Motorcycle Hand Signals? LSFW

[Pacific]

Rob's new thread "What should I have done?" put me in mind of a question. A few months ago, as I was approaching a long straight stretch on the highway -- a ridge that runs for a couple of miles along the mountains above the Saanich Inlet and the Pacific Ocean beyond -- a biker passed me with his left hand held up and his index finger raised. He rolled his wrist and circled his index finger in the wind. Deductive bastard that I am, I realized he was alerting me to a speed trap. Later that night, I searched the net for a few minutes and found someone hawking a little book filled with these signals. I didn't look all that hard for other sources, and I didn't buy the book, but I'm wondering if any of the Cafe's elder statesmen might share other useful signals. For example, is there an accepted or logical way to alert someone to road debris?

Jay

[Deans BMW]

In Cal and other places, patting the top of your helmet with the flat of your left hand signifies LEO up ahead.

Rider up ahead taking foot off of the peg and roughly pointing down with that leg signifies dabris up ahead and on which of the M/C it is.

[Promethean]

http://www.crosscountryriders.org/handsignals.html

[Wild Will]

.

Rider up ahead taking foot off of the peg and roughly pointing down with that leg signifies debris up ahead and on which of the M/C it is.[/QUOTE]

That's how I wave to Harleys...but they never wave back...

[arkline]

Seems they forgot the "you're number one" hand signal, used to express admiration for allowing the signaler to survive yet another boneheaded maneuver by someone in an SUV, car, on another motorcycle, or, as in Seattle, on a bicycle filtering through rush hour traffic. I recommend bright yellow Icon or Lee Parks gloves so that the "number one" really stands out in all the background colors and cacaphony...

Side note: Last weekend a motorcyclist and a car driver managed to have one of those "number one" encounters. But upon stopping to discuss the finer points of who was more at fault, the rider pulled out a pistol and shot the car driver three times. The driver is still in hospital and the rider is in jail. So maybe the "number one" should just be imaged in one's head rather than publicly displayed. You can never tell who is carrying and willing to bust a cap in your direction...

[BobFV1]

In Cal and other places, patting the top of your helmet with the flat of your left hand signifies LEO up ahead.

Rider up ahead taking foot off of the peg and roughly pointing down with that leg signifies debris up ahead and on which of the M/C it is.

+1 - I always use the "helmet tap" signal to warn about cops.

Out on the Interstate, sometimes an asshole trucker will decide to pass another trucker just as they are both starting up a little grade - it is intuitively obvious to the most casual observer that this behavior will result in a long and unnecessary traffic snarl, but the asshole trucker does it anyway. When the asshole trucker finally gets over in the right lane, where he belongs, I pull up next to him, look up and make eye contact, and then point at my helmet with my right index finger. The meaning of this gesture is "Use your little peanut brain, you asshole trucker!"

Now, I realize that in a couple of hundred miles, I may end up taking a piss next to the very same trucker, so I only do this in the most egregious circumstances - maybe once every other day or so on a long trip. If the trucker does confront me, I may not remember the incident, but I will know it was a bad one and I will get in the trucker's face.

I generally look a bit psycho out on the road in my bug-splattered and zipped-together Savanna 2 or Venting Machine suit, four days of stubble, Arai XD with Grateful Dead sticker, and Dead Head tee shirt, so I don't end up getting confronted very often.

Hijack -

By the way - the worse truckers out there drive blue trucks with the "Werner" logo - they are out of Omaha, Nebraska, and it is obvious that the Werner company does not take any pride in the behavior of their drivers on the open highway, The most professional drivers, in my opinion, drive in the Landstar trucks.

Hijack over.

[Deans BMW]

I have been known on more than one occasion.............. to blast warp factor 7 between the two trucks....kind of gets the adrenaline going......Do not recommend this behavior in any way..............

[BobFV1]

I have been known on more than one occasion.............. to blast warp factor 7 between the two trucks....kind of gets the adrenaline going......Do not recommend this behavior in any way..............

Dean -

Glad you mentioned this - more than once I have had the trucker on the right pull over a little to the right while side-by-side with another rig, so I figure there must be more than a few riders out there who will do this.

I think I could pull it off safely in a number on circumstances, but it is just a half a step higher ont he ladder of risk than I care to climb. In most circumstances. He he.

[Wild Will]

This is slightly off topic, but what the hell. I was taking a nice sunny Sunday ride to the sylvan berg of Annapolis, Ca., where the post office is typical for these parts: a 1 room shack 'neath a big tree a mile from the only other "city" improvement, the school. The road is very scenic, and the asphalt is primo. The twists are non stop and the vineyards bring a vital green hue to the otherwise "golden rolling hills of California" (thanks Kate Wolf, wherever you are). I headed west after a delightful hike in the clear Gualala River and was passed by an old Japanese beater car headed east, and the passenger gave me the finger, for no reason other than the one he had in his empty head.

I thought about turning around; those days are in the not too distant past for me, when I'd have foolishly hunted him down. Then in my mirror I saw him do a U turn, and I figured these miscreants were up to no good. There's no law in Annapolis except when, once a day, the deputy from Hell does a ride through with his vicious hound riding shotgun. The sometimes savage native rancheria is on this road, where frequent domestic shootings are the norm.

I considered pulling over to see who it was that had shot a stranger the bird, when maturity took over and I decided to traverse the 15 miles of switchbacks to the ocean post haste in case they were up to the kind of mischief I thought they were: rob me, steal my bike, whatever. Nobody in a car catches up with the old hound dog on this or any other local twisty road. I burned through the turns like a man on a mission, and got back to CHP territory in record time. No old blue car was again sighted.

But what was their purpose? Finger tossing can be a joke, but the middle of the road U turn in pursuit of a fat red BMW bike? There was something foul in this scenario, to be sure. I'll be looking for that car in the next few days and WILL find out who it is. I'll do it from my pickup, though.

I was without a self defense weapon. I felt naked and in possible peril. I'll never ride out alone again without a means with which to stay alive, hopefully, if threatened.

There are lots of bad boys around now, thanks to the methamphetamine epidemic extant across the country. They say live in Northern California, but leave before you become too soft; life IS good here, and we've had scant crime up till recently.

What are your thoughts about a self defense tool for the tankbag? I don't need any scolding about the wild west or our right to bear arms, etc. I'm just sure as hell not going to simply roll over and that car filled with malcontents turning to (rob/hassle) me was my wake up call.

Your thoughts O my Brothers?

[Deans BMW]

The only self defense wepon other an a hand gernade would be a nice little semi auto pistol readly available in the tank bag, only to be pulled out as a last resort. As much as I hate to say it, the smartest wepon is your bike and a good riding ability.

[GPM]

I agree with Dean. With the skills you posess I expect you would be nothing but a shadow. That said, its better to have the means and not need to use it, than not to have the means. Kind of like that rubber in your wallet when you were 16.

[Optimus Prime]

The only self defense wepon other an a hand gernade would be a nice little semi auto pistol readly available in the tank bag, only to be pulled out as a last resort. As much as I hate to say it, the smartest wepon is your bike and a good riding ability.

I agree, although I might pick a trusty revolver over a semi-auto. A good Semi-auto rarely ever jams, but if it's your only carry...

[Deans BMW]

Good point,


I might pick a trusty revolver over a semi-auto

[AZBMWRIDER]

I agree, although I might pick a trusty revolver over a semi-auto. A good Semi-auto rarely ever jams, but if it's your only carry...


I would agree with you…but depending on the type of semi-auto pistol.

I’m very accurate and proficient with my KZ45 (Wilson 1911) But when I exercise the privilege of CCW.
I always carry my Glock 23 .40 Cal. with a 15 Round Clip.

The reasons why pistols jam (Most of the time) is because the way people hold them. (Grip)

If you have a poor grip, chances are you will have a jam….

Revolvers are great, but Pistols are awesome when you have multiple threats.

It all comes down to training and firepower…

As a responsible gun owner, I have both…!:shoot: :shoot: :shoot:

[HiOSilver]

[kocook]

Glock in .40 cal. Great round, lots of 'em. But hold that baby in reserve as very last ditch. Your best defense is to run like hell. Besides it is fun as all get out. And if you get pulled over, you have a legitimate excuse.

[Wild Will]

and I'm applying for a permit. I decided to run, and it WAS fun, in a grisly sort of way. I ran that copulating anaconda carnival ride from hell narrow, deadly drop off road like never before. I did some checking and there have been several bandito encounters on the local rural backroads as of late. Predators from the city on the roads where sheriffs fear to tread? A new local deputy went solo on a call to the native reservation, and was beaten by the squaws, they took his pistol and his pants and he has since transferred. In some places there is virtually no law, still. Call a meat wagon if you're down, and there's NO cell service, and you'll be there unless you're lucky for an hour, bike dripping gas on tarmac.
Life is hard on the frontier, but some of us couldn't live any other way. So, time for the aging hoon dogs to carry a little equalizer. Thanks for the advice.

[Deans BMW]

My buds and I will come and save you bro. I wouldn't be suprised if those of us pictured couldn't sucessfully take on a small army...............................

[geechie]

Jesus, Dean! That is a motley lookin' crew, for sure.

Course now, if they were asking me questions, I'd be sprinkling "yessir's" and "nossir's" liberally through all my answers.

George

[Wild Will]

I knew I could count on ya! I'll cook the boys up some Jim Beam marinated New York steaks flecked with fat! Then I'll hire the hipppie gals to trailer
Bong O' the Redwoods over and we'll have a righteous party. Right after we bury the miscreants.
Can't you get use of one of those jets your family makes? Lear jets?

[Deans BMW]

Several of these guys have done that....and more.....up here .......several times................You might say....my local back up secret wepon.......

[DarthRider]

Kent said:
"...Glock in .40 cal. Great round, lots of 'em. But hold that baby in reserve as very last ditch. Your best defense is to run like hell. Besides it is fun as all get out. And if you get pulled over, you have a legitimate excuse..."

I agree and as soon as I retire and have some time to train & time to ride, that's what I'm going to do. Good riding is a great defense, but if you get cornered and the chips are down...I don't plan on it being me leaving in a bag.

And Dean-O! I've been studying that pic of you and the boys...where are your hands?? You don't have a couple of those boys by the butt-cheeks...do you?