Kristine, The traditional left-arm signal for a right-hand turn arises from the inability of a car driver to use anything other than their left-arm to convey a signal out of their car window. The bent-elbow of the left hand is convention, but convention begs to be challenged when there is a better/more efficient alternative. As a cyclist I have free use of both arms. When I signal a right turn with my right arm I feel that I am getting my point across just fine. I never assume that cars are paying close enough attention to me either- I try to bike as if I have every right to be on the road and at the same time the 3,000 lb behemoths that are speeding by me could crush me at any moment. Seems to work for me.
-india ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kristine M. Niemann" <[email protected]> Date: Friday, May 15, 2009 3:29 pm Subject: Re: [Bikies] Signaling a right turn with the right hand To: [email protected] > Hi Mark, > I would think this would be less safe, since it's > going against the standard system of communication for bicycles. If I > saw someone sticking their right arm out, I would assume they are > ignorant to the rules or are pointing to something. It would be > unclear what they are trying to convey. If there is already a standard > system in place that all bicyclists are obliged to use, it seems safer > to me to stick with that. But I guess I don't understand the > conflict...is it easier to release the right hand from your handlebars > than the left? > kris > > > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Mark Clear <[email protected]> > To: bikies <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 3:11:33 PM > Subject: [Bikies] Signaling a right turn with the right hand > > For the past couple of years, I've been signaling right turns by > putting my right hand out horizontally--just like for a left turn. I > deliberately switched from the legal left-hand-bent signal because it > seems to reduce the ambiguity, and therefore might give a > 3-millisecond improvement in reaction time to a distracted motorist. > > I have, however, no evidence that this is actually safer. Thoughts? > Research? Anyone? > > Mark C. > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
