Originally Posted by
noisebeam
It was not weird at all. The driver was confused by the ambiguous situation the cyclist caused by looking back as if desiring to turn. The driver slowed perhaps wondered if would happen. But the cyclist neither turned nor made their intentions clear.
Next time: Signal! Al
He held back on signalling because it was too late to change lanes, the car was overtaking too fast. He was going to wait until the car passed him and then signal (I hope) and change lanes, which would be the correct thing to do. It was the driver who caused problems by second guessing him. If the driver wanted to be helpful he should have passed or stayed back, not hemmed the cyclist in to give him a presumptive lecture.
Originally Posted by
Widsith
I have a quick question about signaling: How is a right turn supposed to be signaled? The standard method taught in drivers' manuals is to point the left arm up (bent at the elbow) for a right turn and extend it straight out to the left for a left turn. But the illustrations I've seen in bike books usually show the rider extending his right arm straight out to the right for a right turn, i.e., the exact mirror image of the left turn signal.
You can check your local laws to be sure, My understanding is we can use either. Drivers have to use the bent left arm because they can't reach the right window and even if they could, their arm would be hidden by the body of the car from any car to their left. Cyclists can use the right arm because it's visible to others, and the message is pretty obvious.
I often point where I'm going in ambiguous situations, like a combined through/turn lane (as well as positioning myself appropriately within the lane to avoid being squeezed).
EDIT: apparently this is the law in Texas:
Originally Posted by
durwood
4. Use hand and arm signals: (545.107)
Point the way you are going, let the other operators know what you want to do.
To the OP: When the driver yelled at you to signal, you should have said "Certainly, which way way am I turning?"