15 Group Riding Hand Signals Every Motorcyclist Must Know

 Hand signals in motorcycling are crucial tools that ensure the safety of the rider while riding on a highway with other people on the road. These signals are an integral part of passing and attaining the driver's license but over a period of time people usually forget the significance of hand signals and rarely use them when they are on the road. Near are the top 16 hand signals that you need to know while riding in a group to communicate effectively with other people in your group. 

  

Why should you learn hand signals for motorcycling? 

  

In today's modern world, almost every motorcycle comes equipped with signaling equipment and people have bluetooth headsets and mobile phones connected to their motorcycle helmets to stay in contact with everyone else in the group.  But like we all know, technology has its own fallibility, so in the event that the gadget fails or you don't have the luxury of all the gadgets that are needed to communicate, hand signals can come in really handy to convey your message to someone far behind you.  

  

Keeping your own safety in mind 

When you are using these hand signals to communicate with your group, always make sure that you are not extending your arms or legs without checking the road behind and ahead first because oncoming traffic might hit you on your extended limbs. 

  

A little note before we start with the hand signals is that many of these hand signals overlap with one another in terms of functionality. So, check out all the hand signals and find out which ones you like the best or which ones are clearly communicable in a large group and use them according to your convenience and the group's compatibility in understanding the hand signals. 

  

  

Left turn:  A clearly visible way of letting the group know that you are taking a left turn is to extend your left arm outwards straight and facing your palm down. You can also check out the first two fingers and point in the direction while extending your arm to let the group know that you are about to take a left turn. Always make sure to use the turn signals simultaneously especially if it is dark.  

  

Right turn: Just like indicating a left turn you can do the same thing about letting people know that you are about to take a right turn by extending the right arm with your palm facing downwards are a couple of fingers pointing in the direction. 

  

Police check post ahead: If you see a police check post coming ahead where riders are being checked for documents are being slowed down for whatever reason you can indicate the same to the group behind you by tapping the top of your helmet a couple of times. Make sure to do this gesture repeatedly so that people behind you also follow the same and start indicating to people behind them. 

  

Fuel tank empty: In the event that your fuel tank runs dry and you need to refill the gas tank you can indicate the situation by extending your left elbow outwards while pointing to the fuel tank. You can also accompany this signal with the signal for stopping just so people are clear about your situation. 

  

Need to stop: There might be many reasons why you might have to stop in the middle of the road, whether it's a health concerns are some technical complications with your motorcycle. To indicate that you need to stop, extend your left arm outwards and bend it 90º at the elbow with the fingers facing download to the road. 

  

Take the lead: While riding in a formation you might need to have someone take the lead of the group while you go behind for some reason. To convey to the group that you are expecting someone else to come ahead and lead, all you have to do is swing your left arm from behind you to in front of you a couple of times with your index finger extending outwards. 

  

Follow me: Once a new leader takes the leader of the group or she needs to indicate that left to follow him or her for the rest of the trip. In order to do that, the person can lift their left arm above their head and indicate with the swinging motion for the rest to follow him or her. 

  

Hazard ahead: While you are riding in a group especially across mountain or hilly regions you my suddenly expect wildlife to come in front of you are there could be other hazards on the road that you need to indicate to the rest of the group so that they can also take necessary precautions to slow down or stop to indicate a hazard ahead on the road extend the left hand above your head and your right foot outwards. A smart way to ensure that people notice you is to turn on both of your blinkers (the hazard lights) along with this gesture. 

  

Comfort stop: In the event that you have become uncomfortable on your motorcycle and you want to take a small break just to adjust and extend your knees you can take a comfort stop by indicating it to the rest of the group. To do that extend the left arm with a closed fist and gently make short up and down movements with your arm.  

  

Refreshment stop: When you are with other people, the times and locations for having refreshment is usually pre-decided. In the event that you need to take another refreshment break in between indicate that to the group by extending your left elbow outwards while bringing the thumb close to your mouth as if to indicate that you need something to eat. 

  

Single file: Riding in a formation is very important when you are in a large group where everybody has to follow a pattern to maintain discipline on the road. If you are the group leader, indicate a single file or double file by extending your left arm outwards with the fingers facing to the road and one or two fingers extended to indicate a single file or a double file as necessary. 

  

Pull off:  To indicate to the group the need to pull off the side of the road, extend your left arm outside with the index finger pointing outward and swinging it from your chest to the side of the road repeatedly. 

  

Speed up: If the group is not maintaining the pre-decided speed you can always ask them to speed up by extending your left arm and keeping your palms facing upward and then swinging it from behind to forward as if urging them to speed up. 

  

Slow down:  Similarly, to indicate to the group to slow down you can repeat the same just as above only with the palm facing downwards and swinging the arm from up to down which clearly indicates a reduction in speed. 

  

Stop: At the time of arriving at the destination the group leader usually indicates that it's time to stop by extending the left arm outwards and bending the forearm 90º at the elbow while the fingers are pointing in the direction of the ground.  When this happens, a chain reaction must go on with other riders in the group as well to indicate the same to the rider behind him or her.  

  

Learn these useful hand signals and always use these in combination with a branded motorcycle helmet and other riding safety accessories such as jackets and gloves.