Comments on: Hand signals

By: Hand signals « Bike Noob

Hand signals « Bike Noob — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:13:08 +0000

[...] a Comment Tags: hand signals, Safety I see that hand signals continue to be a topic of interest on some biking blogs. We all know the basic signals (As in the diagrams on the linked page, I signal a right turn by [...]

By: doc

doc — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:19:11 +0000

I tried the left hand/right turn thing for a while and it eventually evolved into the left hand pointing over my head to the right signal. That got so silly that now I use my right hand; and always make a point to move it a bit so it looks like I might be poking someone in the chest. That, combined with my course and body language, seems to get the message across.

Now I’m trying to get people to slow down as they’re coming up behind me into a blind turn. I put my left hand straight down, palm open, and shake my hand around. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

By: Trisha

Trisha — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:26:25 +0000

Quite the gamut of reactions you’ve encountered! I’ve confused people but I don’t think anyone’s been offended…yet. But I do think that the general consensus in our comments was that the “alternate” signal isn’t so alternate after all.

By: Ray

Ray — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:06:23 +0000

When I resumed cycling two years ago, I signaled right turns with my left hand, but ran into the same responses you and others mention. Signaling with the right hand is acceptable, and is more easily understood. When I’m on my bike, I want to communicate my intentions clearly, so I’ll use the simplest method.

By: Scott Loveless

Scott Loveless — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:50:32 +0000

The left-handed right turn signal is a hold-over from the days when not every car had blinkers. It’s kinda hard to stick your right arm out the right window. PA does, in fact, allow bicyclists to signal a right turn with either arm. Still, I find that most drivers don’t understand. The mouth breathing, deer-in-the-headlights stare is a common response.

By: Apertome

Apertome — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:13:39 +0000

Jon, thanks for the link. There is some very interesting discussion on that site.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:35:53 +0000

Like you, I always signal, unless there are no cars around. I’ve discovered the same confusion from drivers. I recently started using my right arm for right hand turns. But not always, I sometime think the left arm signal is more visible. It kind of depends on how close the car is to me. If it’s well behind me, I’ll use the right arm. If the car is ovetaking me or close to me, I’ll signal with my left arm. Dave Moulton did a post a few months ago about this. Being from England he was taught to signal with the right arm and finds it curious why we signal with the left arm for a right hand turn.

By: Jon Grinder

Jon Grinder — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:48:07 +0000

There’s quite the discussion about this going on over at Let’s Go Ride A Bike. Check it out.

http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/hand-signal-debate/#more-3785