50
votes
Accepted
How to indicate you are going straight?
It's difficult to say without seeing photos of the road layout. However, if the road itself continues round to the left, you should indicate right when you're leaving it.
In general, you should ...
- 3,942
25
votes
Accepted
Signal a u-turn to road users
First, don't attempt a u-turn at a junction where you may have vehicles approaching from multiple directions and vehicle drivers will be expecting you to make a left or right turn, not a u-turn.
U ...
- 75.3k
15
votes
How to indicate you are going straight?
Will's answer is correct - this is to provide an identical example when driving:
Source: Google Maps
If you are headed northbound on State Road 213, the normal course of action is to continue around ...
- 1,482
14
votes
Hand signal before braking: a thing?
Signalling before braking is a defensive riding skill, to be used when you think there are riders close behind. In my answer to one of the linked questions, I wrote
If you think there are bikes ...
- 17.2k
12
votes
How to indicate you are going straight?
I find that on ambiguous roads the best course of action is to point where you're going. It's not a standard signal but I find most drivers and pedestrians tend to pick up on the meaning.
Also ...
- 121
11
votes
Accepted
Coded gesture for "I am looking for a place to stop"
I have this same problem on a couple of local descents.
There isn't signal that communicates what you want to say, clearly and succinctly. Anything you try and do will take at least a hand off the ...
- 119k
9
votes
Signal a u-turn to road users
The other answers have good notes about doing this more safely. But if the car is far enough behind you and you are sure there is no risk, just signal a right turn. Your path will be almost the same, ...
- 1,717
8
votes
Coded gesture for "I am looking for a place to stop"
I take a different approach to @Criggie, as many of the roads I ride are potholed, narrow, and/or winding. On descents I stay wide and take the lane -- I can see hazards ahead (and also be seen ...
- 55.7k
8
votes
Accepted
Is using hand signals a legal requirement in the UK?
They're in the highway code, but the word "must" isn't used in the online version or my paper copy from 1999, which states:
Turning right
155. Well before you turn right you should
Use your ...
- 55.7k
7
votes
How to indicate you are going straight?
This is a right turn. You're entering a node from which you're taking the right-most exit. Going straight means taking the middle exit out of three.
Pedestrians are not all going to look at your hand ...
- 2,712
7
votes
How to nonverbaly signal a drafting proposition to fellow cyclist?
Yes.
There are a number of different ways to initiate a paceline via hand signals, but the most common one I've seen and used is to make a circle with an upwards pointed finger.
Watch Peter Sagan (...
- 2,045
5
votes
Hand signal before braking: a thing?
I know you were asking about US/Canada, but anyway:
In Russia official rules for drivers prescribe to use the following gestures:
(from left to right: turn left, turn right, brake)
It applies to ...
- 51
5
votes
What is the common "vocabulary" for the captain and stoker to communicate?
One important simple communication from stoker to captain: Stop. I tell my stoker that if she says "stop" I will follow that command immediately. Explanations can follow later. This is especially ...
- 51
5
votes
Coded gesture for "I am looking for a place to stop"
In Denmark, raising your hand next to you shoulder is the accepted bike signal that you're going to stop. Not sure if all drivers will understand, and as there are no hills in Denmark I have no idea ...
5
votes
Signal a u-turn to road users
I think the legal way is to get off your bike before reaching the cross street, (about where your arrow is,) cross walking, and get on your bike again.
The signal you need in that case is a hand up ...
- 3,606
4
votes
I read that "training is needed" before your voice can replace a horn. Why might this be?
The word "c'mon" is a bad choice for an alert word, because you close your mouth to form the M and the C is a back-of-mouth sound that you can't say loudly. The N sound is a nasal sound, so the ...
- 119k
4
votes
Are there sirens/horns that are like a car horn?
This is Jonathan the founder of Loud Bicycle the creators of the car horns for bikes. This is exactly what you need.
You can buy the original horn over at http://www.loudbicycle.com, or back our new ...
- 149
3
votes
Hand signal before braking: a thing?
I'm a ride leader for group rides held in Chicago. I cover hand and verbal signals before every ride. But most of these signals only apply to group rides. We use hand & verbal signals for:
...
- 1,576
3
votes
What are some alternatives to fruitlessly ringing my bell at a motorist?
Alternative to bells and horns is to ride more defensively. Specifically that means anticipating what might happen and proactively reacting, or at least minimising the reaction required to avoid ...
- 119k
3
votes
What is the common "vocabulary" for the captain and stoker to communicate?
Remember the stoker is the boss. Being in the rear, its easier for the front rider to hear the back rider because of the way your mouths are facing. Likewise, the stoker can see the front rider ...
- 119k
2
votes
How do hand signals vary between countries?
In short, turn or stop hand signals, historically come in two styles: British and American.
The British way is (sitting on the right side of the car):
to turn right, you stick your right arm ...
- 21
2
votes
What is the hand gesture for "I'm sorry"?
I'm not so sure about "I'm sorry", but the gesture for the related "I'm sorry for you" is simply to pass hundreds of cars that are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
If you're sorry frequently, it ...
- 2,712
2
votes
What is the hand gesture for "I'm sorry"?
Complementing @BSO rider response: here in Brazil a simple "thumbs up" sign means that you agree with the driver that's not their fault and you just mean say sorry.
Another way is raise your hand and ...
- 288
2
votes
What is the hand gesture for "I'm sorry"?
If they beep, you can just give a thumbs-up as if to say "yeah, that was justified".
- 5,650
2
votes
Are there sirens/horns that are like a car horn?
Here's a loud horn you can make, albeit slightly impractical to fit. I'm tempted to build one, but riding a Penny-Farthing, I'm not sure where I'd put the air tank:
The Hornster
- 2,183
2
votes
Hand signal before braking: a thing?
In my city we had some significantly large earthquakes 6 years ago. Since then, many of the roads have been sub-standard.
Any cyclist signalling has to take one hand off the bars, and risks hitting ...
- 119k
2
votes
Hand signal before braking: a thing?
Hand signals that I have seen while cycling (USA context):
Left turn: left arm straight out, palm forward or downward
Right turn: right arm straight out, palm forward or downward; or left upper arm ...
- 21
2
votes
How to indicate you are going straight?
The notion of straight is closely related to the notion of the main road, not to the actual layout of the road. Technically, you are going straight. But if the main road is curved (as it seems to be ...
- 143
2
votes
Signaling turns when hand signals are impossible
Electronic turn signals seem to be commercially available, I found some listed by searching for "bicycle turn signal light". Still, I think folks are rarely going to regard an electronic ...
- 141
1
vote
How to indicate you are going straight?
If you are in a 'ride on the right' country, you are on the right of the road and can just cycle on, without indicating, as long as you give way to the pedestrians crossing.
There are options ...
- 3,606
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