Left Hand Signaling

Eat My Dust
Eat My Dust Posts: 3,965
edited May 2007 in Commuting chat
Does anybody do it? I never signal for a left hand turn as I find the result can often be other road users doing stupid things.

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  • just a little point down of the finger for the benefit of anyone drafting me. or just occassionally if i think it will help an old lady cross the road. good deed of the day style.

    Jonny
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  • If I see a vehicle waiting to come out of that particular junction then I indicate.

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  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    Yup. But leave it late, otherwise they'll overtake you and turn left immediately.

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  • DavidTQ
    DavidTQ Posts: 943
    I always indicate left or right.
  • I generally indicate, though I admit I often fdon't bother when turning right into my road, I signal that one by my road position as I'm not yet adept enough to signal whilst climbing out of the saddle.
  • Only if there's anyone to directly benefit. For example, on my commute, I turn left off a major A road onto a B road. If there's anyone waiting to turn onto the A road, I'll signal good and early to let them know that there is a gap if they're just waiting for me, because I know how difficult it is to get out of that junction. Otherwise, I let road positioning do the work. Approaching junctions, if I'm on the left, I'm in secondary position, if I'm carrying straight on, I'm somewhere between secondary and primary, more towards primary on the busier junctions. Turning right, obviously, I'm on the right. Seems to work quite well for me.
  • Aidocp
    Aidocp Posts: 868
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Mister Paul</i>

    Yup. But leave it late, otherwise they'll overtake you and turn left immediately.

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    I like to signal left to tell a driver in a side street it is safe to pull out, releive their fustration.
    I also think in signalling left it tells the driver behind me, its not worth overtaking I'm pulling off.
    However I'm starting to agree with MP

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  • Hackbike 6
    Hackbike 6 Posts: 3,116
    Yes I indicate if possible.

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  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    I usually indicate late as well, though in some circumstances I'll indicate a little earlier. Usually when I'm not likely to be at risk for doing that, and when it will bring some convenience to other waiting traffic.

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  • Cab
    Cab Posts: 770
    Yep, late indication for me too. Otherwise the temptation seems to be to try to overtake or, worse, to accelerate into the space that I'm <i>going</i> to vacate as I turn. But I do indicate if I can, and thats pretty nearly every time.



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  • I let people know my intentions if it's beneficial for all concerned. Usually I indicate normally. There's a point on my amended commute route (when I skip out the glass-infested, lonely cycle path) where I'm coasting at about 25-30mph after a long descent and I need to turn right onto a tiny little minor road which is 5 yards before a t-junction.

    As I'm now in the middle of repeated consecutive down-shifts, keeping tension on the pedals, I move to just to the right of primary to signify my intention to turn. I have to brake fairly sharply at about 1 millisecond of completing the turn to hop up onto the kerb to follow a roadside cycle path.

    Hmm?
  • i've been known to signal with my arms (rarely due to lack of balance), my legs (less so now tho) and my favorite, my ass
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    Don't forget it's not just some idiot from behind you have to watch out for, it's also the oncoming right turning traffic that will try to turn with/into you if you signal early.

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  • domtyler
    domtyler Posts: 2,648
    edited February 2011
    I never use hand signals, I use a mix of body language, eye contact and positioning to let people know what I am doing when necessary.

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  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    When the ES were running their (bloody useless) cycling campaign, they had their regular columnists trying to say something good about cycling. Unfortunately they couldn't keep it up so ended up complaining about the way people ride. This is part of a letter I wrote to them (they didn't print it) that includes exactly this point. Indicating a left turn can encourage motorists to cut you up.
    "David Williams states authoritatively that
    increased levels of cycling "means pressure on
    roadspace is mounting". This is a view shared by many
    motorists and it is completely incorrect. Every cyclist
    represents one less car and so their increasing
    numbers means that pressure on road-space is being
    reduced. This should be made clear to every driver:
    "Your journey is quicker because I cycle!"
    Another point that Williams makes is that it's
    frustrating to slow down to a dismal crawl behind
    cyclists on the approach to a left-hand turn. (As if
    he doesn't have to slow down to a dismal crawl when
    stuck in traffic.) He suggests that if the cyclists
    are also turning left then then they should indicate.
    Perhaps they should but his implication is that if
    they did that then he would overtake them and then
    turn left, which is not something that a cyclist would
    wish to court. Overtaking should wait until after the
    turn has been made regardless of whether or not the
    cyclist was also turning."


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  • Hackbike 6
    Hackbike 6 Posts: 3,116
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by BentMikey</i>

    Don't forget it's not just some idiot from behind you have to watch out for, it's also the oncoming right turning traffic that will try to turn with/into you if you signal early.

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    No really?[:P]

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  • rdaviesb
    rdaviesb Posts: 566
    Yes. Stops the pedestrians crossing the road in front of me.
  • Jaded
    Jaded Posts: 6,663
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by rdaviesb</i>

    Yes. Stops the pedestrians crossing the road in front of me.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    If you mean in the road you are turning let into, then the peds have right of way. [;)]

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  • rdaviesb
    rdaviesb Posts: 566
    That indeed is the theory [;)]
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Jaded</i>

    If you mean in the road you are turning let into, then the peds have right of way. [;)]
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Don't they always have priority?

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  • Aidocp
    Aidocp Posts: 868
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by BentMikey</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Jaded</i>

    If you mean in the road you are turning let into, then the peds have right of way. [;)]
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Don't they always have priority?

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    I may be wrong but I believe if a ped has started to cross, ie they're on the road they have priority unless its a signalised crossing then they always have priority when its a green man whether on the road or not.

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  • Flying_Monkey
    Flying_Monkey Posts: 8,708
    I always signal whether left or right, unless it would be too dangerous in terms of control (really bad road surface etc.). Thinking that other people will work out what you are doing by body language etc. is assuming way too much.

    I signal not least because drivers not signalling any more is one of the most annoying and dangerous trends at present and I know how much trouble this causes me on a daily basis.

    And yes, pedestrians need to know what you are doing too... and they do indeed have right of way if already on the highway.

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  • A simple baseball cap, placed on the head, with a small torch strapped to either side, and with strings attached to each torch switch, can provide safe and reliable means of indicating one's intention to turn to other road users and pedestrians alike.

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  • jel
    jel Posts: 758
    I signal left if I'm changing lane and right almost all the time but almost never signal to turn left except off a roundabout.

    If you're going to signal anything other than an arm stuck out is crap.
  • My gf is studying psychology and is writing her dissertation at the moment, she is looking at the impact of a cyclists body language on drivers. (She was inspired by my constant moaning about my commute through London [:D])

    She came up that the best way to signal a turn when cycling is to put your arm out, elbow slightly bent so that you can effectively reach backwards, your arm at an angle of about 30-40degrees back from your shoulders, and signal with your hand open in a 'stop' shape directed at the car behind. The angle of your hand should be such that your fingers are pointing up at 45(ish) degrees from horizontal.

    Apparently people are conditioned from a very young age that if someone makes that sign, it is likely to be a command you must obey, such as coming from a Police officer, or another figure of authority in charge of your safety on the road.

    I allways signal like this now, it is <i>amazing</i> the difference this simple gesture makes. It also works to stop people impatiently creeping towards my rear wheel at roundabouts.

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  • I'm going to give that a try. It's so crazy, it just might work [:)]

    Hmm?
  • BentMikey
    BentMikey Posts: 4,895
    Except for the oncoming right turners, yes.

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  • I tend to indicate when I think there's someone who might need an indication of what I'm about to do...
  • <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by StefanH</i>

    I'm going to give that a try. It's so crazy, it just might work [:)]

    Hmm?
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Well on your head be it but I think you'll find the indicator hat (TM) is far more effective.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Hey little thing let me light ya candle cos a momma I'm sure hard to hannana, yesaran
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Will it be treats with Pocket and Sweets? Is that where we should go?
  • Paul Lavery
    Paul Lavery Posts: 1,463
    I never indicate my intention to turn left when I'm on the bike. I always throw right turning traffic a 'dummy' leaving it to the last minute to turn left and carrying good speed through the corner.

    If you've ever driven in NZ, you'll know what I'm talking about! At best, turning left here can be annoying and at worst, potentially dangerous. Bloody stupid left turning rule. Even Kiwis don't understand it! [:D]

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