Advocacy & Safety - Turn signal lights

Does anypne know where I can find turn signal lights for my bike? I live in heavy traffic city and could really use them.

Originally posted by aphillips
Does anypne know where I can find turn signal lights for my bike? I live in heavy traffic city and could really use them.

I find that hand signals are more than adequate.

That's interesting. A kid at school had turn signals in the seventies, all the other kids were jealous. I have not seen any since.

Hand signals are adequate but I sometimes find it hard to ride and signal at the same time, especially while trying to brake. Although I would never want to have turn signals on my bike, too much wiring wrapped around the frame.

CHEERS.

Mark

I've seen these in the UK quite a lot, and for not a lot of cash. But as someone pointed out, the two lights are so close together that it'd be really easy to mistake which direction you're indicating.

Indicator gloves have quite a good write-up.

Ellie

Originally posted by Ellie
Indicator gloves have quite a good write-up.

Ellie

Yes and if you're commuting in traffic, try to get them with a line of lights up your middle finger. Very useful in communicating your feelings to drivers! :)

Well, I'm not sure how good they are, but American Science and Surplus shows some in their catalog for $7.50. AS&S has all kinds of useful junk cheap. Some is very high quality, some is really junk. They have a website, www.sciplus.com. The catalog number of the turn signal is 32474.

Originally posted by chewa


Yes and if you're commuting in traffic, try to get them with a line of lights up your middle finger. Very useful in communicating your feelings to drivers! :)

:lol:

I hadn't thought of that. Now I definitely need a pair!!

Ellie

I have a hard time imagining lighted turn indicators being very effective.

-Drivers don't expect them. It's a mistake to rely on drivers being able to figure things out. And they tend to get testy when you surprise them.

-They're going to be too close together to be easily distinguished from a distance or at night.

-How can you be sure it's really on or that you remembered to turn it off?

-Hand signals are far more highly visible and versatile. I use my combination "turning left (arm extended)... yes, YOU (pointing directly at the driver I'm about to turn in front of)... I want you to stop and wait while I turn (palm of hand facing out)... that's it, thank you very much (saluting as I go by)" all the time.

Try doing THAT with a blinking light!

RichC

However, I did see some blinking red LED's in the new Nashbar catalog that are intended to replace the end plugs in drop handlebars.

While I don't believe their design intent is to be turn signals, this is generally the widest point on a road bike. Too much at $20 for two single-LED blinkies, but a clever idea nonetheless.

RichC

The only turn signals I've seen were so small, dim and close together that they were virtually useless. Hand signals, as previously stated are much more visible. Those glove Chewa spoke of would be great, but I've never seen them in any of my catalogs here in the states.

I've just seen those yesterday for sale at a Canadian Tire store.

Originally posted by RainmanP
Well, I'm not sure how good they are, but American Science and Surplus shows some in their catalog for $7.50. AS&S has all kinds of useful junk cheap. Some is very high quality, some is really junk. They have a website, www.sciplus.com. The catalog number of the turn signal is 32474.

Thanks a lot I will try them!

Thanks for all the suggestions and input.

Originally posted by ljbike
Those glove Chewa spoke of would be great, but I've never seen them in any of my catalogs here in the states.

I think it was me, actually! :)

I found the website for indicator gloves (http://www.indicator-glove.com/), and it does look like it might be a UK site. I'm pretty tempted to get some, but it'll have to be after the end of the month! ;)

Elllie

Originally posted by Ellie


I think it was me, actually! :)

I found the website for indicator gloves (http://www.indicator-glove.com/), and it does look like it might be a UK site. I'm pretty tempted to get some, but it'll have to be after the end of the month! ;)

Elllie

Good link. I had some of the strips and they were handy to attach to the back of a jacket. I do think they are a bit expensive, but they are unusual and catch drivers attention. think I bought mine in an end of season sale for about £4 each. I now can't find them.

Also used to attach them to the collars of our dogs, so that we could see where they were in the dark.

However, as wee Hobbes likes chasing rabbits often all we could see was a flashing red light tearing through the bushes after a shadowy animal. Looked a bit like a police chase!!

It wouldn't matter how close they were together, because they'd both always be on, and the one that was turning would blink. Simple.

When I was younger, I had a turn-signal light powered by two C cells. The lights were arrow-shaped. I was highly enthralled with it, until I turned it on and went halfway down the block to see my wonderful new light. It looked like... a blinking light. Not an arrow. No way would it be percieved as a directional signal. And the power output was too low to be noticable in daylight anyway.

If you really want working turn signals, pattern them after a motorcycle. They should be powerful daytime-visible amber lights, they should be at least 12 inches/30cm from the centerline of the bicycle, and there should be a steady red (daytime-visible) taillight mounted on-center on the bicycle as a reference point for motorists in determining whether the blinking amber light is on the left or right of the bicycle's centerline. And yes, all of that would probably weigh a large amount, be unaerodynamic and unsightly. Hand signals for me. :)