siran

Thought I'd share this with all of my fellow commuters.

Saturday morning, heading on my way to work, I was coming up to a street where I always make a right turn. I signaled, not knowing there was an RV coming up behind me. I guess they thought that I wanted them to honk, due to the position my arm was in.

After sh*tting myself, I found it pretty funny.

mc9000

Just another reason why I just stick my left arm out for left and my right arm out for right. Too many divers don't know what the bent left arm "L" means anymore.

jdom

These arm signals where made before vehicles had turn signals.Since you can not put your right arm out the passenger window to signal a right turn poeple used the bent left arm.The upside down bent left are was used to signal breaking.

I also just point wichever arm I am intending to turn.

JeremyZ

I feel like an idiot to signal with my right arm to turn right. It is not the correct way, so I don't do it.

Most of the time, motorists don't care because they are not affected if I turn right. So why confuse the dumb buggers needlessly? The times when it does matter, I signal the proper way and hope that it jogs their memory.

Brian T.

What memory? Most people don't have a clue what the hand signals are. If you point the direction you going in, they are more likely to recognize where you are going. Besides in Ohio, it's legal.

dwr1961

My thoughts exactly... Even dumb teen drivers "get it."

tatfiend 

[QUOTE=JeremyZ;10820473]I feel like an idiot to signal with my right arm to turn right. It is not the correct way, so I don't do it. QUOTE]

Whether legal or not depends on where you are. As of Oct. last year the right arm signal for right turns is legally approved for bicyclists in Nevada. Check your state bicycling laws as I believe this is becoming more common as a legally approved signal for bicyclists.

Since turn signals have been mandatory on cars since at least the 1950s and on motorcycles since about the mid 1970s, few drivers seem to befamiliar with the left arm hand signals anymore even though they are still legal and listed in driver handbooks I have read.

coldfeet

As I understand it, in most jurisdictions of N.A either way is considered correct.

dynodonn 

I gave up trying to educate motorists in using the upward bent left arm for right turns, as others have said, pointing to the right with the right arm, even the dimmest of motorists understand what my intention is. I still use the downward bent left arm, with an open palm swinging in a short front to back motion for slowing to a stop, so far, motorists seem to understand that one as well.

Lot's Knife

I've now seen a half-dozen cyclists who stick their left arms out straight ... and then take a right.

dwr1961

Must be a Darwinian thing...

frpax

Here in AZ, the proper right turn signal is done with the left arm in the traditional way. Bent left arm "L", as someone pointed out.

It's the law for motorists as well as cyclists here.

So, that's the way I do it.

I'd imagine that the OP's RV was honking for a different reason. 99% of the motorists around here honk at me because they don't like cyclists on "their" roads. Sometimes it startles me but I'm getting immune to it, for the most part.

chandltp

My dad used to honk to let the cyclist know that he was there.. just a short beep beep. He stopped after I educated him that it scared the crap out of the cyclist.

vtjim

Heh - Yeah, because we're deaf and can't hear the car coming from hundreds of yards back.

I point where I'm going, too.

mikeybikes

Just point where you're going if you feel the need to let motorists know.

How hard is that?

Doohickie

Actually in Texas it is the correct way; both ways are actually correct for a cyclist.

When riding in group rides, I have to admit that I have a much clearer idea of what the lead bike is about to do when he or she uses a right arm extended for a right turn, as opposed to pointing the left arm up. I suspect it is the same with drivers as well; they get the idea better when you just point the way you're going.

Loose Chain

I signal right turn with my left arm bent as is the convention for 100 years now or so.

khutch

I scared the crap out of a woman on the bike path a few weeks ago. On your left, on your left, on your left, say it loud, say it all day, Ms. iPod ain't gonna' hear you. She was jogging, undoubtedly the iPod is surgically implanted and is worn while biking too, and probably turned up louder to overpower the wind noise. I imagine some drivers have learned this too, and use their horns. Nothing wrong with that if it is short and done far enough back.

I use my right hand to signal right turns. Evidently Illinois wants you to use your left hand but allows the right as an alternate. As if anyone younger than me knows what a hand signal is, as if any automobile drivers signal turns in any fashion....

Ken

corkscrew

I use the bent left arm to signal my right turns. I'm thinking I should start just pointing right. I've had a few drivers (and even one cyclist!!) wave back at me when I signal a right turn.

jeffpoulin

If I'm turning right, I don't signal. If I'm turning left and there's nobody behind or in front of me, I don't signal. I only signal when I want a car to yield to my right of way (or when an idiot cyclist is drafting me and I don't want to spook them and get hit).

rumrunn6

is there a hand signal to request an a-hole honks their horn?

Lot's Knife

I use the bent arm as well, making a fist to prevent the impression I'm waving.

chipcom 

ahh, so doing it the "correct" way for a motor vehicle while riding a bicycle so that the people you are signaling for have no freakin idea of what you intend to do is safer than making your intentions clear and unambiguous?

Wear your helmet, dumb bugger, you're gonna need it.

For the rest of you people who can't seem to understand the difference between a bike and a motor vehicle...when it comes to your safety, do what most clearly signals your intentions to the other users of the road. These days, most drivers probably don't understand antiquated, cryptic, motor-vehicle centric signals that they may or may not have learned in driver's ed. You think you are signaling a right turn, they think you are waving. Good communication means that your intentions are understood as you intend them to be understood. Bad communications on the road leads to having a bad day.

Wanderer

In Illinois, it is legal to do it either way - I do it the way the idiots understand - extend the arm and point the way with my fingers......

chipcom 

or the impression that you are making an aggressive gesture.

Don't assume that people understand your cryptic signals and steely-eyed alpha-dawg stares.