Quote:
Originally Posted by jdp211
The right turn signal by raising your left hand was a holdover from the days before cars had turn signals. Since the driver sits on the left side, they needed a way to signal out the driver's side window. Since turn signals have been a thing for close to a century, that particular signal is wildly out dated. Signaling a right turn with your right hand is way less confusing.
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I had a discussion (disagreement?) with my cycling club president about this. I argued that holding the right arm out for a right turn was best, but he insisted holding the left hand straight up was the best. His argument was that: 1) That's what taught in drivers manuals, so motorists would be more familiar with it; and 2) Cyclists ride on the right side of the road, so the left arm/hand would be more visible. I argued that: 1) Using the right hand to signal a right turn was more intuitive, since you are pointing directly at were you are going; and 2) many cyclists ride in a leaned over posture (particularly if on the hoods or drops), which makes it difficult if not impossible to hold the forearm straight up, so when signaling a right turn the arm ends up being pointed more forward then up.
The club president, like many cyclists, tends to ride with his torso leaning forward. When he signals a right turn with his left hand, his arm points more forward than upward, so he looks more like he is waving at someone in front of him than that he is signaling for a right turn. Even when I know the route is turning right, I often find myself looking straight ahead to see who he is waving at.