Commuting - How do you signal a turn?

So how do you guys do it? Do people still use that old way where a bent left arm is a left turn and a straight is a right turn? Do you point?

Aren't you worried that a car will whip by and tear your arm off if you stick it out? Do you signal stops, too?

I just started riding, and it seems to me that it is safer (here in the 'burbs, anyway) to NOT follow the traffic rules (like staying in the appropriate turn lane and signaling) as strictly as a car, since none of the car drivers here seem to expect me to do so.

Just the opposite. A straight arm is for a left turn, an arm bent up is for a right turn, and an arm bent down is for stop. (This is for places where one drives on the right side of the road, BTW). In some places, it's considered a legal signal to put one's right arm out straight to signal a right turn. It's a bad idea, though. When you're on a bike, most other traffic that needs to see your signal is either behind you and slightly left, or in front of you, and most certainly to your left. People in those vehicles are a lot more likely to see your left arm signaling than your right arm.

(Remember, this applies to "drive on the right" countries; folks in oz/uk/za/etc., just invert all directional references [or hold this message up to a mirror]).

So how do you guys do it? (turn signals)

For a simpler - or maybe just alternative - solution, you should check out those rear LED lights that come equipped with integrated turn signals in the form of arrows. I have seen one that, when set up correctly, can serve as a rear light, a brake light (hooks up to your brake cable), and a turn signal indicator (with turn signal buttons on the handlebar, one on each side) all-in-one. Expect to pay about 20 $ CAN for one of these (not so bad, as a simple LED rear light itself is 10$).

I do the point to the right signal as the drivers around here are too clueless to know what an upraised bent left arm means. Pointing right is legal in Az and I know the drivers will understand it. I did see a bike policeman once who did the bent left arm and then pointed right with his finger but I think that looks weird and is probably more confusing to the drivers.

I use the old school way. I wasn't aware that there was a newer way. The LED thing above sounds interesting, but I know that when I'm in a car, I look for the hand signals from bikers, not at the lights on the back, so if they weren't particularly bright, I'm not sure I'd even notice them. Also, I enjoy the simplicity of my bike, and it seems that integrated brake lights and turn signals is just adding something else to break.

If I am turning right I point to my right with my right arm, if I am turning left I use my left arm and point left. When I am pointing I point then bend my arm in then point again, repeat, repeat(it's like the clicking of a car's turn signal(in a way) It seems to work well. My friends who ride two-wheeled cars(motorcycles) in Phoenix think that this works better than their turn signals.
I think that the problem with the bent arm, straight arm signally is that most drivers don't know what they mean.


GQ

The frustrating part is that according to licensing requirements around here (Ontario) drivers are required to be aware of the correct signals for bikes and are required to understand how to correctly share the roadway and are required to know that they do not have any rights that superseed a bike's rights on the road.

Yet something less than 50% seem to have these requirements in mind.

I think that I'm going to support the next call for driver re-examination on an ongoing basis. The last time I rode into work, I almost got doored by a lady who apparently got her drivers license before the onset of the great depression.

I use a left arm to signal left and a right arm to signal right. Its a fairly intuitive way to do things.
I dont signal nearside turns (US right) very often. Usually this has the complete opposite effect I need, ie the car behind overtakes me. I need to swing out before the turn, so I just move out and turn. Does anyone need to know I'm turning? If they do, I signal.
With offside turns, I usually get into position before I signal. A lot of cars will overtake you if you signal an offside turn.

So how do you guys do it? Do people still use that old way where a bent left arm is a left turn and a straight is a right turn? Do you point?

Aren't you worried that a car will whip by and tear your arm off if you stick it out? Do you signal stops, too?

I just started riding, and it seems to me that it is safer (here in the 'burbs, anyway) to NOT follow the traffic rules (like staying in the appropriate turn lane and signaling) as strictly as a car, since none of the car drivers here seem to expect me to do so.

Since most people don't get the bent-arm for right-turn thing, I just point in the direction that I'm turning.

Besides, the whole left-arm only signal thing is a holdover from the early days of motorcycles, when they didn't have turn signals and brake lights. On a motorcycle, it's not a particularly good idea to take your right hand off the controls to signal, since that's the throttle (most of the time). It's just no longer needed.

Pointing is obvious, so much so that even dumb drivers can get the idea.

I too just point in the direction I'm pointing. And I point like I'm shaking my hand at someone, movement helps a lot, I just point to the left or right 2-3 times really fast to signal my intentions. But it's usually only for left turns since I ride on the right. Right turns are right in my lane anyway. If I'm in traffic and I need to signal a lane change, I usually either keep my hands on the handle bar and give a quick glance and then swing into the lane or stick the hand out in the appropriate direction in addition to the glance then turn. When you're doing 25-30, that's no place to take your hands off to point.

It's funny, when I use the bent arm to signal a right turn, people have waved back at me.

I always use the standard left straight arm for left, left arm bent up 90deg for right. Its good prcactice and a good excuse to stretch you arm. I often don't signal for slow down, unless I know another rider is behind me.

I had a funny experience using the right turn arm sign. Some guy passing the other direction in his truck thought it was an insult and returned the same signal but added the embellishment of the middle finger. I thought it was pretty amusing, but also showed the ignorance of traffic rules/signals.

Al

I also see motorcyclists use hand signals too

"I do the point to the right signal as the drivers around here are too clueless to know what an upraised bent left arm means"

Obviously if some are waving back, that's evidence that I'm not that silly to be using my right arm to signal a right turn.

I also prefer to keep my left hand on the brake lever since using the right (rear) brake lever can't slow me down as fast without making me skid.

I don't signal. I'm bad.

But I do look behind me and in front of me and know where I can turn without any problems in front or behind. Sometimes, there is a car slowing down behind me, and I wave them forward, and then put my arm out at 90 degrees with the palm back to the next car as I merge - seems to work well.

I think if I'm in the turn lane on a street (left) they should know I'm going to turn. If I'm turning right, then my turn radius is tight enough that I won't influence any of the other traffic.

I should signal, but I really hate taking my hands away from my stem. Turning one handed is bad too - you lose some control. I think a lot of time it's just better to figure they don't see you at all, and move accordingly.

The reason for the bent arm right turn signal is because early Model T's and other cars didn't have indicators so couldn't signal right in the intuituve manner, otherwise they'd punch their passenger in the ear and wouldn't in any case be seen from behind.

Do it the intuitive way - anyone seeing you instinctively knows what it means.

If a following driver can't see your signal, will it affect your safety? Can't see why.

Alternatively, it comes from Ward Bond signalling "Wagons... Roll!"

Before you do anything like turn or merge or anything, look back over ur left shoulder. Being aware of your surroundings is more important than signals. Look back then merge into a lane when it's safe to do so. When you get to an intersection be ready for cars to zip past u and turn right cutting u off. Watch for driveways and cars entering traffic.

Then when u can safely signal i prefer to just point, left with left hand, right with right hand. And eye contact is even better, if i see a car at an intersection i look the driver in the eye before i do anything else, if he sees u and u know it, then u r safer.

Also it IS safer to follow traffic rules, act like a vehicle and people will treat u like one. And don't forget most drivers don't know what to expect from bicycles but they do know what to expect from a car so they will react to u acting like a car. One of the most dangerous things new riders do is ride too close to the curb, the law requires u to "stay right" but don't be silly about it, 2 feet away from the curb is fine.

Sorry about rambling but hope it helps.

How often does a right turn signal help a powered vehicle driver in right hand side driving countries?

What I mean is what would a car driver do differently when you signal that you are turning right. Usually you are to their right anyway and they pass on your left whether you are turning right or going straight.

The only cases I can think of is if you are merging right across travel lanes (not sure how often this situation occurs, merging left is much more common). Another time it might affect a car driver is if you are turning right into a side street and they are waiting to exit it and they may take that as a signal to drive in your path of travel as if you are not turning, a risky choice.

Or maybe if you are taking the lane and turning right its a signal that you are slowing down, but to a driver you are slow anyway - in any case this is the only beneficial reason of signaling right that I can think of now - I'm sure there are more though.

And there are pedestrians, but if you are turning right into their path, shouldn't you be stopping instead and giving right of way.

All that said I still hand signal for right turns anyway since I can and its not a big deal and I like the warm fuzzy feeling of being a cyclist who communicates their intentions with the world.

Al

I don't signal. I'm bad.

But I do look behind me and in front of me and know where I can turn without any problems in front or behind. Sometimes, there is a car slowing down behind me, and I wave them forward, and then put my arm out at 90 degrees with the palm back to the next car as I merge - seems to work well.

I think if I'm in the turn lane on a street (left) they should know I'm going to turn. If I'm turning right, then my turn radius is tight enough that I won't influence any of the other traffic.

I should signal, but I really hate taking my hands away from my stem. Turning one handed is bad too - you lose some control. I think a lot of time it's just better to figure they don't see you at all, and move accordingly.


Anyone who doesn't signal is asking for trouble....and one of these days you're going to get run over.

i just point the direction i'm going to turn.

I should signal, but I really hate taking my hands away from my stem. Turning one handed is bad too - you lose some control.

If you have that problem, you're not signalling correctly. You should be signalling well in advance of your turn -- this is done so that you have both hands available when making your turn, and so that drivers around you have time to react to you signalling your intentions. If your signalling too late, it doesn't matter whether drivers are paying attention or not -- they simply won't have time to react.

Generally speaking I just point the direction I'm turning by extending my right arm completely.

Generally speaking I just point the direction I'm turning by extending my right arm completely.

Don't use left arm for left turns and right for right?

I use the standard hand signals but there are a few places on my commute where I encounter a merging traffic lane on my right. One is an offramp from I-5 which exits to Martin Way. The bike lane ends up with 2 lanes of 40+mph traffic on the left and a lane of former freeway traffic closer to 50 mph on my right. Cyclists are supposed to cross this freeway exit lane to the right side of the road where the bike lane resumes. I signal with my right hand & cross only if there is plenty of room, many times I just stop short of this merge until there is no off ramp traffic.

I assume the driver has the intelligence of a child and I just point. Stopping is the only one I really do "traditionally"

I should signal, but I really hate taking my hands away from my stem. Turning one handed is bad too - you lose some control. Actually, here in WI, you'd be in the clear. The vehicle code here states that you're not required to hand signal if you need both hands to control your vehicle. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, so I choose to signal or not based on that need.

Two other disadvantages to using the right arm to signal a right: One, (fixies, please ignore...) it takes your hand away from your rear brake lever. Yeah, true, you do most of your braking, load-wise, with the front brake, but if I have to use only one, it's gonna be my rear; esp. around a turn, an endo is just too great a risk. The only exception would be our tandem (Julie, as stoker, signals for our turns anyway). There's no endo risk with my 'bent, but it behaves very strangely when I brake with just the front whilst turning. Two, the left-arm-up signal is the only one a car driver can use (when her/his turn signals are broken), so it's consistent with what car drivers would be required to do.

The bike lane ends up with 2 lanes of 40+mph traffic on the left and a lane of former freeway traffic closer to 50 mph on my right. Cyclists are supposed to cross this freeway exit lane to the right side of the road where the bike lane resumes. Soooo, is whatever substance the designer of this, er, "feature" was obviously taking still legal in WA? Can I get some?

Don't use left arm for left turns and right for right?

I kind of figured that would be a given. Although in saying that, I rarely bother to signal left turns (the equivalent of right turns for those in the US).

Yeah, I consider right signals (over here) less critical. Still, there are times I think they're useful. Case in point; my last turn for home from most rides is a right turn onto my street. One block from a traffic light crossing our city's main street. I can usually hammer it up to about 20 or so before leaning into the turn. But I like to be a ways out into the lane so I can take the turn fairly fast. Since it's a short block, there really isn't time for a car behind me, if any, to pass before I start into the turn. Still, cars must wonder why I'm not closer to the curb to allow them to pass. So I signal as a way of saying "relax, don't try to pass, I'll only be a second". I find myself doing a lot of right turns that way, being further left in the lane than if I were going straight thru. The signal helps "explain" why to other vehicles.

I had my first real ride on roads with cars. For the past month, I've been cruising around the 'burbs and further out in the next township, which is full of farms - but today was different. Until now I never signaled, and felt a little funny about it, but after riding around in traffic, I would get off my bike and do the Hokey-pokey to get the driver's attention and show which way I'm going. And I DEFINITELY see the advantage of following all the same laws the cars do, it really makes you much more predictable.

And merging with traffic to get into a turn lane, or starting out in the lane at a stop light, is kind of fun. Biking is freakin' awesome.