Luddite turn signals.... Harley folks....

[glhs837]

I'm looking at you, since over 90% of the people I see doing this are astride such machines, with the occasional Triumph outlier. Do you all really mistrust lightbulbs all that much? How often do you suffer turn signal failure that you use a backup mode all the time? Or is there some other logical reason for using hand signals to indicate upcoming turns?

 

[Larry Gude]

I'm looking at you, since over 90% of the people I see doing this are astride such machines, with the occasional Triumph outlier. Do you all really mistrust lightbulbs all that much? How often do you suffer turn signal failure that you use a backup mode all the time? Or is there some other logical reason for using hand signals to indicate upcoming turns?

Huh?

Before I respond, are you complaining about riders using hand signals????

 

[Vince]

Huh?
Before I respond, are you complaining about riders using hand signals????

 

[kwillia]

Huh?

Before I respond, are you complaining about riders using hand signals????

He couldn't be... that would be silly. Heck, I'm not a motorcycle driver/rider but even I know that there is a better chance of someone actually paying attention to the fact you are turning if you use both the light AND the hand signal so I see it as a defensive safety measure.

 

[Larry Gude]

He couldn't be... that would be silly. Heck, I'm not a motorcycle driver/rider but even I know that there is a better chance of someone actually paying attention to the fact you are turning if you use both the light AND the hand signal so I see it as a defensive safety measure.

Did you see the self control, the enormity of it, in pausing and gather more information, reflecting what I THINK I am reading before I start having a #### fit and get all outraged??? You see THAT???

 

[desertrat]

He couldn't be... that would be silly. Heck, I'm not a motorcycle driver/rider but even I know that there is a better chance of someone actually paying attention to the fact you are turning if you use both the light AND the hand signal so I see it as a defensive safety measure.

True, but I prefer both hands on the grips.

 

[kwillia]

Did you see the self control, the enormity of it, in pausing and gather more information, reflecting what I THINK I am reading before I start having a #### fit and get all outraged??? You see THAT???

Larry, I hardly recognize you!

 

[Homer J]

True, but I prefer both hands on the grips.

 

[glhs837]

Not a complaint, more of a seeking for knowledge. Dont really get why someone would do that, seems like using highway pegs in traffic, an unneccesary removal of hands from the controls. If anyone is close enough to care about my signals, I'm ready to go hard over in any direction needed, and having a hand off the bars makes that harder. Not to mention the mindset that says "Well, I used my hands, so of course the cager knows what I'm doing and will give me all the room I need" sort of baffles me. thats WAY more trust than I give anyone driving a vehicle maybe 10 times heavier than mine.

 

[Larry Gude]

Not a complaint, more of a seeking for knowledge. Dont really get why someone would do that, seems like using highway pegs in traffic, an unneccesary removal of hands from the controls. If anyone is close enough to care about my signals, I'm ready to go hard over in any direction needed, and having a hand off the bars makes that harder. Not to mention the mindset that says "Well, I used my hands, so of course the cager knows what I'm doing and will give me all the room I need" sort of baffles me. thats WAY more trust than I give anyone driving a vehicle maybe 10 times heavier than mine.

Well, I, for one, don't use my hands on the highway pegs but, hey. Whatever works.

You ride, right? So, you know we were all taught to use hand signals as much as possible. However, I agree in traffic but, also, we have no way of knowing if we have a bulb out so, it's an affirmative action.

I am a BIG believer in motion/movement to attract attention, break the trance, distract them from their phones...

 

[glhs837]

See, I was never taught to use hand signals whenever possible. I was taught that hand signals were a thing you could do, if you had the need. I was also taught to preop my bike see that my lights work. And at least on my current bike I can see my front turn signals, and given that, just like in cars, my bike lights blink fast to indicate that there is a bad bulb.

 

[Larry Gude]

See, I was never taught to use hand signals whenever possible. I was taught that hand signals were a thing you could do, if you had the need. I was also taught to preop my bike see that my lights work. And at least on my current bike I can see my front turn signals, and given that, just like in cars, my bike lights blink fast to indicate that there is a bad bulb.

I'd guess you got your license many moons ago? hand signals are taught. IIRC, to be used all the time unless you're in a tight spot. I happen to agree, fully, with this, again, from the 'motion catches attention' angle of how human vision works.

My bike, I can't see front or back if they are bad but, we are taught TCLOCS and I don't do it regularly so, you're correct there. I get no indications from my electrical system either if there is a bad bulb.

 

[itsbob]

I'm looking at you, since over 90% of the people I see doing this are astride such machines, with the occasional Triumph outlier. Do you all really mistrust lightbulbs all that much? How often do you suffer turn signal failure that you use a backup mode all the time? Or is there some other logical reason for using hand signals to indicate upcoming turns?

Unlike the rest, I get it..

You say, Use hand signals to get attention.. then dress all in black, and make your lights as small and dim as possible.

It's as Preposterous as "Loud Pipes Save Lives" using falsehoods and lies to legitimize them being loud obnoxious #######s..

I've got a quiet bike and bright lights, I know my turn signals work, and my HyperLites will get their attention a LOT more than any arm and hand signal ever will.

 

[itsbob]

I'd guess you got your license many moons ago? hand signals are taught. IIRC, to be used all the time unless you're in a tight spot. I happen to agree, fully, with this, again, from the 'motion catches attention' angle of how human vision works.

My bike, I can't see front or back if they are bad but, we are taught TCLOCS and I don't do it regularly so, you're correct there. I get no indications from my electrical system either if there is a bad bulb.

Is it a new bike built on like 1960's technology??

Catch up!!

I had a DIM bulb in a tail light, just wasn't a perfect connection between bulb and contact.. Yellow Triangle, and bulb warning on the dashboard.. Catch up man, it's the 21st century!!

 

[Larry Gude]

Unlike the rest, I get it..

You say, Use hand signals to get attention.. then dress all in black, and make your lights as small and dim as possible.

It's as Preposterous as "Loud Pipes Save Lives" using falsehoods and lies to legitimize them being loud obnoxious #######s..

I've got a quiet bike and bright lights, I know my turn signals work, and my HyperLites will get their attention a LOT more than any arm and hand signal ever will.

You're not objective. You hate the Weekend Pirates.

 

[Larry Gude]

Is it a new bike built on like 1960's technology??

Catch up!!

I had a DIM bulb in a tail light, just wasn't a perfect connection between bulb and contact.. Yellow Triangle, and bulb warning on the dashboard.. Catch up man, it's the 21st century!!

Catch up to what? I'm not complaining. I don't play video games anymore so, I'd have no hope of operating a Beemer...

 

[kwillia]

Unlike the rest, I get it..

You say, Use hand signals to get attention.. then dress all in black, and make your lights as small and dim as possible.

It's as Preposterous as "Loud Pipes Save Lives" using falsehoods and lies to legitimize them being loud obnoxious #######s..

I've got a quiet bike and bright lights, I know my turn signals work, and my HyperLites will get their attention a LOT more than any arm and hand signal ever will.

I agree... you are easy to spot in your magenta biker suit with all your bright blinky lights and such...

 

[itsbob]

I agree... you are easy to spot in your magenta biker suit with all your bright blinky lights and such...

These guys are loud, and use arm and hands for a lot more than just communicating intentions..

 

[glhs837]

I'd guess you got your license many moons ago? hand signals are taught. IIRC, to be used all the time unless you're in a tight spot. I happen to agree, fully, with this, again, from the 'motion catches attention' angle of how human vision works.

My bike, I can't see front or back if they are bad but, we are taught TCLOCS and I don't do it regularly so, you're correct there. I get no indications from my electrical system either if there is a bad bulb.

Yep, 1983 is indeed many moons ago, but I do try to keep current.

http://msf-usa.org/downloads/mom_v16_GS_low_res.pdf

These guys dont mention anywhere I can see that hand indications of turns should be used as much as possible. Where is it they teach that? I know quite often, individual
instructors will pass along a personal preference as the Word from On High, thats why I ask. I use the motion thing all the time, SMIDSY is one of my biggest concerns, thats why I waggle my front end at folks who are in any position to cross my path. I'll yank a bulb here in the next few days and see, I havent had a bad bulb since it was new in 2009, so I was just assuming that it would give me the fast blink. Bobs Beemer might not be the best case to draw universal conclusions from.

 

[desertrat]

Yep, 1983 is indeed many moons ago, but I do try to keep current.

http://msf-usa.org/downloads/mom_v16_GS_low_res.pdf

These guys dont mention anywhere I can see that hand indications of turns should be used as much as possible. Where is it they teach that? I know quite often, individual
instructors will pass along a personal preference as the Word from On High, thats why I ask. I use the motion thing all the time, SMIDSY is one of my biggest concerns, thats why I waggle my front end at folks who are in any position to cross my path. I'll yank a bulb here in the next few days and see, I havent had a bad bulb since it was new in 2009, so I was just assuming that it would give me the fast blink. Bobs Beemer might not be the best case to draw universal conclusions from.

Was not mentioned in the 2 classes I took to get on base.