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How to communicate hazard ahead?

M

MountainRyder

New member
Hi Everyone:

I may put this in several outlets as I am curious as to what others do to warn on-coming riders of hazards ahead.

Yesterday we rode the Buckhorn Canyon (northbound from Masonville) west of Fort Collins, CO. We came across a few short sections of the roadway that was covered in snow and ice, with melted water across the rest of the road. We picked our way through, but further ahead we could see the entire road was covered from edge to edge with snow and ice. Knowing the next miles were going to get worse given the increasing altitude and a canyon that remained in the shadow for another 1/2 mile, we turned around.

A few miles later heading back towards Masonville a small group of superbikes went past us at a high-rate of speed heading towards the snow and ice covered road, but I couldn't think of a way to warn them of the hazards ahead. By us coming at them, they might interpret that the road ahead was clear.

A few days before that it was a flock of roughly 40 turkeys all over the road and a on-coming Colorado State Patrol on his/her RT and last fall it was snow covering the exit of a corner and an on-coming vintage CB750F.

I've been riding for decades and I'm familiar with common hand signals, but nothing about impending danger ahead, sometimes miles ahead.

What, if anything, do you do to warn on-coming riders of hazards ahead?

Jeff
 
MountainRyder said:
Hi Everyone:

I may put this in several outlets as I am curious as to what others do to warn on-coming riders of hazards ahead.

Yesterday we rode the Buckhorn Canyon (northbound from Masonville) west of Fort Collins, CO. We came across a few short sections of the roadway that was covered in snow and ice, with melted water across the rest of the road. We picked our way through, but further ahead we could see the entire road was covered from edge to edge with snow and ice. Knowing the next miles were going to get worse given the increasing altitude and a canyon that remained in the shadow for another 1/2 mile, we turned around.

A few miles later heading back towards Masonville a small group of superbikes went past us at a high-rate of speed heading towards the snow and ice covered road, but I couldn't think of a way to warn them of the hazards ahead. By us coming at them, they might interpret that the road ahead was clear.

A few days before that it was a flock of roughly 40 turkeys all over the road and a on-coming Colorado State Patrol on his/her RT and last fall it was snow covering the exit of a corner and an on-coming vintage CB750F.

I've been riding for decades and I'm familiar with common hand signals, but nothing about impending danger ahead, sometimes miles ahead.

What, if anything, do you do to warn on-coming riders of hazards ahead?

Jeff
Click to expand...



The practice in my area, or at least the folks I ride with, is to flash your headlights at least three times. It is also used to warn of a speed trap. If you wave down here in the south they might just think you're saying "HI".
 
Left hand, forefinger pointing down to the road - move the hand up and down rapidly a few times - followed by a flat hand, palm forward (as in "slow down").

Patrol ahead is a quick finger tap to the helmet, optionally followed by the flat palm.
 
I do not think there is a universal signal to convey what you described. One might convey, "Slow Down" by holding the left hand out low and to the side with the palm down and raising and lowering the hand repeatedly, but that is not a universally recognized signal either. If you are convinced there is a life threatening hazard that other riders are unwittingly approaching, then stopping and waving your arms at approaching riders might be your best bet.
 
akbeemer said:
I do not think there is a universal signal to convey what you described. One might convey, "Slow Down" by holding the left hand out low and to the side with the palm down and raising and lowering the hand repeatedly, but that is not a universally recognized signal either. If you are convinced there is a life threatening hazard that other riders are unwittingly approaching, then stopping and waving your arms at approaching riders might be your best bet.
Click to expand...
I always thought this was the signal to slow down and be aware, I've been doing this sense I started riding in the 70s. It seems to work. If I have the time, I also flash high beam first to get their attention.
 
junkjohn said:
I always thought this was the signal to slow down and be aware, I've been doing this sense I started riding in the 70s. It seems to work. If I have the time, I also flash high beam first to get their attention.
Click to expand...

ditto! And in my experience it seems to work. It at least seems to generate a WTF moment for the oncoming riders.
 
akbeemer said:
I do not think there is a universal signal to convey what you described. One might convey, "Slow Down" by holding the left hand out low and to the side with the palm down and raising and lowering the hand repeatedly, .
Click to expand...

That's what I do and also put my four way flashers on.
 
akbeemer said:
I do not think there is a universal signal to convey what you described. One might convey, "Slow Down" by holding the left hand out low and to the side with the palm down and raising and lowering the hand repeatedly, but that is not a universally recognized signal either. If you are convinced there is a life threatening hazard that other riders are unwittingly approaching, then stopping and waving your arms at approaching riders might be your best bet.
Click to expand...

That’s the hand motion I’ve always used, on the theory that it at least conveys the ideas that there may be something notable ahead and a speed change might be warranted. Getting an oncoming rider to register those two points is about the best you can hope for, short of flagging him/her to a stop.

Best,
DeVern
 
AK Beemer's hand motion is what is acceptable in my neck of the woods.
Also the Colorado State Patrol runs ads in the Paper asking people to flash there lights 3X for Deer and rocks etc.

What about your fellow riders behind you?

In our "Gang" its expected that the lead rider closely watches the road for obstacles. When he see's something he puts his hand down and out on the side the obstacle is and shakes or rotates his hand at it, giving warning to those behind something is there and you want to miss it.
This is a nice mental break of sorts for those behind the lead rider at the time, good on long rides.
Nick
1990 K75 RT
 
skibum69 said:
The palm down repeat has always been pretty universal to me with bikes and cars.
Click to expand...

I agree, but always wondered if it meant much if the obstacle was a number of miles farther down the road?

If I get that motion from another and a mile goes by, I'd think that the risk/obstacle was not actually an obstacle to me or had moved on (i.e. wildlife that is no longer near the road).
 
nickrides said:
What about your fellow riders behind you?

In our "Gang" its expected that the lead rider closely watches the road for obstacles. When he see's something he puts his hand down and out on the side the obstacle is and shakes or rotates his hand at it, giving warning to those behind something is there and you want to miss it.
Click to expand...

I do agree that the leader should be warning those behind them. For us, we rarely ride with others. I don't feel like we ride too aggressively, but I find that we are constantly having to wait for people to catch up all the time. And I mean All. The. Time.
 
Last edited:
Probably not as effective as some sort of immediate communication system for a hazard, but I have found that using the WAZE app on my phone can be a way of learning of hazards along the road as I am traveling and these can be especially valuable when traveling by motorcycle.

Of course WAZE is great for warning you of that police trap ahead or the traffic slowdown ahead, but it can also give some advanced warning of the retread or object on the road that for an automobile could do damage, but for us motorcyclists could injure or even kill us. So running WAZE in the background and you see a warning such as a hazard on the road as you are speeding along the highway at 70MPH makes you even more alert to watch for this possible hazard, make sure my view of the road ahead is not blocked by cars ahead of us and be ready to slow down of take evasive action. It does depend on others to mark these issues to pop up in the app, but there have been a few times when I was on high alert for a large object in the road that the lack of attention to could have spelled disaster.

However, when riding the bike, it does become difficult and sometimes impossible to mark these hazards while riding, but when I am driving I make an effort to do so, especially when I see something that by creating a warning would be of great help to either those in cars or on motorcycles.
 
To denote hazard to oncoming traffic - Flash Headlights and use the Horizontal up-and-down hand gesture for Slow Down!

To denote hazards to following riders - flash brake lights, slow down, raise Left-Hand overhead and point with the foot on the side the hazard has been noted. Seeing a foot extended is much easier to discern than the hand.
 
Big John
I think I'll leave the technique of taking a hand and foot off the bike at the same time and trying to miss a obstacle to you and Evil Knievel.
I'm not that good.
Your a brave man.
Nick
 
nickrides said:
Big John
I think I'll leave the technique of taking a hand and foot off the bike at the same time and trying to miss a obstacle to you and Evil Knievel.
I'm not that good.
Your a brave man.
Nick
Click to expand...

Raise Hand, put hand back on the grip, point with foot, put foot back on the peg.
 
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