Going without signals

[Shovel Jockey]

Just wondering if any of you guys are running your bikes,(stock or custom) without signals. I have a nasty habit of leaving mine on which I'm sure is going to get me clipped one day. Since its legal here in S.C.,and surrounding states, to run without them I'm thinking of pulling them off. I never forget to turn my arm off anyway. Just looking for feedback and experiences. Joe

 

[Uhlaf]

I'm currently not running signals stock 81' special II, obviously its better to have them but I manage fine. Get used to shoulder checking and using your left hand to let the guys behind you know that you're going to be turninG

 

[Xmarksthespot]

I too like to use hand signals during the day, but it sure is nice to have those bliinking signals at night. Given the state of many drivers today they might notice any of your signals no matter what you use. (mini rant).

 

[Uhlaf]

I'd like to make it clear that I don't condone removing signals, I tossed mine out if frustration I would gladly have them back if they functioned

 

[jd750ace]

Do you really think the Facebook generation even knows what the hell an arm signal is? I switch bikes if I have a bulb out. Far too many drunks and addled minds out there to run without as many lights as you can. If you get laid up in the hospital from a left turn where some jackass did not yeild and claims they never saw you, will you lay there in the hospital and think, he may have seen me if I was not too lazy to fix my lights? $0.02

 

[Shovel Jockey]

Kinda what I thought I'd hear. Good point from jd750ace, fellow on a Harley was killed above my house this spring cause his hand signal was mistaken for a wave from the young folks that ran him over. The night visibility thing also is true. Most of the bikes I owned previously were without so its just not natural for me to remember to turn them off. Better learn

 

[jonasblack]

I would never go without signals.

Too many idiots.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

ive run without signals for years. i live in a rural area, in the big city i prob would never do it. i dont trravel interstates or freeways.

the key here is having a bike that can out run the soccor moms trying to kill you. a good mirror is also nice.

if you have to make a turn i simply outrun everybody and then turn useing hand signals. that only works in my rural area. if you are in the big city it will bite yu. but it can be done if you fully aware of your suroundings. you have to be fully aware of everybody within a radius close enuf that they may hurt yu. and be ready to dodge them.

 

[retiredgentleman]

I live in a city of 1.1 million people. Most of those people don't pay attention when they are driving. After an accident motorists always claim they didn't see the other car/truck/motorcycle that they hit.

Motorcycles are very small visually.....................to not have working signals is suicidal as far as I'm concerned. I check that mine are working, every time before I leave the garage.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Do you really think the Facebook generation even knows what the hell an arm signal is?

That's what worries me as well. Back in the '70s, everybody knew handsignals, even used in cars. Is it taught anymore? Handsignals at night are a real challenge. Ride ultra-defensively...

 

[Phail]

I should put mine back on before I get a ticket. LOL I ditched them when I kept getting a short in them. But I have a ton of other problems with my bike that will get me a ticket. ;-)

 

[Xmarksthespot]

Man I have to read my posts better before they go out, my last line in the first post I contributed should have said, " given the state of many drivers today, they might NOT notice any of your signals no matter what you use" . I live in a relatively small town and one can get away with hand signals at times, a rider does have to pay attention. I would never criticize anyone's choice in running without signal lights, it's not a choice I would make for night riding. At the end one is sometimes at the mercy of extremely poorly trained drivers.

Be safe out there no matter what you ride.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Maybe some of you creative types could resurrect the 'trafficator', or 'semaphore'.

That oughta get somebody's attention...

 

[Xmarksthespot]

now that's funny Twomany, when I was but a young lad the Austin A50 and one other English import car my dad had was equipped with those. Both cars had them mounted on the door post between the front and back.

 

[fredintoon]

Just wondering if any of you guys are running your bikes,(stock or custom) without signals. I have a nasty habit of leaving mine on which I'm sure is going to get me clipped one day. Since its legal here in S.C.,and surrounding states, to run without them I'm thinking of pulling them off. I never forget to turn my arm off anyway. Just looking for feedback and experiences. Joe

Hi Joe,
there's a 1950s bike magazine ad that offered a "signal glove".
It had an amber light on the gauntlet, a small battery someplace and there were contacts on the thumb and forefinger.
The wearer gave the appropriate hand signal while repeatedly tapping his thumb and forefinger together to pulse the light.
BTW, is your self canceller not working?

 

[retiredgentleman]

Arm signals...................do you really want to go around a corner with only 1 hand on the handlebars, which is when you really need to have both hands on the bars. Could be interesting if you hit a pot hole or scrub the curb.

Being a lazy type, its easier to move my left thumb for about 0.5 seconds than it is to hold my arm up in the air for 5 to 8 seconds.

I would bet money, if you tested a group of average drivers, a large percentage would not know which is a left signal and which is a right signal.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

My favorite turn indicator was Clint Eastwood's orangutan.

"Right turn, Clyde"...

 

[weekendrider]

Arm signals...................do you really want to go around a corner with only 1 hand on the handlebars, which is when you really need to have both hands on the bars. Could be interesting if you hit a pot hole or scrub the curb.

Continuing to signal after the turn is initiated is as futile as using a turn signal in a dedicated turn lane. I mean at that point what the hell else you gonna be doing?

If you choose to use arm signals you might want to think about adding some wrist action.
As in actually pointing your intentions. I don't have any flashing gloves BUT I do flex my pointing finger.
Left turn arm straight out (not kinda flung out or over to the left) and my finger folding in and out pointing my intentions.
Right turn I drop my hand at the wrist while pointing to the right.
And I always execute a hand signal along with the flashers.
A> Maybe it will help educate the younger drivers
B> The little bride can't see the signals and I don't want her zigging while I'm trying to zag. The arm goes up she is ready for a change. And knows what the change will be.

 

[retiredgentleman]

"Continuing to signal after the turn is initiated is as futile as using a turn signal in a dedicated turn lane. I mean at that point what the hell else you gonna be doing?"

I have to disagree with both of your comments.

The signals should be operating until after the turn is completed. That's how car and truck self cancelling is designed to work. When the steering wheel turns back the opposite direction, as the car straightens out, the signal is cancelled. So, that means anyone that uses arm signals only, must hold his arm out through the complete 90 degree turn. Of course, no one does that, which makes using arm signals only a poor choice , when flashing lights are so simple to use. Just sticking out your arm as you approach and enter a turn,then dropping the arm as you drive through the intersection, would be considered illegal, but likely not enforced.

The law requires turn signals to be used, whenever a vehicle makes a turn, even if its a dedicated turn lane.

 

[Xmarksthespot]

retired guy is correct about signals even in dedicated lanes even if it seems pointless. Just because you know where you are going and doing does not mean the other guy gets it. As well once you get in the habit of not using signals it is to easy to forget the when needed.

As for arm signals, once you have committed to the turn, meaning the bike direction and lean angle now confirm what you are doing, I believe that control of the vehicle becomes more important, this being due to fluid and or dirt or sand being in the turn. No cop in his right mind would cite you, right mind being the operative term here.

For me in heavy day time traffic I try to use both hand and the signal lights transport Canada insists on, the more attention you draw to yourself in traffic the better. Of course having said that, yesterday a woman yammering on her phone tried to do a rolling stop and turn left in front of me, it was a slow zone for a playground and she saw me in what was plenty of time, but when she jammed on her brakes, her coffee cup and contents tip over on the dash and I could see her frantically reaching for it. That actually made my day, hope the coffee spilled on something important.