Turn signal with reflective glove -- Drivers' input??
 

Some, including myself, think, or hope, putting on reflective stickers on the back of the gloves helps when making turn signals at night. I think it's useful in only very limited situations, when the car light is directed at your hand, which often is not the case.

Any drivers here could provide some input? Have you been able to tell a cyclist's turn intention thanks to the reflections from their glove at night?

Motorists need to be made aware of a cyclists presence on the road at night. Anything else is secondary. Having established that a cyclist is on the road in relatively close proximity means that the motorist is prepared to yield to that cyclist whatever he or she does AND also presupposes that whatever the cyclist does will fall in accordance with established protocols. A cyclists does not need to signal a left merge if there isn't anyone closer than 200' following. If there is close following traffic, especially at night, a left merge is one maneuver I personally would avoid, even if it meant missing the turn. Just because your signal is visible doesn't mean that a following car will take a cyclist seriously. At night I use common sense and make maneuvers in such a way that motorists are able to easily infer my intentions. Hand signals become an optional courtesy. FWIW.

I can't say I've ever noticed anyone using one. Rear reflectors in general seem pretty dim. I think it's because they're red and small. I notice, and prefer to use, lights.

By far the most effective reflectors on a bike are the ones in the tires or spokes. The former just reads "bike" so clearly and the latter makes a weird hopping motion that catches the eye.

Turn signal with reflective glove -- Drivers' input??

Just yesterday I posted to this thread on the General Cycling Forum, ”Bicycle Turn Signal Lights?”

Depends on the application, I'd guess. For example, if you were turning on a highway you would not be visible until you were in the car's headlights (i.e. 200-300') or about 2-4 seconds at highway speeds. That would be inadequate warning in my opinion.

J.

I put reflective tape on my mittens and made arrows out of them. I don't know if they "work" or even know how to define "working." I ride defensively, so I don't assume drivers see the signal. I use all sorts of defenses such as frequent head turning (as a signal) and several lights on my bike.

Other than a quick hand signal when I think it will help a car immediately behind me, I don't take my hand off the bars to signal. Riding and braking one-handed is not very effective or safe on rough streets with lots of traffic around.

I got some Glo-Gloves last year and they seem to help. Otherwise, drivers aren't going to see my hand at all in the dark.

Obviously making yourself and your bike visible are priorities. Anything more than that is a bonus. You should NOT assume drivers can see your hand signals, even during the day.

I think gloves aren't big enough - I advise a jacket with reflective piping on the sleeves.

traffic cop in the fog w/o white gloves and despite his hi vis jacket had no reflective stripes. it was very difficult to see him in the fog and also very difficult to tell what he was doing with his hands. waving me on? telling to stop? my 2 cents? wear reflective gloves or add reflective tape to be used during the darkest months / shortest days

I let you try with these gloves at 10F but there is something there.
A couple of bike lights on the back of the gloves/mittens

Can't give direct input from experience as a driver since I don't recall ever seeing a cyclist signalling with reflective gloves. But I've sewed bright yellow reflective material to the backs of my gloves and they seem effective enough when I signal a left turn and want following traffic to slow enough for me to reach the left turn lane. In that situation the car lights will be pointing in the general direction of my hand and my experience as a driver has been that there's enough stray light even as high as a cyclist's helmet to make reflectors very effective when approaching from behind.

I've been using reflective-backed gloves for the benefit of signaling when someone is behind me at night - for example, I were to take the lane and then make an upcoming left.

I have no doubt they can see the glove and it keeps them from trying to pass me on the left.

For drivers approaching head on, I don't rely on the gloves.

I just wrap a reflector strip around my left elbow or wrist. I also wear a reflector vest and have reflectors on my ankles too. When I signal left, I'm sure other motorists see me. But I signal only when I see a big gap in my mirror. Too many headlights in the mirror distorts your sense of distance. If I can't squeeze in, I'm not taking the chance. I'd rather turn right and loop around so I can see the traffic directly instead of through a mirror.

My Parka has Wide Reflective stripes on the body and sleeves ,

so when I stick Out my Arm the sleeve reflector is seen from behind to the side of the stripes on my torso..

I was going to say, it would be best to put the reflective strip on the back of the arm of one's coat.

I do signal a left turn, left merge, or left deviation around a road hazard (or car), always with adequate reaction time for the vehicles around me.

Or, depending on the traffic or situation, I may just slow down and let the cars pass.

I have just started using a product called "safe turn". Haven't had a driver interaction though because when I go home its past rush hour and very quiet in the neighborhood...

I just wanted to clarify, that I use the glove either after I've already taken the lane in anticipation of a left turn or if the driver is yielding behind me.

I don't just throw a hand signal out and take the lane blindly.

This morning, my wife accompanied me on part of my commute, just for the fun of it. I signaled with my be-mitten'd hand, with the arrow on the back. She laughed.

This. I am not a commuter and I don't ride at night, but I'm in a car an awful lot in the dark. I also don't encounter very many true cyclists. Most are DUI folk in my town.

I do however encounter a lot of walkers and runners in the dark. Most of them usually have reflective striping on their clothing and I spot them from quite a distance away. I'm not close enough for my lights to be directly hitting them, in fact, the lights on my car are horrible and don't light up very much at all. But those walkers and joggers I encounter light up like a Christmas tree and are very easy for me to recognize as a person on the road way before my headlights would directly reveal someone there.