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Remember hand signals

G

Goffy

master brummie
Hi, I was sorting through some old paperwork and came upon an old copy of the "Highway Code" (probably the one I used when passing the driving test),
thumbing through the pages I came to "Hand Signals", How could I ever forget those? Arm straight out of the window to turn right, Arm out of the window and rotated forward to turn left, Arm out of the window and wave up and down to indicate to following traffic that you are slowing down (no brake lights in those days) And how about the arm out of the window straight down and waved forwards and backward to indicate to the vehicle following that it was safe to overtake. Thats how it was when I passed my driving test, I have never seen a later copy of the "Highway Code" (shame) but do they include these now and do they form part of the driving test ?
 
The only hand signals I see from drivers have never been in any high way code I know of. I dont bother with them now ,my mrs complains when I have the Air Con on and the windows open.
 
I remember having to learn hand signals when I was learning to drive. Would people know what you mean't if you used them today...I doubt it.
 
Whenever a driver turned without giving hand signals I would call out (only to myself) "whats up mate had your arms cut off", its funny I still say the same phrase now at inconsiderate road users.
 
Yes Arkwright, Air Con would have been no use then, we must have been driving around with the windows open all the time.
 
Goffy do you remember the one to say you were slowing down?. I think it was a circular motion to let the person behind know he could overtake. Never did take my test bought a horse instead. Jean.
 
No, Jean, don't be a woman driver! The circular motion one was "I am turning left"
Slowing down was waving the hand up and down slowly.
 
hi.I still have to do hand sig on my old tractor,as there is no lights on it.but i do have air con on my motor bike:D:D
 
Oops Lloyd I think I would have failed my test then. My twins have motorbikes Pete. Do you hand signal on those?. Jean.
 
jean.i sure do.i like to give plenty of warning.of what i am going to do.the lights,flashers etc cant be seen this weather.:cool:
 
Most drivers these days don`t know how to switch their indicators on and if they had to open the window to give a hand signal it just would`nt happen!. Len.
 
too true len.some woman in a nissan micra pulled out right in front of me.and almost knocked me off my bike.when i shouted at her she give me hand sig.waving her fist up and down,dont know what she ment:D:D
 
Jean, are you still riding that horse then? what happened to him/her? How would you get on when you went to the supermarket?
 
Trafficators arms. History
They first appeared in the 1900s when they were actuated either mechanically or pneumatically. In 1908 Alfredo Barrachini in Rome had added electric lights inside the arms that turned on as they extended but operation was still by a cable system. Electric operation came in 1918 when the Naillik Motor Signal Company of Boston added electric motor drive. This system was superseded by two French inventors, Gustave Deneef and Maurice Boisson, who used a linear solenoid in 1923. The final complete system came in 1927 when Berlin-based Max Ruhl and Ernst Neuman combined internal illumination and solenoid operation.
The shape of the Trafficator arm is closely based upon the shape of the semaphore signal arm used by the Royal Bavarian Railway beginning in 1890. The only difference from the railway arm is that it is halved down its length so as to flushly fit with the vehicle's exterior.
They were common on vehicles until the introduction of the flashing amber or red indicators at or near the corners of the vehicle (and often along the sides as well). They have been increasingly rare since the 1950s, as ever-tightening legislation has prescribed the need for the modern type of flashing signal. Many historic vehicles that are used on today's roads have had their trafficators supplemented or replaced with modern indicators to aid visibility and to meet legislative requirements. Len.
 
My first car was a pre WW2 Ford 8 i had to put my hand out & pull the trafficator out when it stuck halfway!. Len.
 
When i went for my driving test circa 1956, the examiner told to operate them before we moved off they were not good and he told me to use hand signals only while taking the test. Len.
 
lencops.them old cars.the 6v ones.worked ok when you put a 12v battery on em.and changed the bulbs etc.the arm shot up then.and some times shot off:D:D
 
My parents-50 years ago-has an Austin A35 when the indicators rose up limply and then refused to retire!

I bcame a professional driving instructor in the years 1990-1996 (retired owing to family demands and work overseas) but still have the 1950's/60's driving manuals which you may like to view on here. So speak up everyone!

Richie.
 
...I still use some hand signals apart from the gestures that is :rolleyes: like the one to inform a traffic officer that I wish to turn left ..nowadays what few officers there are about just look at you in amazement dont think even they know what it means now:D:D
 

My first car was a pre WW2 Ford 8 i had to put my hand out & pull the trafficator out when it stuck halfway!. Len.


Len long arms on turning left :)
 
Give a thought that to band of brothers who also used arm signals. Rarely seen now but common upto the sixties. The Constable on Point Duty.
Then, as now, the wisest thing on crossing the road is look right, left ,right then cross quickly. This was hammered into you from Infants School. Soon after joining the Constabulary you were told one day to walk into the middle of a busy road junction, stop and gyrate you arms in the prescribed manner. The first couple of times it was terrifying, it went against a life time of training, like sticking your head in a lions mouth.
After a while you overcame the fear and I enjoyed it untill the traffic fumes made you feel giddy/ sick and ill tempered. This took about an hour.It was not without risk .I was hit four times but without serious injury and a few days on the sick. No compensation culture in those days so I did not make my fortune. Coppers are well to keep clear of it these days.
 
Dave i made sure i had INTELLIGENT passengers and trained them to do the same as me when i wanted to turn left so you could`nt have been a passenger in my car :P:P:P:D:D:D. Len.
 
brummie nick said:
I can't remember the last time I saw a policeman on 'point' duty. :D
Click to expand...

There is (was?) a large traffic island in Bristol near the main bus station which would block solid in the evening rush hour. Point duty PCs were stationed at every road exit, directing traffic until the city's chief constable, fed up with regular complaints about the jams, removed the PCs and let the traffic 'get on with it'.
Result? Traffic flowed freely, queues were less than a quarter of their previous length and delays were drastically reduced.

I find the same happens when main junction traffic lights fail at peak times: traffic blends in with other flows and queues reduce.

Back to hand signals - I sometimes give them when I'm out driving a bus (both new ones and museum ones) and 'Joe Soap' motorist keeps away - he doesn't know what they mean!
 
My FiL could not have the window down as he suffered severe ear trouble. It was a hoot being driven by him as he would raise and rotate his left hand either clockwise or anti-clockwise in the way that waggoners or carters did with their whips. I never knew if anyone understood what he meant.
 
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