MLKATO

My bad,I got the directions mixed up I believe.The bent upward arm is the right hand signal. DOH!

Pedaleur

In Europe, stopping is signaled with a raised arm, which would be easily confused with the bent arm turn signal.

I-Like-To-Bike

It would be pretty silly since motorcycles have built-in turn signals. Pretty close on the silly meter is a cyclist giving hand signals in the absence of other traffic that could be affected by the turning action. Almost as silly is giving archaic right turn hand signals, knowing that numerous (most) motorists will not recognize the "old school" signal. Maybe as silly as giving an audible signal like "On Your Left" on a MUP, knowing that numerous pedestrians and cyclists respond "incorrectly" to such jargon.

dsprehe89

This is also what I do. Back when I was 15-16 and rode more for transportation and not just enjoyment I did it properly (left hand bent at 90 degree pointed up to signal right), then I learned that no one driving really knows what you are signaling and people (including other bikers) will often cut you off or think you are going left instead of right.

I-Like-To-Bike

What should motorists on your left think about if you are making a right that does not affect them?

hotbike

1) I use a red flag when I signal.

2) I can't control my bike with one hand much over ~22MPH.

unterhausen

generally, I slow before a right turn. Most motorists have developed a habit of moving left at the last possible second to avoid a collision, at least that's what I observe on the freeway. Therefore, warning them that you are slowing may help avoid a collision.


nobody understands the bent left arm, they don't see it often enough, and most cyclists I see doing it don't lift their arm enough for it to look right. Much better to put your right arm out, and that signal is accepted in most states. Copying what a motorist would do because they physically can't use their right arm to make a signal makes no sense. I'm wondering if the person who thought of it first realized that it made no sense. "not my best work"

ScottNotBombs

Do you guys use your left or right arm to signal? I always see people using their left arm on pictures and videos online, but I feel like I would get my arm taken off by a mirror if I did.

I signal in traffic if I'm turning left, but mostly just signal right if there's a car waiting to turn out of where I'm turning to let them know that I'm not going to be in their way. If they even know what a right hand turn signal means. I don't think it's something they teach in drivers ed anymore. I don't remember learning about it. They definitely don't teach you to share the road with bikes.

Digital_Cowboy

Yep, as I said I make all signals with my left arm, i.e. left turn, slow/stop, right turn. A couple of weeks ago I was headed down to my LBS when I spotted it's van in my rearview. When I got to the shop the owner had been the one who was driving the van. And we were talking about two cyclists that had blown through the red light and he said that when I signaled there was no doubt what my intentions were.

Digital_Cowboy

Granted as we know motorists are NOT learning everything that they need to know in order to be a safe motor vehicle operator, but isn't the "traditional" hand signals not still a part of drivers ed?

Also when I'm giving a right turn signal I will also point with my left hand towards the right.

Digital_Cowboy

Both are good reasons for not taking one's hands off of the handlebars of a motorcycle. Or even one of the newer hybrid bikes.

Digital_Cowboy

Even if you don't have a lot of traffic to contend with it's still probably a good idea to signal what one is intending to do. That way when you are riding in traffic where you need to signal you'll already be used to doing so.

hyegeek

I'm very aware of my surroundings (self preservation) and will signal any time someone can see it. If the street is empty, I'd rather have both hands on the bars.

Digital_Cowboy

By that "logic" it's "pretty silly" for motorists to signal their intentions when there is no one around either. But wait motorists generally don't signal even when there are other's around. So why shouldn't cyclists behave better than the average motorist?

And given that I have not seen you add anything positive to any of the threads that you've posted to may I ask just what it is that you are doing here?

Digital_Cowboy

Without signalling how is that motorist on your left suppose to know what you are getting ready to do? Without signalling how is the cyclist suppose to know that the cyclist won't be turning right and creating an opening for the motorist to safely move into?

I-Like-To-Bike

You sure squeal pretty when you can't understand a rational or a logical response, nor provide one.

himespau 

+1, though I'm afraid people who don't know better view my right turn signal as a sign of braking. Either way, it does the job.

I rarely (if ever) signal to stop as I don't remember being taught that one. Will have to remember it though.

My wife bought me a tail-light that has a brake-light and turn signals on it. I very occasionally use the turn signals and have gotten rid of the break light feature. The whole thing is pretty much a waste as I'm sure my radbot and pbsf overpower the turn signals to the point they're not seen, but it also has a weak horn on it that I use in place of a bell and I keep it because it makes her happy (I think it was like $20 or something cheap like that at amazon, so no wonder it doesn't work well).

I have reflective cycling gloves that have reflective hi viz arrows on the backs of the hands that I use when riding at night for signalling. The palms have red stop signs (also reflective). I'll have to keep that in mind for signalling my stopping.

noisebeam

Explain how this ''opening' stuff works. I don't get it.

noisebeam

I signal right if drivers are behind me as it lets them know I will be doing something which can help get their attention vs. doing nothing. Since right turn usually involves slowing down it is good to get more attention. I don't think it makes one bit of difference if I use my left or right arm to signal that right turn, both are visible to the driver behind me.

The only time I really use the bent up left arm right turn signal is when there is another cyclist to my right who is also turning (verbal confirmation) and I don't want to whop them with my extended right arm.

Yellowbeard

I know perfectly well what the old-school signals are, but it still takes me a couple seconds to remember what the bent left arm means because I see it so rarely. The "left arm = left turn" logic is too intuitive. Then I have to remind myself that it's not the opposite of the "slowing down" signal. I use my right arm.

But motorists don't have to take their hands off the steering wheel to signal, let alone hold them there for a hundred feet. I skip signalling all the time on my bike because I need both hands to ride safely over bad pavement, with close-passing traffic, etc. but if I were driving on a closed track in the middle of the desert I'd probably still signal out of habit.

Dan The Man

Pretty much the only signal I will ever use is a left turn when I have a car behind me. It's the only ambiguous situation where the car might not understand my intentions and try to pass on the left as I turn. I signal by pointing left a few seconds before the turn.

Mostly I try to communicate my intentions by my positioning. If I'm slowing down, I will stand up and coast so it is clear that I am not pedaling. If I am turning right, I move over to the right. If I am turning left, I move to take the middle of the lane. I try to make direct eye contact with drivers so that I know that they are looking at me when they should be paying attention.

edit: I signal a lot when riding in a group of cyclists though

Seattle Forrest

Do you signal right turns using your left arm? That's the correct way to do it, technically, and it's also a way to make sure most drivers don't understand your intentions, which creates a more dangerous situation than necessary. "Vehicular cyclists," though, are desperate to have their bikes mistaken for cars, and tend to do it the "proper" way, created for drivers on the left side of a vehicle who can't operate the car and put their hand out the passenger side window to signal a right turn. It's like cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

Digital_Cowboy

Sorry, I didn't realize that I had typed cyclist when I meant motorist.

sudo bike

As for old-school signaling or pointing right, I don't think it matters much. I don't think you're going to reach many more motorists with a right point than a bent arm - motorists who are smart enough to know one signal will know the other, and a motorists who doesn't understand/pay attention to a bent arm won't pay any more attention to any other signal. I don't think one has any more than a negligible advantage over the other, so I'd just do whatever you're more comfortable with. Just my experience. YMMV.

Oncoming traffic that may be preparing to turn left onto the same street/driveway as you are making a right onto? If it's a narrow lane, so traffic behind you can merge left to go around? I can think of a few reasons.

noisebeam

Nonsense.