through a garage door or glass store front where the vehicle can easily penetrate and allow a quick escape. The placement of a removable bollard enables these weak points to be protected during non-business hours, but allow access during normal operating hours.

Bollards Protect People and Property

trafficguard — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:20:46 +0000

Cars leaving the road way are a hazard to pedestrians in the area. There are various ways to protect citizens from this type of danger. One is a fixed bollard that can impede a vehicle from jumping the curb and striking a pedestrian. There are countless examples where bollards have protected, or could have protected pedestrians from being struck by a vehicle. Intersections aren’t the only areas where security bollards can be used to protect pedestrians. Outdoor seating areas at restaurants are good example of a high risk area to accidental vehicle intrusion. Many seating areas at restaurants and bars have been accidentally run through when a driver puts the car in drive instead of reverse.

Modified Removable Bollards Ideal as Parking Meter Posts

trafficguard — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:37:50 +0000

Removable bollards serve as an excellent, and often less expensive, alternative to a gate. Bollards also serve to protect facilities, property and people from unwanted vehicle intrusion in a variety of applications. Now, removable bollard systems are being used in a wider variety of applications. One such application is as a removable parking meter post. By modifying a typical removable bollard and manufacturing it to accept a standard parking meter head, a removable bollard now provides serious functionality. In areas where Municipalities want to raise revenue from parking, but often need vehicle access, they now have a solution that allows them to do both with the simple removable of a padlock. Removable parking meter bollards also enable Municipalities to raise revenue by installing the meters only for certain special events – street fairs, farmers markets, etc. This type of solution gives Cities and Towns great flexibility. Removable parking meter bollards can also be ideal for placement in front of higher security facilities to protect from “smash and grab” crime. This enables not only the collection of parking revenue, but protects facilities from intentional or even accidental vehicle intrusion.

Select the Right Bollards for Your Application

trafficguard — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:17:03 +0000

Failing to choose the correct bollard for a particular application is one of the biggest mistakes agencies make when seeking out a security solution. The most common error is choosing a product that is over-kill for a particular application. This can result in unsightly security products that are cumbersome, difficult to deal with, and potentially a hazard. It is wise to consult with a bollard manufacturer or an agency or person that has had success in choosing an appropriate bollard solution for a particular application.

The Ultimate Protection Against Ram Raiding – High Security Bollards

trafficguard — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:23:11 +0000

TrafficGuard’s newest bollard, the Round Post Top Lock High Security Bollard, is the best offering yet to protect facilities from ram-raiding crime. The new product has the same size and strength of TrafficGuard’s full line of bollards, however, it now couples that strength with a tamper proof padlock cover. This new feature makes it virtually impossible to penetrate a facility protected by these removable bollards. Now property owners and facilities managers can protect from both lock cutting as well as ram raiding crime.

Low Maintenance Bollards

trafficguard — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:08:13 +0000

Currently one of the most effective ways to secure facilities and protect property and people is with removable or collapsible bollards. Bollards that can be found from a company such as TrafficGuard are not only effective in stopping unwanted vehicle access, they are also low maintenance compared with their more expensive and involved counter parts. These bollards are manually operated and as a result do not have the problems or maintenance issues that electric or pneumatic bollards have. Automatic bollards have issues that can often be costly from both a financial standpoint and a time standpoint. This is particularly true in areas where salt and sand are used on roads to minimize ice in the winter. These substances can get in the bollard mechanism and cause various maintenance issues. Further, automatic bollards require a much more sophisticated installation that is both time consuming and very costly. Manually operated removable bollards provide cost savings during both a relatively simple and routine installation and throughout the life of the product as most ongoing use requires minimal maintenance. The TrafficGuard High Security Round Post Top Lock bollard is a great example of a bollard that is both highly secure and low maintenance.

Avoiding a Smash and Grab

trafficguard — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:54:05 +0000

Problem:
Smash and Grab crime, which is also commonly known as “Ram-Raiding” is an issue faced by private business owners as well as tax funded agencies. The intent of this type of crime is relatively straight forward; drive a car or truck through a relatively weak entry point such as a roll up door, or glass entry way, load the vehicle with expensive merchandise and quickly get away. Often these crimes go unsolved and the merchandise unrecovered. Further, the owner is left with severe damage that can cost a fair amount to repair.

Solution:
A Smash and Grab can be easily avoided through the use of removable bollards. These steel bollards are used to block the unauthorized entry of vehicles during off hours and are easily removed to provide a flush surface during business hours. The surface provided by a removable street bollard can be driven over and walked over without noticing that it is even there. One of the most popular bollards used in this application is the TrafficGuard Round Post Key Lock. This product has been used by countless TrafficGuard customers to protect property and people from Smash and Grab crime.

A Simple Solution for Fire Lane Access

trafficguard — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 06:26:28 +0000

Problem:
One of the most common issues faced in cities and counties all across the country is limiting or eliminating vehicle access, while still making fire lane access or emergency vehicle access relatively easy. These solutions are often referred to in a number of different ways; fire lane blocker, car blocker, traffic blocker, road barrier, tip down bollard, or fold down bollard. TrafficGuard has a solution for fire lane access.

Solution:
The TrafficGuard Single Post Collapsible Bollard is the ideal solution for fire lane access. The Single Post traffic control barrier is the “original multi-function bollard” developed specifically for fire lane access in the late 90’s. It went on to become the most successful road barrier in TrafficGuard’s product line and continues to be today and for good reason. On one hand the Single Post is a formidable fire lane blocker, keeping cars and joy riders off of trails and access roads where they could not only cause property damage, but could injure innocent bye standards. Not only is the Single Post a strong visual deterrent, the 6” x 3”, 30” tall (49 lbs) steel post also serves as a formidable physical deterrent as well.

The Single Posts functionality is apparent when an emergency occurs. Quick access is gained easily by a fire truck or ambulance. The driver (knowing that the Single Post trail bollard contains a shear pin) will stop at the bollard, slowly putting their bumper against the traffic control barrier, then accelerate. The trail barrier’s shear pin will fail between 1,200 and 1,500 lbs of static force. This allows emergency vehicle’s to enter without personnel ever having to leave their vehicle. The Single Post traffic blocker is placed back in the upright position with an inexpensive replacement shear pin.

TrafficGuard Bollards Find Traction in the Middle East

trafficguard — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:50:07 +0000

2009 saw the expansion of TrafficGuard’s bollard sales into the Middle East. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq procured Trafficguard’s Round Post Key Lock RP3503 to keep ATV traffic off the sidewalks surrounding the Embassy. TrafficGuard’s Round Post Key Lock model has been a very popular product, not only at Embassy’s, but military installations around the U.S. Most of the bollards used at military installations, like these at Tinker Air Force Base, are TrafficGuard’s Round Post Key Lock model RP3506. The RP3506 being an imposing bollard at 6.625” outside diameter. However, the Round Post Key Lock is also used in a number of other applications including farmer’s markets and anti-ram-raiding applications.

2009 also saw the biggest order for collapsible bollards in the Middle East to date. The TrafficGuard Single Post was chosen for a project in Doha, Qatar called the National Convention Center Car Park. The TrafficGuard Single Post is the most popular selling item in TrafficGuard’s collapsible product line. The TrafficGuard Single Post is used in variety of applications including trails and utility access points throughout the U.S.