I had an interesting conversation with some fellow riders this morning concerning the use of hand signals. I wonder how many of us that ride, either casually on weekends or more daily use hand signals in conjunction with the blinkers on our bikes? What worries me is that although bikers may be using arm motions that other bikers recognize, the general driving public has no idea what they are or what they mean.

One of the things that was brought up this morning was that new driver applicants use to have to know what hand signals were in order to take their permit tests here in NY. That stopped being the case for a car license in 1987, although it remains a requirement for your MC endorsement. What is scary is that while bikers may use hand signals, they are essentially unknown to an entire generation of drivers, who drive like $hit here in NY most of the time anyway. I just got back from a 3100 mile trip to FL with the family (unfortunately not on the bike) and the drivers all up and down the eastern seaboard are lousy, it is not limited to any one state.

Just curious for anyone else's input, not looking to start a whole long chain of posts

 

HERE is a link with some hand signals...

Haven't seen but a few of these use, but I tend to ride solo...

Edmo

 

i use hand signals and eye contact more than blinkers

 

I signal my turns in addition to my dirrectionals. When riding in a group we use signals so everyone is on the same sheet of music.

 

I never thought of that at all. I'm 39 and still remember using hand signals on a bicycle. Kids on them today will just as soon ride right in front of you .The cell phone using, brain dead commuters,soccer moms, and yuppies -they just don't pay any attention anyway . Since you mentioned it -I'll have to check to see if hand signals are even taught still.
I still use hand signals in a group ride or in bright sun as my signals are behind clear lenses and may be hard to see-hopefully someone remembers what the hand signals mean.
The other morning I was riding to work and I gave the beeyotch 10 ft behind me the signal to slow it down a pinch ,she pulls out and passes me then flips ME off. I was already doing 70 !!

 

I don’t normally use hand signals, but I do know how. With that said, in the last few months I have been giving a friendly wave of thanks to the folks that will actually wait for me to pass, instead of pulling left in front of me, or just pulling out in front of me when THEY could have just cut me off. Unfortunately, I give the one finger wave more than the friendly wave…

 

I haven't even though about that in years. Only time I guess I would use 'em is if my turn signals were "on the blink" (get it?). Hell, I think I'm the only person in MI that uses turn signals anyway! I always try to be a courtious driver, whether in cage or on bike. Wish more people would signal... one way or another!

 

When I'm in traffic in my neck of the woods, I want to have both hands on the bar at all times. When your only real options in an emergency are to brake hard or swerve, having a hand off the bar robs me of precious reaction time. I don't think 1 person in 50 would recognize a hand-signal anyway. I just doesn't make any sense to use them anymore.

 

http://www.midtnscrc.org/r_guide.html

 

The group I ride with uses a few of these. Mainly signaling turns and road hazards. The one missing that we also use is the pat on the head or helmet to alert that there's a cop and to slow down