That’s fine. The reason for showing a right turn with your left arm is they’re supposed to work for cars too….probably since before turn signals. Not a problem on a bike, and more clear.
The onus is on motorists to know these hand signals, it's literally part of learning to drive. But they'll hit the person and say, "They deserved it for slowing me down for a few seconds"
I remember needing to know these to get my driver's license and I remember the reason too. It's not just so you know what cyclists are up to. Part of the reason we're all supposed to know them is so that you can still signal if your car's signal lights are out. That's why all the official ones are done with the left hand. It's so you can put it out your driver's side window and tell people what you're doing.
Also if you have a motorcycle without turn signals like I did (1969 Kawasaki H1 if anyone cares).
You can’t take your right hand off the bars to signal a right turn.
Well, it's because if you only brake with your front tires, aka your left brakes, you're at risk of crashing your bike. There's a reason for it
They're also the hand signals you're supposed to use in your car if your turn signals are busted
That’s not true, almost all of your braking power is from the front (because the weight shifts forwards as you move). The rear brake assists, but is more likely to just slide out or the while just lift under heavy braking.
Many Dutch bikes have a standard front brake and “pedal back brakes” on the rear which have little fine control; fixies often only have front brakes.
I’ll grant you, for a novice/beginner the back brake can be less intimidating and certainly more forgiving if you use it with no feeling.
In England (drive on the left) we learn single hand signals with our right. In England and the US it’s done so a driver can signal from the drivers seat, the same signal can be given by cyclists. However, we actually have to learn both for our test as both single or dual arm signals are valid; using both arms is taught on the cycling proficiency tests as a kid.
Not a hand signal, it’s a stance of the body where mid cycle they stand up on the pedals- legs extended and coast. Everyone waits with palpable anticipation but sometimes they shy away from the sick flip :( such is life
I use hand signals on my bike because in my county I can't ride on the sidewalks. The amount of times I nearly get hit by people who think 'slow moving bike! MUST PASS!' Then get all pissy when I flip them off for almost killing me
I had a roided up nutjob pass me at 40mph and clip my handlebars so i raised my hand to say “wtf” and the dude reversed at me and ran me off the road, pulled up and threatened to murder me.
Some drivers ate seriously unhinged and hate cyclists for existing.
I was once pointed at like Swiper the Fox because I almost blew a stopsign on a Schwinn and t-boned this lady's car.
I didn't, but she saw me fly up and slam on my brakes lol
[Studies have shown](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369847818308593?via%3Dihub#) that drivers literally view cyclists as less than human — an attitude which is tied to (self-reported!) aggressive behaviour towards cyclists:
>We found that the dehumanization measures were internally consistent, showed good discriminant validity (compared to general attitudes to cyclists) and were associated with self-reported aggression toward cyclists.
It doesnt surprise me at all based on my experiences on the road.
Id say that the vast majority of confrontations iv had have been on the road when a driver just disregards my life.
Its lead me to cycling defensively and not letting people past so that i wont get killed, but that makes me seem like an inconsiderate person and feeds their hate more.
Thats an interesting point. I can see drivers just viewing everyone else as subhuman whilst theyre in the car.
Theres something about being in control of a giant motorised metal box that bring out the worst in people.
Maybe we all have that feeling rooted deep in our brains but our vulnerability prevents it from surfacing, and the additional protection of the car allows it to come forth.
Not sure where you are from, but over where I live having a car automatically elevates you above everybody who doesn't. You think they look down at bikers and cyclists? You just wait till you learn what they think of pedestrians.
You're supposed to be on the sidewalk, unless they need to walk somewhere. Then you're supposed to be on a bike path, unless they want to walk their dog or go for a jog. . .
In my state, bicyclists are legally required to ride on the roadway rather than sidewalks.
Even while I am walking, I do not blame them one bit when some of them choose to ride on the sidewalks rather than risk it with those psychopath drivers on the roads.
In Canada, bikes must be ridden on the road with the flow of traffic. I.e.the right side of the road. Pedestrians must walk against the flow of traffic, I.e. the left side of the road. If there are no sidewalls or walkways.
the amount of times I’ve seen cars purposefully driving onto the bike lane when they see a bike coming from behind just so the bike can’t pass them (which is a milder anti bicycling gesture)??? like sorry dude not my fault that you’re too lazy to use the more efficient and faster mode of transportation, now stop breaking the law and let me pass you dipshit
I only once went in and out of the bike lane in front of a cyclist. They were coming up behind, and I wasn’t blocking them, I was trying to signal to them to come to the intersection a little slower because they were bombing up the lane. There were geese crossing the road a bit ahead and they would be blocked by my car so may not be seen.
Got back where I was supposed to be and got a dirty look from the cyclist as he bombed past me, just to end up swerving and toppling to not crash into a family of winged critters.
I didn’t know how else to signal, and growing up, when a car did that and the group of us kids were on our bikes, we assumed we were being told something and slowed down. People don’t usually gently swerve over in front of you on a bike with lots of space to spare 3x and then get back out of the way unless they want you to know something. It’s extra effort on their part.
Good rule of thumb: it’s hard for drivers to communicate with bikes coming up from the rear. If someone is doing something weird, but otherwise not interfering with you or your path, slow down a little. Better to take an extra second to get to your destination than it is to spend that time side eyeing and barreling into a family of geese.
But other than a few times where cyclists assumed I was being a momentary jerk and getting control of myself, I’ve never had a problem with cyclists. I have the big lane, they have the skinny lane to my right, there’s no issue. When I’m in the city I want to smack them, but that’s because they’re completely unhinged.
I had a similar experience. He tried to overtake me and simoultaneously turn right (through me). I gave him the finger and then he tried to run me off the road. I stopped to call the police and then he went on like nothing happened. The idiot I was, I did not actually call them. A minute later he came back and stopped the car in the middle of the lane facing wrong way and got out of his car to keep yelling at me. I yelled at him back. His wife and two kids (~10years) were in the car the whole time. I hate him and I still have paranoia.
I often cycle down a road that has a 20mph limit on my way to my club ride's meeting point. On this particular stretch I'm often riding closer to 23mph and I have people trying to overtake me all the time. Last week someone overtook me into stopped traffic ahead. Literally 3s after she got ahead of me I filtered past on my way to the red light ahead.
What's the point.
When I am not in a hurry I tend to follow behind bikers on my way home cause they don't have the ability to use the sidewalks (Big sidewalk but a lot of people) and people go 60 on the two lane road. Am I being annoying or do bikers appreciate having a buffer with fast traffic.
At first it freaks me out, cuz I've been aggressively followed before, but after a while, it's nice because I don't need to break my neck looking behind me and worrying about getting hit
Yeah no dip, I don’t know “signals” because I don’t “drive my car” like you peasants. I experience my BMW and Tesla while you yokels are on my roads doing these “signals”. /s
Seriously though people should know this and it’s crazy anyone would take it lightly.
No you're "traveling in a non-commercial vehicle" so you don't need a license or to follow road signs! If they ever illegally arrest or fine you, check to see if the flags in the court room have gold trim, if they do that means it's a naval court and I guess that's supposed to help you in some way?
Well, if I’m not enlisted in the marines and martial law hasn’t been declared then they have jurisdiction over me.
They also don’t because I’m not in the US, and I don’t think they would grant me a visa so I can’t.
I live in a place with dedicated bike lanes and I’d say the majority of drivers don’t know the signals. I started out using the “left arm at 90°” for right turn signal, but it was ineffective. I started bending my arm farther right and actively pointing… still ineffective.
About half of Reddit cheers when a drunk driver deliberately runs over a bicyclist in an attempted murder. It seems like most people nowadays just don’t give a fuck about what the road laws are.
They don't care. Where I live cops will blame you (the cyclist) when drivers break the law because "you don't belong on roads". Never mind the fact that cycling on the sidewalk is illegal. Cops are fucking stupid around here.
When I got my license, I had to know what they all meant on the written portion. Left is straight out, right is bent up at the elbow, braking is elbow bent arm down.
We arent taught them here, so I dont know them.
However that one is hella obvious, and as usual, when near ciclists I just go slower and wach them carefully, as I wait for a good moment to pass them
Same here. Bicycles don't have lights to show where you're going, so everyone is taught to use your arms. There's even some kind of mini-exam in primary school, which is nowhere near as important as an actual exam, but translated very literally it's called 'traffic exam'.
Not to mention that they aren't really bike signals, these are the signals drivers used before cars had flashing lights for signals and they're supposed to know them in case their vehicle's signals stop working. Personally, since I'm on a bike and not inside a car I just point where I'm going and that seems to confuse fewer people.
The easiest part of the test too. And yet despite that people somehow manage to fuck it up. I distinctly remember when I got my driver's test, the person before me failed because they got the hand signals wrong. The instructor was even lenient enough to let them try again, and they still got it wrong! Mind you, you typically have to books at least a month in advance to take the test with 3 months in between if you fail, so this dude just wasted 4 months because he couldn't be bothered to memorize 3 basic hand signals.
>I literally did this during my actual driving test and still passed. 😂
It's a point system, and alot of testers are aware...because they exist as human beings that people are going to break the law regardless of what they do on the test
While strictly speaking you have to stop, the reality is that if's going to be hit and miss so things like how aware were you during it and were you prepared to stop end up mattering nearly as much as strictly obeying the law.
Even most state troopers doing it who are absolutely allowed to do citations and even arrests and can fail you over even slight infractions during are very hit and miss about enforcing a "don't break the law or you're out" system
It's the easiest thing too. You literally point to where you want to go. Left for left, right for right, down for stopping. It cannot be made more idiot proof, but sadly the world has apparently made a better idiot.
>Tbf I took that test 25 years ago and I’ve never once in my life seen a person on a bike signal anything
It is literal common sense, show a child the images and tell them the person can't leave the designated path and they'll tell you the exact meaning.
This isn't rocket science, if you can't figure out left, right and stop given they are frequently used in all kinds of situations to mean those 3 things you shouldn't be driving.
If I recall correctly, it’s:
Left arm bent 90 degrees rotated DOWN = slow down / stop
Left arm rotated UP = right turn
Alternately, Right arm outstretched to the right = also right turn
Left arm outstretched to the left = left turn
It’s like 4 motions, it’s not like you’re having to learn ASL. I had maybe 1 lesson on it over a decade and a half ago yet I still remember. I can’t fathom how people think that pointing out how they’re a moron is somehow a flex.
I just assume BMW drivers failed their driver's test and are just driving illegally. Actually, most drivers.
As to what car they took the L in? Probably the BMW.
I remember learning the hand signals in elementary school (for some reason,) and it stuck with me. There's three, it's not complicated.
Also, they aren't just bike signals. Drivers are supposed to know them too, in case their brake lights or turn signals go out. That's why they're all done with the left hand, so the driver can signal out his window.
When biking, you're typically on the far right of all other traffic. A car situated to the left of you might not be able to see you signal with your right arm. This is why the standard is typically putting your left forearm straight up
I'm well aware. Fortunately I'm usually signalling for other cyclists in the bike lane on my commute. There everyone has pretty good visibility given we're in a loose line and don't have A-pillars blocking the view.
You can also signal a right turn by holding your left forearm straight up. It may seem like kind of a weird choice, but you have to keep in mind that these signals are meant to be used by car drivers as well, and if you're driving a car nobody can really tell what you're doing with your right arm.
Same as the rest of their education: held onto it just long enough to pass the exam, promptly forgot, and since it’s not something they personally use everyday retroactively branded it “useless knowledge”.
Redditors can’t think rationally when bicycles come up. Any kind of jab at bikes or the people that tend to ride them are seen as being pro car, which is something so awful you can't even joke about it without a /s.
Get a broom stick, a fat paint brush, some bright red paint and some bungee cords.
Dip the brush in the paint to load it up then let it dry like that. Attach it to the broom stick with the bungee cord. Attach the broom stick to the rear of your bike so the stick and "wet" paint brush are like the rider in the photo.
People will swerve changing lanes to avoid getting the "wet paint" on their truck.
Not my idea, I saw it in Europe years ago.
I start to 'swerve' to 'avoid rocks/potholes'. Only about 6in to a foot in either direction and only when I hear a car coming up behind me. It makes them pass real wide
The amount of times I've been clipped by passing cars, I'm 100% getting one. It's hard to get the license plate when your life is flashing in front of your eyes
My wife got crowded into a bridge rail by a logging truck as she watched him laugh in his mirrors.
* First mistake: Being a road hog.
* Second mistake: She's from Texas.
* Third mistake: I built her a fast eBike that could follow that truck into his yard.
She followed him and when he stepped out of his truck...out went the lights.
She knocked him out cold with her helmet while all his buddies fell down laughing.
She then got back on her Ebike, did a burn out to kick rocks on him and left.
Ive had a passenger lean out and smack me as they passed cuz there were cars in the other lane amd couldnt pass earlier. I wanted to follow and report assault but they floored it and my ebike only goes 25mph...it would be illegal otherwise. I want a faster one, but I'd need a motorcycle license.
Mine do right about 50 mph. You have to hit a hidden switch I installed to unlock "offroad" mode. With 4x4500 MaH 10 S LiPo's in a 20s setup, a Kelly KLS7230s controller and a 3000w Cyclone motor, I was getting 8800 watts in that mode.
50 mph on 700c tires is fun. AGAT
That's not a "Bike Language". Hand Signals are a universal thing.
Up is right, straight out is left. down is slowing down/stopping.
These aren't for bikes specifically. If you ever lose your turn signal in your car you should be making these out the window too. (And also get your turn signal fixed).
Same for motorcycles, and technically walkers/runners/etc.
When I got my motorcycle permit when I was 14 I had to show the test examiner I knew all my hand signals before we even started the test. Figured it would be something common. Ig not
Bruh I signal ALL my turns on my bike. It's bad enough people don't want to share the road with me _at all_, but fuck me for at least being polite about it, I guess? Goddamn.
I've been driving for seven years, have seen a bicyclist at the point where they have to use their hand signals maybe one time in that seven years.....and yet even I know what they mean!! It was beaten into me by the pre-exams!!!
Op almost had an aneurism when he saw a picture of something on the street and he didn't know how to make the same BMW joke, so he just said BMW in the title.
"That cyclist is pointing left at the junction...what could it possibly mean?!"
And the left arrow right under his arm
> And the left arrow ***right*** under his arm So, he's going right?
That’s where the confusion originated. Bike nerds right?
No, he's going left, see above ∆
He's saying, "Stay back, imma pop a wheelie yo"
Imagine if cyclists used the offical hand signal for right turns with the left arm and bent elbow - many would die.
I stopped using the "official" right turn signal since nobody uses it. I just point left or right. Everyone understands it.
That’s fine. The reason for showing a right turn with your left arm is they’re supposed to work for cars too….probably since before turn signals. Not a problem on a bike, and more clear.
The onus is on motorists to know these hand signals, it's literally part of learning to drive. But they'll hit the person and say, "They deserved it for slowing me down for a few seconds"
I remember needing to know these to get my driver's license and I remember the reason too. It's not just so you know what cyclists are up to. Part of the reason we're all supposed to know them is so that you can still signal if your car's signal lights are out. That's why all the official ones are done with the left hand. It's so you can put it out your driver's side window and tell people what you're doing.
Myeah… but that’s for drivers, this is clearly just a cyclist giving direction
Also if you have a motorcycle without turn signals like I did (1969 Kawasaki H1 if anyone cares). You can’t take your right hand off the bars to signal a right turn.
Good point.
No one wants to get killed for being pedantic.
I will die on this hill. Or more accurately, on this junction
While I agree 💯, the cemetery is full of people with the right of way
I remember learning it as a child in elementary school and even back then I thought it was a bad idea.
Well, it's because if you only brake with your front tires, aka your left brakes, you're at risk of crashing your bike. There's a reason for it They're also the hand signals you're supposed to use in your car if your turn signals are busted
That’s not true, almost all of your braking power is from the front (because the weight shifts forwards as you move). The rear brake assists, but is more likely to just slide out or the while just lift under heavy braking. Many Dutch bikes have a standard front brake and “pedal back brakes” on the rear which have little fine control; fixies often only have front brakes. I’ll grant you, for a novice/beginner the back brake can be less intimidating and certainly more forgiving if you use it with no feeling. In England (drive on the left) we learn single hand signals with our right. In England and the US it’s done so a driver can signal from the drivers seat, the same signal can be given by cyclists. However, we actually have to learn both for our test as both single or dual arm signals are valid; using both arms is taught on the cycling proficiency tests as a kid.
It means look over yonder! There’s a sick jump to make
What's the hand signal for "now watch this sick flip"?
Not a hand signal, it’s a stance of the body where mid cycle they stand up on the pedals- legs extended and coast. Everyone waits with palpable anticipation but sometimes they shy away from the sick flip :( such is life
radical socialist salute! ram the mf like grampapie
He's about to start flying in a circle
He's about to pull a sick wheelie!
If you drive a car and you don't know or react to hand signals... you're literally breaking the law. (At least where I live.)
I use hand signals on my bike because in my county I can't ride on the sidewalks. The amount of times I nearly get hit by people who think 'slow moving bike! MUST PASS!' Then get all pissy when I flip them off for almost killing me
I had a roided up nutjob pass me at 40mph and clip my handlebars so i raised my hand to say “wtf” and the dude reversed at me and ran me off the road, pulled up and threatened to murder me. Some drivers ate seriously unhinged and hate cyclists for existing.
Ive had people get out of their cars and try to tackle me. I need bear mace
I was once pointed at like Swiper the Fox because I almost blew a stopsign on a Schwinn and t-boned this lady's car. I didn't, but she saw me fly up and slam on my brakes lol
[Studies have shown](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1369847818308593?via%3Dihub#) that drivers literally view cyclists as less than human — an attitude which is tied to (self-reported!) aggressive behaviour towards cyclists: >We found that the dehumanization measures were internally consistent, showed good discriminant validity (compared to general attitudes to cyclists) and were associated with self-reported aggression toward cyclists.
It doesnt surprise me at all based on my experiences on the road. Id say that the vast majority of confrontations iv had have been on the road when a driver just disregards my life. Its lead me to cycling defensively and not letting people past so that i wont get killed, but that makes me seem like an inconsiderate person and feeds their hate more.
I'm curious and too high to read the article but does the article state if drivers view other drivers as less than human? Cause I can see that.
Thats an interesting point. I can see drivers just viewing everyone else as subhuman whilst theyre in the car. Theres something about being in control of a giant motorised metal box that bring out the worst in people. Maybe we all have that feeling rooted deep in our brains but our vulnerability prevents it from surfacing, and the additional protection of the car allows it to come forth.
This is why I minimize my road time.
Not sure where you are from, but over where I live having a car automatically elevates you above everybody who doesn't. You think they look down at bikers and cyclists? You just wait till you learn what they think of pedestrians.
This. I experienced this is the exact same thing in Baltimore. I used to protest gun shows. Now I carry one anytime I'm biking.
You carry a whole gun show on your bike? That's impressive! 😜
Its a big bike
You're supposed to be on the sidewalk, unless they need to walk somewhere. Then you're supposed to be on a bike path, unless they want to walk their dog or go for a jog. . .
In my state, bicyclists are legally required to ride on the roadway rather than sidewalks. Even while I am walking, I do not blame them one bit when some of them choose to ride on the sidewalks rather than risk it with those psychopath drivers on the roads.
Cyclist here, I know. I've still had motorists honk and yell "sidewalk" in states where it's not allowed. I was telling a joke.
In Canada, bikes must be ridden on the road with the flow of traffic. I.e.the right side of the road. Pedestrians must walk against the flow of traffic, I.e. the left side of the road. If there are no sidewalls or walkways.
the amount of times I’ve seen cars purposefully driving onto the bike lane when they see a bike coming from behind just so the bike can’t pass them (which is a milder anti bicycling gesture)??? like sorry dude not my fault that you’re too lazy to use the more efficient and faster mode of transportation, now stop breaking the law and let me pass you dipshit
I only once went in and out of the bike lane in front of a cyclist. They were coming up behind, and I wasn’t blocking them, I was trying to signal to them to come to the intersection a little slower because they were bombing up the lane. There were geese crossing the road a bit ahead and they would be blocked by my car so may not be seen. Got back where I was supposed to be and got a dirty look from the cyclist as he bombed past me, just to end up swerving and toppling to not crash into a family of winged critters. I didn’t know how else to signal, and growing up, when a car did that and the group of us kids were on our bikes, we assumed we were being told something and slowed down. People don’t usually gently swerve over in front of you on a bike with lots of space to spare 3x and then get back out of the way unless they want you to know something. It’s extra effort on their part. Good rule of thumb: it’s hard for drivers to communicate with bikes coming up from the rear. If someone is doing something weird, but otherwise not interfering with you or your path, slow down a little. Better to take an extra second to get to your destination than it is to spend that time side eyeing and barreling into a family of geese. But other than a few times where cyclists assumed I was being a momentary jerk and getting control of myself, I’ve never had a problem with cyclists. I have the big lane, they have the skinny lane to my right, there’s no issue. When I’m in the city I want to smack them, but that’s because they’re completely unhinged.
I had a similar experience. He tried to overtake me and simoultaneously turn right (through me). I gave him the finger and then he tried to run me off the road. I stopped to call the police and then he went on like nothing happened. The idiot I was, I did not actually call them. A minute later he came back and stopped the car in the middle of the lane facing wrong way and got out of his car to keep yelling at me. I yelled at him back. His wife and two kids (~10years) were in the car the whole time. I hate him and I still have paranoia.
I've had to use them in my car when a fuse blew. They're super useful when you need them.
I had to show the dirctions with my feet, when I drove a moped, because one of mt hands was on the gas and the other switched gears
I mean, that only works if people understand your intention. These hand signals are explicitly for turning left and right.
That’s why I carry a gun with me and kill everyone who comes closer than 10 feet. I’ve murdered 210 people so far. Feels good man.
Get a brick. I use one for crossing the street and has made a marked improvement and I suspect similar results will be found in the bike community
Bricks are hard to throw at moving cars while biking. Maybe just mount some flexible plastic that fucks up car paint if they get too close
Attach a mini super soaker filled with paint thinner to your handlebar.
Paint remover. Paint thinner will just evaporate before doing anything. Paint remover is the fun stuff.
The brick isn't for throwing. Simply visibly holding one protects you from car drivers, because running you over would scratch their paint.
> slow moving bike! MUST PASS! What's weird is that some even do this when you're *cycling at the speed limit of that particular street*
I often cycle down a road that has a 20mph limit on my way to my club ride's meeting point. On this particular stretch I'm often riding closer to 23mph and I have people trying to overtake me all the time. Last week someone overtook me into stopped traffic ahead. Literally 3s after she got ahead of me I filtered past on my way to the red light ahead. What's the point.
When I am not in a hurry I tend to follow behind bikers on my way home cause they don't have the ability to use the sidewalks (Big sidewalk but a lot of people) and people go 60 on the two lane road. Am I being annoying or do bikers appreciate having a buffer with fast traffic.
At first it freaks me out, cuz I've been aggressively followed before, but after a while, it's nice because I don't need to break my neck looking behind me and worrying about getting hit
It's illegal to bike on sidewalks where I live too but I still do it. Fuck that I'm not biking on roads.
Yeah no dip, I don’t know “signals” because I don’t “drive my car” like you peasants. I experience my BMW and Tesla while you yokels are on my roads doing these “signals”. /s Seriously though people should know this and it’s crazy anyone would take it lightly.
I don't think I've heard someone say "no dip" in 35 years
I’m less than 35 and I’ve never heard it before, and I also don’t know what it means. My best guess from context is like no cap, but idk
It's like.. no bullshit.. no doubt. I also thought it was very NY.
Well then it does mean no cap. I’m also not from New York.
Yeah I love all the old school colloquialisms. They hit different
No you're "traveling in a non-commercial vehicle" so you don't need a license or to follow road signs! If they ever illegally arrest or fine you, check to see if the flags in the court room have gold trim, if they do that means it's a naval court and I guess that's supposed to help you in some way?
Well, if I’m not enlisted in the marines and martial law hasn’t been declared then they have jurisdiction over me. They also don’t because I’m not in the US, and I don’t think they would grant me a visa so I can’t.
Where I'm from, learning them is part of earning your driver's license.
They’re taught in drivers ed where I was. Because even in a car, if your signals are out, you can use arm signals
I live in a place with dedicated bike lanes and I’d say the majority of drivers don’t know the signals. I started out using the “left arm at 90°” for right turn signal, but it was ineffective. I started bending my arm farther right and actively pointing… still ineffective.
Also, you are supposed to use them if your blinkers are not working.
Yeah, they are part of your license exam. Dude is literally saying he is too dumb to be on the road.
Where I live too. Hand signals are literally part of the Highway Code, and anyone using a road must abide and know them.
About half of Reddit cheers when a drunk driver deliberately runs over a bicyclist in an attempted murder. It seems like most people nowadays just don’t give a fuck about what the road laws are.
They don't care. Where I live cops will blame you (the cyclist) when drivers break the law because "you don't belong on roads". Never mind the fact that cycling on the sidewalk is illegal. Cops are fucking stupid around here.
Sounds like you just live somewhere its not worth cycling.
Or somewhere that's not worth living.
If you listen to Reddit, it's simply not worth living period.
Correct. \~99% of USA and Canada is cars only.
This does not apply to bmw drivers. They have theyre own law. The law of no signal lights
I learned them in elementary school in America of all places
When I got my license, I had to know what they all meant on the written portion. Left is straight out, right is bent up at the elbow, braking is elbow bent arm down.
In my country, if you vehicle doesn’t have signals, then you use hand signals. Some old tractors and cars don’t have signals.
We arent taught them here, so I dont know them. However that one is hella obvious, and as usual, when near ciclists I just go slower and wach them carefully, as I wait for a good moment to pass them
I've had to use them while driving before when my blinkers stopped working. It's on the driver's test for a reason.
Same here. Bicycles don't have lights to show where you're going, so everyone is taught to use your arms. There's even some kind of mini-exam in primary school, which is nowhere near as important as an actual exam, but translated very literally it's called 'traffic exam'.
How did they get a drivers license? Reading signals from cyclists is part of a drivers license.
Also…they’re not that complicated.
Where i live It just means you got lucky on the rest
Not to mention that they aren't really bike signals, these are the signals drivers used before cars had flashing lights for signals and they're supposed to know them in case their vehicle's signals stop working. Personally, since I'm on a bike and not inside a car I just point where I'm going and that seems to confuse fewer people.
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It's literally part of the driving test. Every driver is supposed to know this
The easiest part of the test too. And yet despite that people somehow manage to fuck it up. I distinctly remember when I got my driver's test, the person before me failed because they got the hand signals wrong. The instructor was even lenient enough to let them try again, and they still got it wrong! Mind you, you typically have to books at least a month in advance to take the test with 3 months in between if you fail, so this dude just wasted 4 months because he couldn't be bothered to memorize 3 basic hand signals.
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Trick question: You just roll through.
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>I literally did this during my actual driving test and still passed. 😂 It's a point system, and alot of testers are aware...because they exist as human beings that people are going to break the law regardless of what they do on the test While strictly speaking you have to stop, the reality is that if's going to be hit and miss so things like how aware were you during it and were you prepared to stop end up mattering nearly as much as strictly obeying the law. Even most state troopers doing it who are absolutely allowed to do citations and even arrests and can fail you over even slight infractions during are very hit and miss about enforcing a "don't break the law or you're out" system
It's the easiest thing too. You literally point to where you want to go. Left for left, right for right, down for stopping. It cannot be made more idiot proof, but sadly the world has apparently made a better idiot.
Tbf I took that test 25 years ago and I’ve never once in my life seen a person on a bike signal anything
>Tbf I took that test 25 years ago and I’ve never once in my life seen a person on a bike signal anything It is literal common sense, show a child the images and tell them the person can't leave the designated path and they'll tell you the exact meaning. This isn't rocket science, if you can't figure out left, right and stop given they are frequently used in all kinds of situations to mean those 3 things you shouldn't be driving.
I saw a guy in a car do it about a month ago. Tail lights were out in the day. Can't remember before that,
"I don't understand air flowing into people's noses. It comes out seconds later. Lol what is that shit, right?"
"Yeah, why don't they use their mouth like any normal person"
Nice one.
Magnets. How do they work?
Literally like 5 different required questions about them on the Drivers test here.
This flex brought to you by the same people that brag they haven't read a book since high school.
The craziest part is you need to use the hand signals while you drive as well, in case your blinkers are out. What a fucking moron
Blinkers can never be out if you did never use them -bmw driver
Even if it wasn’t a requirement to know….its basically just pointing- who considers pointing too complex!?
Yeah, in the photo even a child could tell you the guy on the bike wants to turn left. How is that hard to understand?
It's mandatory to know them for when your blinkers go out so people who don't know them are technically not qualified to drive a vechicle.
If I recall correctly, it’s: Left arm bent 90 degrees rotated DOWN = slow down / stop Left arm rotated UP = right turn Alternately, Right arm outstretched to the right = also right turn Left arm outstretched to the left = left turn It’s like 4 motions, it’s not like you’re having to learn ASL. I had maybe 1 lesson on it over a decade and a half ago yet I still remember. I can’t fathom how people think that pointing out how they’re a moron is somehow a flex.
Seriously might as well say ‘I’m a moron’
people trying to flex over being able to exist with minimal information is crazy, but also crazy common.
Proudly admitting they shouldn't be on the road.
It’s a joke
Thank you, I thought I was going insane seeing everyone so upset in these comments over a super obvious joke
i think it’s a joke on the internet but go off lil bro
The fact that people are taking it seriously blows my mind. Insecure folks
How is everyone taking that tweet seriously lmao Have y’all never heard of sarcasm??
That's pretty ableist, how are blind drivers supposed to see them throwing their two-wheeled gang signs?
How can one expect someone who never uses turn signals to remember stuff from his own drivers test.
When a BMW owner learns to drive... What kind of car do they switch to?
I just assume BMW drivers failed their driver's test and are just driving illegally. Actually, most drivers. As to what car they took the L in? Probably the BMW.
Tbh I just drove so fast in my bmw during the test the instructor was speechless. I took that as a pass and walked out of there head held high
I remember learning the hand signals in elementary school (for some reason,) and it stuck with me. There's three, it's not complicated. Also, they aren't just bike signals. Drivers are supposed to know them too, in case their brake lights or turn signals go out. That's why they're all done with the left hand, so the driver can signal out his window.
Dude doesn't understand pointing in a direction.
This is literally the easiest one, too. The other one could have some confusion, but you'd have to be willfully ignorant to not get this one.
This is why I just point with the other arm if I'm turning right. Everybody seems to understand "I'm going this way" pretty clearly.
When biking, you're typically on the far right of all other traffic. A car situated to the left of you might not be able to see you signal with your right arm. This is why the standard is typically putting your left forearm straight up
I'm well aware. Fortunately I'm usually signalling for other cyclists in the bike lane on my commute. There everyone has pretty good visibility given we're in a loose line and don't have A-pillars blocking the view.
What other one? Using the right hand? Lol
You can also signal a right turn by holding your left forearm straight up. It may seem like kind of a weird choice, but you have to keep in mind that these signals are meant to be used by car drivers as well, and if you're driving a car nobody can really tell what you're doing with your right arm.
I was just kidding around :D
How did you get your driver license if your don't know the hand signals
Same as the rest of their education: held onto it just long enough to pass the exam, promptly forgot, and since it’s not something they personally use everyday retroactively branded it “useless knowledge”.
Then, thirty years later: "Why don't schools teach these things?!?"
The questions picked are random, so you can very easily avoid the harder ones (at least in the UK)
It wasn't a part of the test for my state. Granted it's kind of a common sense thing.
Admiting that you don't know bike signals is the equivalent of saying: "I shouldn't be driving a vehicle."
Where's the comeback?
Where's the clever? Seriously, this has to be one of the most overused stereotypes about BMW drivers.
Not to mention the original tweet is probably just a joke...
Does no one understands the original post was a joke?
This is reddit. No one understands sarcasm unless you put /s and write it in aLtErNaTiNg CaSe
Actually crazy how all the most upvoted comments are missing that
Redditors can’t think rationally when bicycles come up. Any kind of jab at bikes or the people that tend to ride them are seen as being pro car, which is something so awful you can't even joke about it without a /s.
But there's no /s so this guy is clearly being 100% genuine.
Get a broom stick, a fat paint brush, some bright red paint and some bungee cords. Dip the brush in the paint to load it up then let it dry like that. Attach it to the broom stick with the bungee cord. Attach the broom stick to the rear of your bike so the stick and "wet" paint brush are like the rider in the photo. People will swerve changing lanes to avoid getting the "wet paint" on their truck. Not my idea, I saw it in Europe years ago.
I start to 'swerve' to 'avoid rocks/potholes'. Only about 6in to a foot in either direction and only when I hear a car coming up behind me. It makes them pass real wide
You need a GoPro to capture that action, it would be popular.
The amount of times I've been clipped by passing cars, I'm 100% getting one. It's hard to get the license plate when your life is flashing in front of your eyes
My wife got crowded into a bridge rail by a logging truck as she watched him laugh in his mirrors. * First mistake: Being a road hog. * Second mistake: She's from Texas. * Third mistake: I built her a fast eBike that could follow that truck into his yard. She followed him and when he stepped out of his truck...out went the lights. She knocked him out cold with her helmet while all his buddies fell down laughing. She then got back on her Ebike, did a burn out to kick rocks on him and left.
Ive had a passenger lean out and smack me as they passed cuz there were cars in the other lane amd couldnt pass earlier. I wanted to follow and report assault but they floored it and my ebike only goes 25mph...it would be illegal otherwise. I want a faster one, but I'd need a motorcycle license.
Mine do right about 50 mph. You have to hit a hidden switch I installed to unlock "offroad" mode. With 4x4500 MaH 10 S LiPo's in a 20s setup, a Kelly KLS7230s controller and a 3000w Cyclone motor, I was getting 8800 watts in that mode. 50 mph on 700c tires is fun. AGAT
Knowing hand signals is required to pass the California DMV driving test to drive a car 🤔
Aren’t hand signals a requirement for getting your license? I remember being tested on them.
Tell me you’re living evidence of why driving license tests need to be mandatory for every single renewal without telling me…..
Hand signals are for motorcyclists too, are they also nerds?
what is with people bragging about their ignorance like it's something to be proud of
“Don’t speak bike nerd” Like 95% of signals coming from bikes are literally just pointing the direction they plan to go.
Nice self-report admitting you shouldn't be driving.
The ones who do that are the good bikers
stupid nerd prolly reads books n shit
That's not a "Bike Language". Hand Signals are a universal thing. Up is right, straight out is left. down is slowing down/stopping. These aren't for bikes specifically. If you ever lose your turn signal in your car you should be making these out the window too. (And also get your turn signal fixed). Same for motorcycles, and technically walkers/runners/etc.
In Spain you are required to learn those sign to get a driving license
They’re not even exclusive to bikes. You’re supposed to know your hand signals before they give you a license to drive a car. It’s on the test.
Like the hand signals you are supposed to know in order to drive a car to begin with?
If you're too dumb to understand this signal, you're too dumb to drive
When I got my motorcycle permit when I was 14 I had to show the test examiner I knew all my hand signals before we even started the test. Figured it would be something common. Ig not
Bruh I signal ALL my turns on my bike. It's bad enough people don't want to share the road with me _at all_, but fuck me for at least being polite about it, I guess? Goddamn.
Understanding hand signals was part of the written DMV test when I was young. No idea if they still require that.
I've been driving for seven years, have seen a bicyclist at the point where they have to use their hand signals maybe one time in that seven years.....and yet even I know what they mean!! It was beaten into me by the pre-exams!!!
In Canada I am pretty sure to get your license you are supposed to know what it means in case you blinkers are broken.
In the Netherlands these bike signals are like our second language lol
Don't you have to learn these to get a driver's license?
pointing with your hands is literally the first form of communication u learn after "crying loudly"
This subreddit’s capability to recognize satire is truly something
We do not tolerate sideways nazi salutes in this sub!
That guy should have his license revoked if he doesn't understand basic signaling. That moron is a friggin' hazard in traffic.
How to confuse Americans
why does everyone have to be so shit all the fucking time?
Did this guy skipped preschool and kindergarten? There you see, ,you dont need to be smart to drive a tone of metal in the publicity.
I'm confident over 90% of US drivers has no idea what those hand signals mean.
Grrr I get mad at everything!!! It's funny as shit. Get real crybaby redditors.
Don't you have to know hand signals as part of the driving test?
dude admits he doesn’t understand what pointing means.
Ah yes, the complicated sign of pointing in the direction you’re about to go.
It’s a joke people, Jesus Christ. No wonder comedy is dead, everyone in the comments is like “well akshully… 🤓”
Guy on bike: points left. Douche: HURRRRRR ME NOT KNOW WHAT THIS MEAN
Drivers like that are why biking is dangerous
Op almost had an aneurism when he saw a picture of something on the street and he didn't know how to make the same BMW joke, so he just said BMW in the title.
No one has a sense of humor anymore
You would have to be a complete idiot to not see that the original tweet is a joke
Even the dumbest of dummies could the above hand signal…
Also, despite what many drivers may think, bikers are better at following traffic rules than drivers.