Bicygnal Bike Signals

[Roadtrip]

Anyone else see these? Just curious what any of you thought. As a newbie I still don't feel 100% confidant about removing my hands from the bars to signal. I know I NEED to, but end up doing so quickly and I know I could do a better job.

Are they gimmicky or would they really work? They appear pretty bright in the video even during the day.

http://www.cyclefg.com/shop/product....4&cat=0&page=1

Shannon

[hebe]

They look to be from a British company. I haven't seen any in use.

I think I probably wouldn't use them for daytime riding. The highway code here says that cyclists should use arm signals, and that is what drivers expect to see. I'm not sure that I could trust some of the drivers round here to see a bank of LEDs rather than a firm arm signal. I know what you mean about the wobble, I still do it a bit on left signals and therefore look back and signal in very good time. My signalling is always better at the end of a ride than at the beginning so I'm confident that I'll nail it over time anyway.

I don't ride at night and have no plans to. I think these could be useful after dark though as they would increase visibility.

[Roadtrip]

Yup, I think your right on both counts... seems to be a British company and I believe law still requires use of hand signals here in the states, at least Ohio does.

The way the drivers are here you'd think they have never seen a bicyclist on the road before so they could see you and think... well why is that lady waving her arm around like that... just before running you down.

We have a big problem here with getting drivers to know what to expect from bicyclist and this type of signal is indeed what drivers are USED to seeing from other DRIVERS.

I guess that's why I posted.

Shannon

[malkin]

It cracks me up when I signal a right turn (left hand up) and people wave back.

I'm experimenting with a new "foot signal" where I unclip and exaggeratedly stick my leg out like I'm really stopping. Sometimes cross traffic at a 4-way stop will just hurry up and go when they see it. I think this works if the drivers are also cyclists.

[Becky]

It cracks me up when I signal a right turn (left hand up) and people wave back.

I gave up on signaling right turns with my left arm....no one knows what it means anymore! I just use my right arm now.

[tulip]

Those lights are too close together to be differentiated by an approaching motorist. Think about it: car blinkers are 5 or 6 feet apart. Bike blinkers that are only 6 inches apart or less are not going to be very useful because it will just look like a blinking light (too close to center of bike) to a motorist.

You may wish to take a bicycling class offered by the League of American Bicyclists (for those of you in the US) to get more comfortable on the bike and in traffic.

[Kerry1976]

It cracks me up when I signal a right turn (left hand up) and people wave back.

Me too! One day it seemed to happen at every intersection.

[hebe]

We have a big problem here with getting drivers to know what to expect from bicyclist and this type of signal is indeed what drivers are USED to seeing from other DRIVERS.

I guess that's why I posted.

Shannon

I wonder if in a more car-centric place drivers would expect to see indicators on a bike? It might well work well in the US. I'm not sure that people would expect to see indicators on a bike here, so therefore whether they would actually register that a bike did have indicators, and that the cyclist was about to make a turn? Please do bear in mind that I ride in a town where beer is still delivered by horse and cart so people are used to watching out for slow-moving traffic. I really am quite intrigued by the idea though. I took some lessons with a Bikeability instructor and was taught right arm out for right turn, left arm out for left, and that the most important thing is to get a couple of good looks behind and make eye contact with any driver there. Apparently once they've actually seen you they are more likely to expect you to do *something*. Then another "lifesaver" look immediately before turning.

I can imagine that in twilight rush-hour traffic it could be a useful adjunct though.