# where to get decent turn signal lights for commuter bikes



## pointless debate (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi
Do decent ones exist?
I've seen some janky ones on amazon
thx


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## mtbxplorer (Dec 25, 2009)

Not that I know of. Something like these light-up gloves for directing traffic would help at night (with arm signals). Brite-Strike LED Reflective Traffic Safety Gloves With Active Illumination ITG-08 | $5 Shipping Sitewide!


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Getting drivers to see me is a big enough problem in the day, and so many here don't know hand turn signals. I had a cop stop thinking my left turn signal was waving him over. Maybe he was distracted.  At night, the glove idea is a nice find, Mtbxplorer! So few use turn signals here, I wonder if they would be worth the expense. :madman: 

BrianMc


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Good idea on the gloves. I wonder how hard it would be to get the stop sign off the palm.

A friend of mine had safety orange MTB gloves. That seemed like a good idea.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Uh, strait arm and point, works for me. Eye contact and blinkie light works too for being seen.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

leeboh said:


> Uh, strait arm and point, works for me. Eye contact and blinkie light works too for being seen.


For some, no doubt that works. We tend to extrapolate our conditions everywhere. "It ain't necessarily so." You haven't seen my light array (close to blinding) and ANSI vest or ANSI yellow jacket. These do not help if drivers don't look, or if they look but I don't register You can think you have eye contact, but they have filtered you out as irrelevant. A traffic barrel at best. Usually the inattentive with seeming eye contact notice by the time I am straight ahead of them and they stop like they were supposed to. Most get that something is up and increase their alertness. I also have my right brake as my front, so the left arm is for signaling which drivers behind or approaching can see better, and which I was trained to do, from driving equipment on roads.

The gloves would not hurt, do they don't have half fingered, padded vented ones? I may just adapt something to my regular gloves for spring to fall use.

BrianMc


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

If I had turn signals on my bike, I'd get beat up after class. :lol:


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 21, 2006)

Here`s a thread where a few velonauts went back and forth about adapting motorcycle lights and other miscelaneous parts for their rides.
Velomobile Turn Signals - 'BentRider Online Forums
It`s a few years old, so most of the suply links are broken, but maybe it`ll help. One thing noted by somebody who says he`s seen a few bicycle signal kits is that if they aren`t far enough apart they don`t convey the message. I can see how that would be.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

BrianMc said:


> Getting drivers to see me is a big enough problem in the day, and so many here don't know hand turn signals. I had a cop stop thinking my left turn signal was waving him over. Maybe he was distracted.  At night, the glove idea is a nice find, Mtbxplorer! So few use turn signals here, I wonder if they would be worth the expense. :madman:
> 
> BrianMc


Isn't it funny how no motorists seem to understand the vehicle code??? Here in California, it is clearly stated within the vehicle code what hand signals are, and how to use them. I regularly have people thinking I am waving "hello" to them. Funny sh¡t.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Leopold Porkstacker said:


> Isn't it funny how no motorists seem to understand the vehicle code??? Here in California, it is clearly stated within the vehicle code what hand signals are, and how to use them. I regularly have people thinking I am waving "hello" to them. Funny sh¡t.


no joke. people seem to get the left turn signal with the arm straight out, but have no idea about the bent arm signals. I have taken to signaling right turns with a straight right arm...people get that. I don't even bother with the "stopping" signal. in the cases where I'd use it, the stoplight or stop sign is pretty obvious or I'm going to turn anyway.


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## Dalton (Jun 30, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> no joke. people seem to get the left turn signal with the arm straight out, but have no idea about the bent arm signals. I have taken to signaling right turns with a straight right arm...people get that. I don't even bother with the "stopping" signal. in the cases where I'd use it, the stoplight or stop sign is pretty obvious or I'm going to turn anyway.


Apparently the whole right arm full extension is also acceptable as the signal. I did some research a while back and most places I found said that the right turn was the bent arm up or just the right arm full extension.

I never use the brake signal either. Seems pointless and just dangerous at times.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Dalton said:


> Apparently the whole right arm full extension is also acceptable as the signal. I did some research a while back and most places I found said that the right turn was the bent arm up or just the right arm full extension.
> 
> I never use the brake signal either. Seems pointless and just dangerous at times.


Yup Around here you extend the left arm if you are going left...the right if you are going right....

Course if you are in a car no one will see the right arm extended....so they can signal a right turn with the left arm bent....only makes sense...also helps if you have a twist grip throttle on a motorbike right hand.

Unfourtunately no one driving a car remembers that you can signal with either arm on a bike...but they generally get the message.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

Dalton said:


> Apparently the whole right arm full extension is also acceptable as the signal. I did some research a while back and most places I found said that the right turn was the bent arm up or just the right arm full extension.
> 
> I never use the brake signal either. Seems pointless and just dangerous at times.


Seems the discussion of turn signal lights has become a discussion of turn signal use, style, effectiveness, etc. Sorry, OP!

I have used the stop signal only on rides along with a shouted "Stopping" to help a line of cyclists. Our first responsibility is to control the bike. Indiana law technically forbids DT shifters, drinking, blowing out your nose, in favor of control, so given most stop situations, the stop signal is not a safe or useful signal.

The bent arm right gets a "Huh?" or a wave too often, especially among the under 50 crowd. The cop did not understand the left and he was clearly over 50 or lived a hard life. Anyway, with a pointing finger it is intuitively obvious, one would think. Duh! Same with the right arm. Most cases, I am taking the lane and the right arm out won't be seen.

The blackburn Touch Front light with some trimming might fit a glove back, Coin cells on flash equal 140 hours claimed. A quick slap with the other hand to turn it on before signaling. An idea.

BrianMc


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

i don't think anyone on the road knows what hand signals mean, so I just point at the lane that I am changing or the direction I am turning. if people don't see or respect that, it's not going to matter. bright gloves would help though.


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

Why spend money on a "turn signal" for your bike when your hand and arms are free? gadget whore? fred?


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## sprunghunt (May 14, 2006)

perhaps not so good at night 

Giving the Finger / Have A Good Day Gloves


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## jseko (Jan 25, 2011)

I think the big deal with arm signals is that even though many people know them, it doesn't register, especially the bent arm right turn, because it is very seldom used. Full arm extended, I think, is more obvious unless someone thinks you're trying to point something out. I mean hell, I saw one guy signaling with a bent arm right, it took me probably a second or two to realize what he was doing.


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## rjmij (Apr 9, 2012)

Just use some high vis gloves!


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