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Yes Tony, but we are not cyclists. I just don't get the reluctance to adopt safe lighting and indicators. What point are we trying to prove?
They are also not supposed to ride 2 abreast, or go through red lights, or use a zebra crossing whilst on a bike!
Indicators would be of no use to me. I never use them on my modern. Too many cases of people ignoring them, or not understanding their meaning. I prefer to not use them & leave the other motorist guessing rather than have them misread the situation & make the wrong move
Location: North Wales
Indicators would be of no use to me. I never use them on my modern. Too many cases of people ignoring them, or not understanding their meaning. I prefer to not use them & leave the other motorist guessing rather than have them misread the situation & make the wrong move
I cannot believe the last part of that statement,"I never use them on my modern etc.". Stupid does not cover it!
I know that the only interpretation of a flashing lamp is that it proves it is working but to drive without giving any indication of your intention is totally irresponsible IMHO.
When did you last read the Highway Code?
& so how does indicating right on a roundabout & having my passenger side ripped out by someone make any difference. This is what has happened to me 3 times in 4 years. Or indicating to turn right into my own driveway (it is 2 yards from a give way sign where oncoming traffic join the main road that I am already travelling on)& having people continuing between my turning car& my driveway on a head on course, often beeping & flashing their lights when it is. Me who is in the right?
How many times have you seen a car on a main road that your waiting to turn into, sail right past you, whilst still indicating from the last time they turned? & weren't you glad you ignored their signal & didn't pull out directly into their path.
Or seen the idiot on the motorway who still hasn't cancelled their indicator & are merrily in their own little world oblivious to the confusion they are causing to others
Location: North Wales
David B -
My point is that the Victorian road rules specify that hand signals are to be used by vehicle drivers if the vehicle has no turn indicators or stop lights (or if these can't be readily seen)
I don't know if modern driver training includes this advice but it obviously should, if only for the benefit of bicycle riders.
I didn't mean to start a bunfight on whether or not to use modern indicators on a modern vehicle.
Tony.
This is what I was thinking, hand signal's are still taught to my knowledge.
If no one used indicators, it would cause us all to stop & think, or at least slow down & use caution.
I do use them where really necessary, but I tend not to where that can be ambiguous.
My father had an RP Van bought by him when it was 6 years old, he passed it on in the mid 60's Driving this van taught him many things & one was to ignore signals , only go when you see the whites of their eyes.
Be careful out there people.
Location: North Wales
Hand signals are still current. This is from the latest highway code, click 'arm signals'
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/signals-to-other-road-users
Interesting- UK has deleted the stop hand signal signal (fore arm vertical palm to the front).
What about bicycles with no stoplight ?
VicRoads rules list a stop hand signal and turn right hand signal, no turn left or slowing down hand signal (which used to be in the rules). I seem to remember a diverging right for use when changing lanes or moving out of parking as well (right turn signal with arm angled down).
Tony.
Also cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast.
Highway code
Rule 66
You should
- keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing gear
- keep both feet on the pedals
- never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
Location: Buxted
TA - TC Series MGs also have stop/tail lights too close to the ground. A sensible solution is to fit a higher level lamp - even fitting with straps onto the spare wheel, which I did on an Austin 12/4 some years back. Only downside of LED bulbs as stoplights is their much whiter light.
Single file on narrow roads eah? Like we ever see that!
I'm going to contact this firm (mentioned at top of subject) after the bank holiday & discuss my situation with them, hopefully we will come up with a good solution, after which I'll report back, but in the meantime, thankyou all for your input & advice on the matter
Location: North Wales
Which means that all cyclists are at serious risk!!
All road rules require cyclists to use hand signals - although there is some problem with different rules in Aust. and UK.
Tony.
Cyclists here don't know what hand signals or road rules are, many of them ride in belligerent packs and hurl abuse at motorist's!
Oh crap I am starting to sound like BC, nothing to do with the thread at all, must go and say a few hail Marys! Lol
Location: Auckland NZ
In the end I settled for mounting LED trailer light units (from Towing & Trailers of Worksop)on a board clamped to the spare wheel, as per FIVA recommendation, they look horrendous but they resolved all the problems. However they are connected to the car by a trailer socket and can be removed at rallies in under a minute leaving the rear of the car "as built". Having spent many hours rebuilding the car and filling up holes in the wings I hate drilling holes in the body.
Another solution for indicators that don't require drilling holes or spoiling the appearance of the car at shows is to make up a set of indicators that are fitted with magnets and just "stick" them onto the 4 corners for road use. So as not to have even an indicator switch and buzzer and/or warning light fitted to the car, these (including an independent battery if required)can be completely self contained in a small box.
Location: Oxfordshire
The black car is OK with the lights but it's 12v and I felt safer commuting through Sheffield than I would have done with the blue car which is 6v and hasn't got LED bulbs. Not to everyone's taste but I don't think they are too ugly!
Dave.
Location: Sheffield
great idea! Anyone got any actual examples of this being done?
Some years ago I saw an RN with teddy bears ears indicators mounted on magnets and felt stuck to the roof with the wires going through the sunshine roof.
Of course so called 'teddy bear' indicators were the well tried and preferred solution in the days when impecunious students went to college in their A7s. I looked for some a while back but couldn't find any...but then I din't know they were called 'teddy bear'.
Location: Fishbourne near Chichester
A fellow member of the Chester Vintage Enthusiasts Car Club has them on his Ford Model Y. I'm not a fan personally I think a vintage car should just be what it is, you wouldn't fit air bags to it.
It's very presence on the road causes others to have their attention drawn to it & with hands being thrust through windows they are alerted to the fact that your about to do something.
My problem is not one of signaling a change in direction, but more of an intention to stop. I, like you all, slow with the gears, but it's a good idea to at least tell the person behind what Im doing
Location: North Wales
It's very presence on the road causes others to have their attention drawn to it & with hands being thrust through windows they are alerted to the fact that your about to do something.
My problem is not one of signaling a change in direction, but more of an intention to stop. I, like you all, slow with the gears, but it's a good idea to at least tell the person behind what Im doing
Having followed cars with inadequate indicators I have to say that I'd rather use hand signals, it's all weird enough for modern motorists to pay special attention to the nutter flapping his arms around. That said, with the top down I'll signal left with my left arm, or if I have a passenger a shout of 'left turn Clyde' adds to the fun. I'm not so happy with the flappy arm turning left with the roof up as it seems to be mistaken for 'please pass'. I'm not sure I'd feel the same in a closed car.
Location: Oxfordshire
As we seem to have drifted a bit from brake lights to indicators-from our cherished supplier you can get self-flashing LEDs which will fit inside semaphore arms.They did need a bit of fettling to get them to fit in,but I understand Peter can now supply thinner ones 6 or 12 volt.They do seem to draw the attention of Eurobox drivers and are a good solution for those of us for whom the drilling of holes in our little friends is unacceptable.Usual disclaimer!
Location: The Pits,Leicester
I have 6v flashing LED's in my semaphore indicators ( 1937Opal ) -- they work well when properly earthed. As modern drivers don't always see them and they are severely compromised on roundabouts I am about to fit a flashing LED system to front side lights and rear lights i.e. retaining original fittings and not visibly altering originality. I will then have a dual system to play with as appropriate!
Charles
Location: Norfolk
Hi Dave. Love your led lights on your trailer board fitted over the spare. I have been thinking of a similar idea. Are you on 12 volts as can't find any trailer lights on 6 volt. I was thinking of using a DC/DC converter to go to 12 volts for just the rear lights as should be possible with the low current draw of the LCDs. Ron
Location: Bristol
Yes Ron I'm on 12 volts, a conversion I did 35 years ago one of the reasons being the difficulty in getting 6 volt flashers to flash consistently. I used my car to commute to work in Manchester then and I didn't fancy relying on hand signals in the dark. However now that we have LEDs for just about everything I have thought about going back to 6 volt.
