Yes, it’s a cliche… but in some cases it’s true. The venerable ASABE had published a study years ago that came with a recommendation that the size of the SMV emblem be increased by twice the size of what is still current… (dating back more than 50 years…) when farm equipment was smaller and traffic was slower and there was less of it.  That recommendation was dismissed out of hand. We at Safety Psychographics aren’t ones to sit back and take such actions (or lack of action) at face value. Our think tank has created a bigger version of our already-bigger Tri-Color Triangle ™ and has been quite pleased at its potential to be EVEN safer for users and motorists than the groundbreaking T-CT.

With much of today’s modern, larger farm equipment being So Big now that standard SMV emblems have  become “lost” in the the vastly-increased visual real estate that confronts oncoming motorists… practically like the “side of a barn” traveling down the road in front of you… we felt that it was only proper to ignore the hidebound, change-shy response of Dismissing Size Increase that apparently fits a pattern of maintaining status quo and seeming-industry/trade protectionism, and instead proceed with some more uncommon Common Sense progress… in the vein of the AE50-worthy T-CT itself.

We went ahead and made up an initial proof-of-concept quantity of BIG Tri-Color Triangles ™ that are one and one half times bigger than our existing product and are quite pleased with the results. Farmer Rich Zolvinski of Twin Maple Farms outside of LaPorte, Indiana, has been very satisfied this planting season of 2018 with a BIG T-CT running on the back of his large cultivating disc as it travels many miles between Rich’s widely-separated fields across LaPorte and St. Joseph counties in Indiana. He reports that he notices at least half of the vehicles that are coming up behind him start slowing down sooner than before and then stay farther back. Such positive behavioral changes are to both the farmer’s and the motorist’s benefits in the potential to prevent accidents. SOMETHING is getting those motorists’ attention… probably more so here on such giant equipment than even a “regular-“sized T-CT is capable of. We chalk it up to the following factors:

-The T-CT itself is already about 1 1/2 times larger in area than the original SMV emblem, owing to the 3″ wide yellow-green stripes surrounding the old core emblem.

-The BIG T-CT, being scaled-up 1 1/2 times from the T-CT, yields approximately a 2 to 2 and 1/4 increase overall in area from the original SMV emblem (1 1/2 x 1 1/2 = 2 1/4); this figure being in the ballpark of the old, dismissed recommendation of a twice-as-big increase.

-The BIG T-CT has, of course, all of the attributes of the T-CT, namely, a 3rd eye-catching color and being totally-retro-reflective for night use.

In addition to the above shots, the following pictures are also of the BIG T-CT in use at a major cooperative in Michiana, including details of how they are readily mounted on equipment that is geared to displaying standard, small SMV emblems. When safety is involved, a little extra effort might be needed to start utilizing this cutting-edge protection for yourself and the public after the testing phase is done and BIG T-CTs are available. Local customers for the BIG T-C T in the local area should contact the Agronomist* at Co-Alliance in Schoolcraft, Michigan, in order to obtain their own T-C T and stay on the cutting-edge of farm safety. *R.J. Lee is handling this great new development above and beyond his regular duties at the co-op. Text or call him at (269) 251-2053. Customers/testers outside the area serviced by this co-op should contact Safety Psychographics directly for price and shipping information.

 

Now, compare and contrast the picture below with the one above. Note how the conventional SMV emblem, even in reasonable shape, on a similar grain wagon reveals its drawbacks. 1., It’s not as big (obviously). 2., As shown on a red wagon, the contrast is not what it could be. That could have been addressed by having either a regular or a BIG T-CT back there, which would at least have the fluorescent yellow-green as a contrasting adjacent color. Even better: having black paint surrounding the T-CT, as shown on this page here. 3., Additionally, the wispy little fluorescent orange side marker strips adjacent to the lights don’t hold a candle to what are mandated in New Zealand. NO COMPARISON whatsoever. See also on this page how even more can be done on a national scale to increase the visibility of farm equipment by day, dawn, dusk and night… doing the mandated marking in New Zealand that is SO much more effective, that conventional legacy SMV emblems are often dispensed with altogether… (though they’d be absolutely most effective by using a BIG T-CT (or regular T-CT) along with the hazard panels. Consider also looking on Facebook for the page “Art Project for Amish and Farmers“ to see a drone video of the above safety-modified wagon in use; post dated October 11, 2026.

Here are some more pictures of BIG T-CTs as demonstrated on other farm and horse-drawn equipment. See what you think upon viewing these and decide if this extra step is the way to go. The BIG T-CT is, of course, equally-protected by both copyright and now US Patent, as is the original size T-CT.