Imagine your perfect bicycle ride. Are you rolling to brunch with friends? Enjoying the neighborhood with family? You might be seeing the sights across town or commuting to work on a beautiful morning. Wherever your ideal trip, you’re likely to encounter an intersection of some sort.
Intersections can be intimidating for many cyclists because they require some nuance and confidence. Afterall, when you’re on a bicycle, you don’t typically have the luxury of turn signals or brake lights, and you definitely don’t have the protection of a 3,000-pound car. What is a cyclist to do?
First, always be watching what’s happening around you. This will help you react quickly when required. Second, make sure you’re well versed in the hand signals that let others know your next move.
Hand signals give cyclists visibility, which is among the biggest factors that can keep them safe. We often think of visibility as having the right lights and reflectors or wearing clothing that is easy to spot — and those definitely can contribute to safety — but hand signals will alert other road users and help them anticipate a cyclist’s next move.
In California, like most states, hand signals have been written into law. Each state varies, so when riding somewhere else, make sure to brush up on those rules.
The hand signals
It may be obvious to you as a cyclist where you’re headed, especially at an intersection, but other drivers and road users are not always as keen. These hand signals are the basics that tell others your next move. Think of them as the equivalent of turn signals and brake lights on a car.
They are as follows:
Turning left: When making a left-hand turn, fully extend your left arm out to the side so that it is parallel with the ground. Keep an open hand.
Turning right: To signal a right turn, it’s common to either 1) extend your right arm straight out, again with an open hand and parallel with the ground, or 2) use your left arm. If you’re using your left arm, bend your left arm up at a right angle with your hand flat.
California law doesn’t give preference to either option for cyclists, but does dictate that all signals given by hand and arm shall be given from the left side of a vehicle. So if you’re signaling a right turn from a car, for whatever reason, be sure it’s on the left side.
Stopping/slowing: When you’re slowing or coming to a stop, you can inform fellow road users by extending your left arm and making a right angle downward with your hand flat.
Road hazards: If you’re in a group of cyclists and spot a pot hole, it’s common courtesy to point it out to the riders behind you. To do so, simply use your index finger to point and announce the hazard, whether it’s loose gravel, a pothole, or something else.
When to signal
Make sure to always scan the road for drivers when you signal to ensure that vehicle drivers are paying attention and to ensure your safety.
You’ll want to signal about 100 feet before you turn, this way you’ll be able to alert other drivers and road users and have enough time to return your hands to the handlebars for a safe turn. Be sure to follow all other traffic laws on the road, like using a designated bike lane or keeping to the proper place on the road and stopping at stop signs and lights. In California, the “California stop” is still illegal.
Why signaling matters
It might not seem like signaling is a consequential action, especially when there’s designated cycling infrastructure or you find yourself on a trail where there are only other cyclists or pedestrians, but these signals are really the only means of communication for the people behind or near you when you’re making a turn, lane change, or are slowing or stopping.
These signals are expected to be most used at intersections, which are among the most dangerous places for cyclists.
Each year roughly a quarter of traffic fatalities and about half of all traffic injuries in the United States are attributed to intersections, according to the Federal Highway Administration. This also includes cyclists. The administration reports that from 2015 to 2019, “an estimated 57% of bicyclist and 39% of pedestrian fatalities and incapacitating injuries in the U.S. occurred at intersections or were intersection-related.”
The sheer number of injuries and fatalities has led the administration to create guides for intersections to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. Of course, infrastructure alone is not enough to keep crashes from happening. It takes all road users paying attention and communicating to keep the road safe.
What to do after a crash
Even when cyclists use all the right hand signals and watch for distracted driving, they can still, unfortunately, be involved in a crash.
If you’ve been involved in an accident and feel that it’s the fault of another person, it’s important to turn to the right resources. Bay Area Bicycle Law works with clients all over the State of California and is one of the state’s only personal injury law firms that works exclusively with injured cyclists. There are many benefits to working with a specialist because we have a deep understanding of bicycle accident matters. This is what we do every day.
Contact us today for a free consultation by email or by calling (415) 466-8717. Years of advocacy for bicycle crash victims have seasoned our attorneys with the necessary skills to handle bicycle accident cases with the utmost level of professional expertise. We will always offer you legal advice which is in your best interest.