Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
The last motorcycle I owned was in 1973. It was a Suzuki 125 and it had standard electric turn signals; worked well at night too. I do not think I ever forget about them when signaling a turn or lane change.
How long have electric turn signals been standard equipment on motorcycles sold in the U.S.? Why would anybody in the last 40 years be using hand signals while motorcycling?
I only see it when current motorcyclists have motorcycles with tiny custom turn signals, or no turn signals at all. Whether that's legal or not, it seems to be enforced about as much as loud pipes.
Not that anyone learns it, but the current Texas Drivers Handbook that is recommended reading for getting a drivers license here has hand signals covered on page 41. I spent 1/3 of 2016 and 1/2 of 2017 giving parent taught drivers ed to my last two kids, so it's in my recent memory.
http://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-7.pdf
Back to bicycling, car drivers around here don't use their turn signals and they surely ignore me on my bicycle. Like the guy that slow turned into his driveway right in front of me when I was approaching on the road several weeks ago. That's what bicycle brakes are for, I suppose.