Motorcycle hand signs

[creadinger]

I’ve never had the best relationships with motorcycles on the road. Usually the best I could ask is for them to move over as they passed me while not revving their super loud engines.

Today, a couple of packs of motorcyclists passed me and almost all of them gave me the a hand signal like the Texas Hook’em Horns thing. I don’t know what it means, but it did give me a big boost on Fingerboard Rd. Made me feel like they were looking out for me or something. Hopefully it’s a good sign. Haha. Anyone know what it might mean?

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[Rod Smith]

Shaka. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaka_sign It’s a good thing. I heard a loud motorcycle gunning his engine behind me today. Then he passed pedaling circles in the air with his right foot. I was amused and waved. He waved back. Motorcycles sometimes startle me but sometimes they’re cool.

[creadinger]

Yeah, but I clearly remember that the thumb was not extended and the pointer finger was. Finally found some good results on google.
http://www.ridemyown.com/articles/safety/handsignals.shtml

This would say that they are signaling to each other that after passing me, the coast was clear to move back to a double line.

I also remember seeing a peace sign or two, which is good but I don’t think this signal was meant as the shaka.

[Rod Smith]

Oops, I’m wrong again. 😮

[creadinger]

I was hoping you were right! Now I feel dumb for thinking they were acknowledging me. Oh well… at least they were fairly nice in passing me and I did get a couple of peace signs. Ultimately getting passed by a motorcycle is way better than those Cadillac armored personnel carriers, suburban parents with too much money drive.

[PotomacCyclist]

In some (European) countries, that sign is also used to curse someone or to ward off a curse. You can see this in the James Bond movie “Thunderball” when Largo uses the sign of the horns to ward off the evil eye while sitting at a table in the casino.

[Rod Smith]

Always nice to get a boost on Fingerboard Rd. whether real or imagined.

[TwoWheelsDC]

If you were to ask my mother, it means something along the lines of “I hate jesus and this music makes me want to fornicate and worship the devil.”

[Dickie]

I have actually had lots of good luck with motorcyclists, usually when they pass I get some sort of friendly gesture, and I tend to banter with them if we are stopped together. I have to guess that most of their concern over large vehicles and distracted drivers is similar to ours making us more alike than dissimilar. On my ride home on saturday as I waited for a light to change a loud chugging Harley with a Tuttel-like rider pulled up next to me and asked if I wanted to race.. I declined, but told him his bike was nice… he smiled and said “have a good ride” and then left me in the dust… it was actually a pretty nice moment.

[Terpfan]

@Dickie 49729 wrote:

I have actually had lots of good luck with motorcyclists, usually when they pass I get some sort of friendly gesture, and I tend to banter with them if we are stopped together. I have to guess that most of their concern over large vehicles and distracted drivers is similar to ours making us more alike than dissimila.

Ditto. I find the MC/Harley types are actually quite respectful of me and I figure it’s because like you said, they too, realize how vulnerable we are relative to the cell-phone babbling suv crowd. Or maybe it’s just that I like the show Sons of Anrachy. The crotch rocket crowd I have found is respectful of pretty much no one and I feel like half of them end up dead within 10 years of riding as they have blew by me going at least 130 on the beltway before. A LEO relative of mine said they don’t even bother chasing them because they know they can’t catch them.

[Author]

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