Having a rear view camera means making the roads a lot safer, but you still have to know what certain signals mean when it comes to sharing the road with cyclists. If a cyclist uses a hand or arm signal to indicate that they are turning or going in a different direction, drivers must understand what these signals mean in order to avoid collisions.
If you haven’t brushed up on your cyclist signals lately, here are some common ones that you will see when you’re out on the roads making room for cyclists. Bike signals are made with the left hand because bikes ride on the ride side of cars traveling in the same direction. The left hand makes them easier to see to cars.
- Left Turn: If you see a cyclist put her left arm out straight, this means that she is going to be be turning left.
- Right Turn: Right turns are signified by the left hand raised to make an L. (Some people prefer to use their right arm pointed straight out to the right of them.)
- Stopping: if a cyclist plans to stop, she will point her left fist down at the ground with the elbow bent.
These are the typical US hand-turn signals. For instance they might be a tad different in Canada, and will require the right hand in Europe.
Recognizing Cyclists
Cyclists should always wear reflective clothing and have reflective materials on their bikes during the evening hours, but this isn’t always the case. It can be hard to see cyclists that aren’t wearing reflective materials late into the night, so make sure to drive slowly on roads that do not have street lights.
During the daytime, pay attention to cyclists that are trying to share the roads with you. You might not like the idea of having to wait for a slow cyclist in order to get where you’re going, but it’s perfectly legal for cyclists to take up an entire lane. Plus, you have to abide by those hand gestures legally, so keep this in mind if you decide to pass a cyclist that has put her hand up to signal a left turn.
Purchasing a Rear View Camera
It’s not always easy to see people or cars or cyclists that are in your blind spot or behind your car, but a rear view camera can help. With the purchase of a wireless rear view camera, you can see where everyone on the road is, and this will lead to safer roadways for you and for everyone else that shares the same roads.
Getting to know the hand signals that cyclists use is really important, since we all share the same space. If a cyclist isn’t using these signals, though, this can also be dangerous. While it’s hard to report a cyclist that doesn’t signal, you can pay close attention to anyone else on the road by just being aware. In the meantime, consider purchasing a wireless rear view camera, so that you can see what’s happening on the roads at all times. At Trail Ridge Technologies, we sell the best rear view cameras on the market, and we are more than happy to help you with your rear view camera purchase.
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