Originally Posted by
MTBLover
I think you're exactly right. BTW, when I yelled, it was just to make sure he heard me- it wasn't with a nasty tone, and couldn't have been construed that way.
About the right-arm signal- I see everyone's point, but here's a rebuttal that I think makes sense. If you're turning right, and you're over to the right side of the lane, or in a bike lane, and you use your right arm, a driver to your left won't easily see your signal. That was actually the case in the situation I described- there were several cars behind me to my left, and I wasn't sure whether any were going to make a right on top of me. Using my left arm to signal at least raised the probability that they saw the signal and knew my intentions. Were this a different case, where, let's say I had to switch lanes from left to right, of course, I'd use my right arm to signal.
I use the same traditional arm signaling that you do. That's the way I was taught to do it in the public school system and by my father, when I was a child.
And I still use it first when I signal my intentions today....and then if I'm not sure that signal was understood....I just point directly at where I intend to ride.
Sadly, when I'm riding straight through an intersection I usually stretch an arm out and point straight ahead when cars are waiting in adjacent lanes. That shouldn't be needed, if I don't signal a turn then I'm going straight ahead.
If a driver in a car is not turning, then they should not signal at all, and that means they are going straight.
But, since cyclists where I live never signal at all and nobody knows what they are going to do at intersections, I think it's safer for me to use both the traditional signals and just to point directly where I'm heading, including pointing straight ahead when I'm going through an intersection.
I think in some cases car drivers know what my traditional signals mean; I think in some cases car drivers don't know exactly what my traditional signals mean, but they understand I'm trying to tell them something and it gets their attention, so they are watching me.
The communication is the important part and it would be a great step in bicycle safety if we all make an effort to re-educate family, friends, coworkers, etc. about using proper hand signaling when riding bikes and about understanding those signals when we're driving cars.