18" or 19" rims ???

[bsa-bill]

Sorry guys can't agree here. These days signalling your intention needs to be clear to drivers behind some time before your manouvre, as traffic moves at speed and often several vehicles are behind you ( in Uk anyway ), riding a bike is similar to driving relatively slow tractor the car behind you might know what you intend but the one five cars back just takes the traffic slowing as a chance to overtake ( often a Mondeo driven by someone selling something  )

All depends on traffic I suppose.

All the best - Bill

[Rusty nuts]

Rear observation (by means of rotation of head, not mirror), signal (politely), assume correct speed, gear & road position, rear observation (rotate head 180 degrees, check they are not waving back), signal (forcefully, "no I'm not pointing at a particularly pretty daisy madam) manouvre (prepare to gesticulate wildly).

[groily]

Bill's point about the repmobile 5 cars back is the very real and very scary one.
I've never had indicators or used the throttle friction screw on any classic. So far so good in the sense of corpus intactus but I confess, at some crossroads where I can't see a long way behind for white van men, to turning off on the nearside, turning round, and coming back to cross over. And there are some junctions I simply will not turn off at if there's traffic about. The turning into my village from a normal 'B' road is in the middle of a 2 kilometre straight . . . . even with indicators if I had them, the risk is there.
And this in rural France where (despite low traffic density or maybe because of it) rural Gauls have an ingrained habit of overtaking while approaching junctions and cross-roads. In part they do this because roads are not properly marked with lengthened white lines etc. If they don't know the road, they can't know there's a junction half-way along that lovely straight bit. Couple that with an equally annoying tailgating addiction . . . and there are accidents waiting to happen. I am always far more concerned about what's behind than what's coming towards me! 

[RichardL]

Oh, you kids!

Stephen is in Germany, where they drive on the right (correct! ) side of the road and sit on the left (correct! ) side of the car, so, arm signals are with the left arm, so, no need to let go of the throttle. Unless they are different from the U.S, left arm straight out equals left turn. Left arm at a right angle pointing to the sky equals right turn. Left arm down with palm facing backwards equals slow or stop. If you are in the UK or other wrong-sided countries  , you might try this, who knows, someone behind you or coming toward you might get it.

I suppose it is possible that other countries may never have had arm signal laws or have abandoned them, thus some people may have never had the joy of the window being open. So, for all of our teenage members   here is a picture for your ready reference.

Richard L.

[LJ.]

Ermmm (Sheepishly) yes Richard! course your right about this! [I blame Rusty]   

[tombeau]

I have never in my life seen someone sticking their arm at a right angle pointing to the sky, to indicate that they were turning.
I'd probably crash into them, whilst distracted by trying to watch out for falling rocks or bits of aircraft.

It would make sense in a car of course, as their arm would be obscured, and they may end up slapping their passenger.
Do people really do that on bikes somewhere?

Cheers,
Iain

[Rusty nuts]

Have seen in UK albeit just the index finger, very popular near supermarkets     not to mention roundabouts that seem to baffle present day drivers.

[Rusty nuts]

Ermmm (Sheepishly) yes Richard! course your right about this! [I blame Rusty]   

Oi, wot did I do?
 Just 'cos I ain't got girdle forks, or is it girly forks

[RichardL]

Tombeau,

Aye. In the U.S. it would be understood by anyone who actually studied the rules of the road. While a right arm pointing to the right might be understood, it would not be formally legal, even on a motorcycle.

Richard L.

[Stephen Arsenal]

hi,I was visiting our local vintage bike guy and he showed me the supposed hand signs,left arm over the head pointing left.I was on the foor laughing,it looked like something from M Bean,but thats the way it is.

[Rocket Racer]

For when you're overtaking on the motorway so need to have that throttle pinned open you can always use a leg signal -ie put your foot out. Not sure how legal it is in your jurisdiction but its fairly clear what you're doing (but not at night in the rain -when overtaking on the motorway!) .  Even better if you can get your whole leg horizontal

[LJ.]

Even better if you can get your whole leg horizontal

Anyone take up Ballet Dancing here on forum?