billyymc

Not just acceptable, but in some U.S. states a legal alternative written into the motor vehicle code.

I-Like-To-Bike

Bicyclists still using a raised left arm to "signal" a right turn, are indicating that they are more interested (or obsessed) with complying with tradition or a cryptic reference in a pamphlet, than communicating any useful information to motorists about their intention to turn.

FiftySix

It's ingrained to the point of instinct on my part. When I did it yesterday on my bicycle ride, I did it the traditional way without thinking.

Perhaps I should unlearn it, but I am from a generation where it was required knowledge to pass a driver's license test. Whether for an automobile or motorcycle license.

You ought to see me drive an automatic transmission car. I brake with my left foot to leave my right foot for the gas pedal. It goes back to driving carbureted cars and trucks that had poorly operating "automatic" chokes. Funny thing is, I can hop straight into a manual transmission car and use my feet correctly.

I was born in 1965, and the first car I learned stick shift on was my grandpa's 1938 Chrysler Royal.

jon c. 

I used my left arm for right turns for a long time just because that's what I learned in my youth and old habits die hard.

FiftySix

Yep, apparently it's gone the way of semaphore or Morse code, though.

Moe Zhoost

I was required to use them during my driving test for my first license.

I think you are close on the driver stat. From my observations, though, I think the majority of cyclists understand the signal.

I-Like-To-Bike

Using the traditional signal is not a problem unless you believe that you are actually communicating your information about your future turning movements with the intended recipients of your "signal."

I learned to drive stick shift in 1963 on my father's '57 VW van and still have one on my 2000 Chevy Prizm, but when I want to communicate with others that I will be making a right turn while riding a bicycle I use my right hand; it was not that hard to learn a new trick.

FiftySix

Motorcyclists vs. non-motorcyclists, I guess. Due to right hand on throttle/front brake, motorcyclists will keep the tradition going for some time, and many motorcyclists ride bicycles.

I remember on one motorcycle ride a car pulled up to my right side to hand me a piece of paper at 60 mph. It took me a few attempts to grab that sheet of paper due to me having to lift my throttle hand off the throttle. Didn't matter if I clutched or not with my left hand, wind drag or engine braking kept slowing me way down.

I-Like-To-Bike

The last motorcycle I owned was in 1973. It was a Suzuki 125 and it had standard electric turn signals; worked well at night too. I do not think I ever forget about them when signaling a turn or lane change.

How long have electric turn signals been standard equipment on motorcycles sold in the U.S.? Why would anybody in the last 40 years be using hand signals while motorcycling?

OldTryGuy

Call my judgemental but since MANY DRIVERS do not even employ the use of the NON-OPTION turn signals, why should any bicyclist think that a left hand raised would be connected to indicating a right turn????

Arthur Peabody

I signal turns with my left arm, as I learned 60 years ago, as long as I have an arm free. I don't think anyone, including cops, recognizes it. People wave back.

A few months ago my shoulders were stiff. While waiting to cross a busy street I took the opportunity to work out the stiffness by raising them above my head and moving them around. A bicyclist waiting to cross the other direction asked me what I was signaling.

FiftySix

I only see it when current motorcyclists have motorcycles with tiny custom turn signals, or no turn signals at all. Whether that's legal or not, it seems to be enforced about as much as loud pipes.

Not that anyone learns it, but the current Texas Drivers Handbook that is recommended reading for getting a drivers license here has hand signals covered on page 41. I spent 1/3 of 2016 and 1/2 of 2017 giving parent taught drivers ed to my last two kids, so it's in my recent memory. https://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-7.pdf

Back to bicycling, car drivers around here don't use their turn signals and they surely ignore me on my bicycle. Like the guy that slow turned into his driveway right in front of me when I was approaching on the road several weeks ago. That's what bicycle brakes are for, I suppose.

I-Like-To-Bike

Why do you signal your turns if no one recognizes it?

tim24k

I ride a lot of motorcycles as I’ve logged over a million miles on them in my lifetime. I always use hand signals even though I have good working order turn signals. It is the law to use them in my state when riding bicycles.

I truly believe when you are on two wheels you need to be seen and be predictable to everyone around you.

livedarklions

I sigal my left turns religiously, but almost never bother signalling a right turn at all, unless I'm shifting lanes to the right, and then it's always a matter of pointing right with my right hand. If I'm FRAP, it's almost always irrelevant to the vehicles going in either direction whether I turn right.

Skipjacks

The rider the OP witnessed was obviously flashing gang signs, as everyone knows women on bike trails are notoriously involved with gang activity. I mean duh....

Either that or she was telling the runner to steal 3rd.

ksryder

According to every NIMBY ever when it comes to building new MUPs, they're going to open the floodgates for criminal activity!

Skipjacks

I had a driver scream bloody murder at me once because I didn't use hand signals to indicate a turn.

I'm pretty sure the due learned to drive on a Model T.

But honestly in modern day driving....do they even teach hand signals in driver's ed anymore? I doubt I could find 1 driver out of 100 randomly sampled that could tell me what hand signals meant. Hell I doubt I could find 10 out of 100 that even know there WERE hand signals, much less what they meant. (For that matter I bet 10-15 of them wouldn't know where the turn signal switch was on the steering column)

I-Like-To-Bike

What do you think motorists predict you will do when you use hand signals, instead of your motorcycle's standard electric turn signals, especially right turn "signals" giver with the left arm, doubly especially for hand signals at night?

pennpaul

When I was part of the Philadelphia Bicycle Club 20 years ago (before I moved away), that was how we did it when we were riding in a group. We'd slap (not super loud, but enough to get someone's attention) the side of our thigh and then point down at the object to avoid. I think the slapping actually helps to get someone's attention first rather than just pointing. We also tried to shout out the warning, too.

no motor?

I rode motorcycle for many years and many miles. One of the reasons I switched the brakes so the right hand worked the front brake on my bicycle when I resumed bicycling was to make it easier to signal with my left hand, knowing that's the arm used for signaling.

Jim from Boston

I have posted: So for me an upraised left arm is a wave to an upcoming vehicle, and I point my right hand for a right turn.

autonomy

I'm probably half the average age here and I use my left arm to signal. Don't care if no one recognizes it, that's the way I learned and that's the right signal. But the biggest reason I do it is that, anecdotally, it appears to confuse the hell out of drivers - they see me signaling an action but they don't know which one - so they slow down.

jadocs

Patting your rear end means follow my line, stay behind me, or tighten it up. It's often used in conjunction with identifying vehicles, walkers, animals, trash cans, etc... that may be using the road. Pointing down either on the left or right indicates road debris and potholes. No idea what patting the thigh means.

Arthur Peabody

Habit. For perhaps the first time ever, a hand signal may have registered. I was preparing to turn left, the motorist behind me was about to pass me on the left, slowed down to let me turn. Today