Main Takeaways:

• Bicycle hand signals are part of California law for bicycling
• The three signals are left arm extended straight out to the left side (for a left turn), left arm extended and bent upward at a 90-degree angle (for a right turn), and left arm extended and bent down at a 90-degree angle (for braking).

Bicycle hand signals are not the product of an overprotective parent or a cycling enthusiast. They date to the era of the first automobiles. Before electronic turn signals, blinkers, and brake lights began appearing on cars in the United States in the 1940s, motorists needed some way to communicate to other drivers that they were turning left or right.

Hand Signaling Is Law

Those same signals remain in use for bicyclists today, but they're not merely a quaint reminder of the past or unwritten rules of the road — they're part of the state traffic laws. Bicyclists in California have largely the same rights and responsibilities as automobile drivers, including signaling. More importantly, those signals can help protect a cyclist who will always lose out in a collision with a car. A study from the Governors Highway Safety Association revealed that California led the nation with 338 bicycle fatalities in collisions with motor vehicles between 2010-12.

The 3 Cycling Hand Signals

The three basic signals are the same ones most will remember from first learning to ride a bike:

• Left turn: left arm extended straight out to the left side
• Right turn: left arm extended and bent upward at a 90-degree angle
• Braking: left arm extended and bent downward at a 90-degree angle

Why Is Only the Left Arm Used?

Remember the automotive history — the steering wheel is on the left side of the car, and any signals with the right arm would be shielded inside the car and not visible by others. Some cyclists will use the right arm extended for a right turn signal, but that is not standard practice. Since you should be riding your bike on the right side of the road going with the flow of traffic, you should give signals on your left-hand side.

How to Signal Within a Group of Riders

Legally speaking, these are the three signals riders should remember and always use. They are designed to communicate with all other users of the roadway. But safety advocates suggest some other signals for communicating within a group of riders. These include:

• Preparing to brake: closed fist behind the small of the back
• Pay attention: reach around and pat your backside
• Loose gravel: extend your arm at a 45-degree angle downward and wiggle your fingers

For more on California bicycle laws and related material, visit the California Bicycle Coalition's website. Contact or call our office at (707) 575-7141 if you have been injured in a bicycle accident.