Signalling another bike

Took a turn into a main road today and 30 secs later a big hairy biker coming the other way lifted his right hand and shook it from side to side.

I thought he was telling me about a speed trap (in fact he was kindly telling me I’d left my indicator on)…which got me thinking (which is always dangerous)…

Are there any widely used ways of telling another biker that he has left an indicator on / or that there is a speed trap ahead?

Speed trap is sometimes thumbs down. Indicator left on, openning and closing of hand (fist, fully extended fingers, alternated)

There are obviously a few hand gestures you will come across not all pleasant.

Indicator left on = fist to extended fingers

Coppers ahead = either a rotating hand with a raised index finger or a hand placed ontop of the helmet with the fingers opening and closing like a ducks bill…

Greasy/damp/gravel road ahead = a hand down by the knee moving side to side

Just a few i have come across and used.

What a great topic. I was on BCR today and a guy in front of me was doing the knee signal but I had know idea what it meant. But having read what PJ just posted about oil and gravel it all makes sence now, he was warning me about the gravel. Maybe we should try and get something sticky up in the ride-out section about signals.

what he said.

Yeah, good call. I tried to signal a rider earlier on today going across the Windsor Great Park, rozzers were sitting just off the road. Passed the other biker about half way across the park and done the old flash the lights and circle in the air. Hopefully he understood as he was caning it. The old flashing hand for an indicator is class but I always wonder how many people understand it as I see them looking at me strangely when I do it!!! Anyone ever seen Peter Kaye’s routine where he talks about this?

if i pass a car, bike or truck thats left their indicator on I usually give a few flicks left/right with mine they tend to get the message :slight_smile:

As a Scuba Diver we are used to communicating with hand signals, this translates to Biking too.

If I am behind a car who is indicating and not turning, I overtake when I realise he/she is unaware and do the hand open close thing followed by an exagerated shoulder shrug as if to say ‘oi dumbass what are you doing as we have no idea back here!’

I always do the same open close hand but straight up above my head to signal spped cameras.

Choochoo is right, a kind of briefing on hand signals at the start of the ride would be a good idea, we do this at the start of every dive with new divers to be sure we can understand each other.