What you need to know to understand cyclists' hand signals.

A safety refresher for drivers and cyclists

By Andrew Raven

Posted: April 18, 2019 10:43 AM ET

An illustration shows a cyclist riding on a busy road

If you don’t understand what a cyclist means when they stick out their left arm and point toward the sky, don’t worry—some biking hand signals aren’t the most intuitive. Here’s a quick primer on what all that waving means.

What You Need to Know to Understand Cyclists’ Hand Signals

LEFT TURN

Left arm pointing straight left

RIGHT TURN

Left arm bent at 90 degrees, fingers pointing skyward

RIGHT TURN (ALTERNATE)

Right arm pointing straight right

STOP

Left arm bent at 90 degrees, fingers pointing at the ground

Passionate about cycling safety?

Read about CAA’s Watch For Bikes program and why you should be adopting the Dutch Reach.

Image credit: Arthur Mount