Wave goodbye to hand signalling.
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2018 2:18 amThe Brexit deadline is now geared to the last day of March 2019.As a consequence of Brexit ,the British Road Safety organisation have timed their presentation to coincide with the official untangling of European meddling.
So,on the first day of “freedom” (presumably the next day after the last day in March) they intend to have enabled certain changes. This they hope will become the historic first example of British independent legislation since the divorce.
Despite the recent concession to exempt 40 + year old vehicles from the MOT requirement ,there is a current proposal for the mandatory retrofitting of mechanical or electrical powered turn indicators to all road going historic vehicles.. This will obviously affect our vintage Lambrettas.
Before being offered for consultation to the interested organizations that represent such vehicles, the Road Safety group have forwarded their arguments backed by factual case study evidence to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (dvsa@public.govdelivery.com) to consider “Justifying said amendments to the Road Traffic Act”.
Amongst many examples put forward to bolster their petition are the following reports detailing road traffic incidents involving veteran scooter riders and younger motorists which they claim illustrates the misunderstandings that can arise from the traditional art of hand signalling …These documented reports are being used as evidence to support their quest to make amendments to the Road Traffic Act. 1921 |(Equipment and usage) (sec F) (subsec
para 69).
Case#1-4-2019, The statement read in magistrate’s court outlining the “Road Rage” incident resulting in serious personal injury.This account was given by the car driver (charged with GBH.)
“As I was approaching the roundabout the road began to narrow from three to two lanes and at about 80 metres a Scooter suddenly surprised me on my left causing me a to swerve right.On making eye contact with the rider, he made a strange sign by outstretching his right arm out in my direction and rotating his hand in a clockwise manner.This I took to be a provocative gesture which I Immediately took offence at.Then whilst stationary at the roundabout and abreast of the rider, I responded with an offer to knock his blinking lights out ,but his retort about not needing blinking lights further enraged me .My intention to take the third exit from the roundabout changed when he then stuck out his left arm which I took to be an invitation to “sort it out” on the first exit’s grass verge.”
A further example from a confused motorist that phoned the police warning of a scooter rider seemingly drunk ...
Case # 1-4-2019
“As I followed the scooter onto the dual carriageway ,I observed the billowing blue smoke getting thicker.Believing the smelly bike was about to burst into flames I increased the distance between us by slowing down.Although the speed limit was 70 mph I could see the vehicle was struggling to attain even 40 mph and thought the rider either crazy or drunk to attempt a journey on such an old machine.Further evidence to support my suspicions arose when the rider started flailing his right arm about as if whipping an imaginary horse , in reverse. I eventually took this as an invitation for me to overtake him ,but as I was increasingly concerned for his welfare I continued following.
The final reason to call the police on my hands free mobile came when the rider suddenly alternated outstretched arms, first his left arm horizontally then his right arm making an up and down waving motion.My first thought was that he was preparing to abandon the moving vehicle and was deliberating whether to jump off to the left or right handside. However the scooter pulled into a layby and the rider commenced to lecture me regarding Highway Code signalling rules relevant to his 50 year old Lambretta , this at that time I believed to be pure fantasy which he was making up”.
Whilst the Road Safety Campaign organisers concede that most of the hand signals are still valid and shown in the Highway Code they maintain that hand signals are not easily seen during the period of dusk to dawn and that it would be more expedient to mandate the fitting of modern type signal equipment rather than an never ending expensive advertising campaign to remind or educate motorists of the relevant passages in the Highway code.
Clearly the generation gap between veteran motorcyclists and drivers of later experience gives cause for concern.Whilst still operating under valid Highway Code rules, the vintage rider’s art of hand signalling is alien to the modern day younger motorist that take for granted illuminated indicators.
In an effort to avoid the need for legislation and stop this proposal involving physical modification” in its tracks” ,a novel but credible compromise has been suggested by Mr Cedric Hootwhistle ,Chairman of the” Morris Dancing Bells and Whistles Association”., (and co-incidentally a Vintage Vespa rider) who knows from experience gained from formation Morris dancing the dangers of misunderstood movement intentions. I quote his approach…...
and solution:
“It has long been a fundamental requirement to prevent being repeatedly struck about the body and head by colleague’s sticks and or severe kicking injury caused by misunderstandings when performing our dance routines, for this very reason it was necessary to adopt certain safety practices.These now form part and parcel of our dancing and were evolved over the centuries. I see there are clear parallels within our passion and the vintage motorcycling community”.
“The problem of making clear and unambiguous turn signals from vehicles not originally fitted with such means might be solved by the mandatory wearing of coloured gloves.These should be Red , which shall be regarded as “Left “ , and Green signifying “Right”.The use of embedded LED bulbs in the gloves which only activate when the arm is outstretched will serve as illumination for nighttime use. The optional tying of a coloured ribbon weighted by a small bell from the wrists could also raise visibility. These add ons serve us well in traditional Morris Dancing where the casualty figures before and after adopting these attachments were drastic.
The fluorescent pigment used in the manufacture of the gloves and ribbons should be guaranteed to last at least 24 months and thereafter may be subject to an annual test by an authorised body.
Certain precautions to prevent the gloves being inadvertently turned inside out ,and then worn on the wrong hand indicating their opposite meaning must be incorporated during manufacture.It is suggested that sharp needle like protrusions are stuck to the outside surface to counter this.”
It is hoped that if ,by an early widespread voluntary adoption of this solution, the need for alternative mandatory legislation might be avoided.
If found acceptable by the Vehicle and Driver Standards , the “gloved answer” together with illustrated signal diagrams should be incorporated more prominently in future editions of the Highway Code together with a universal publicity campaign on Television and Press media.
In anticipation of an enthusiastic take up for this easy remedy ,the “Hootwhistle Glove Company” has started mass production of the gloves.
At the moment red gloves and green gloves are being produced at two different locations (to prevent staff pilfering) and are to be matched by size at the point of sale.However we have obtained several hundred pairs of pre market samples that are available online at a price of £22 (batteries not included).
As with most prototype projects there have been some manufacturing rejects that feature either too many or too few fingers, but can with a little twisting and “fist clenching” be made to fit.These of course are offered at a reduced price of 50p per pair,batteries included ,post free.Further details at chootwhistle.con
The Ministry of Transport welcome any and all comment or advice on this subject and after consultation may forward their recommendations to Parliament for consideration.
So,on the first day of “freedom” (presumably the next day after the last day in March) they intend to have enabled certain changes. This they hope will become the historic first example of British independent legislation since the divorce.
Despite the recent concession to exempt 40 + year old vehicles from the MOT requirement ,there is a current proposal for the mandatory retrofitting of mechanical or electrical powered turn indicators to all road going historic vehicles.. This will obviously affect our vintage Lambrettas.
Before being offered for consultation to the interested organizations that represent such vehicles, the Road Safety group have forwarded their arguments backed by factual case study evidence to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (dvsa@public.govdelivery.com) to consider “Justifying said amendments to the Road Traffic Act”.
Amongst many examples put forward to bolster their petition are the following reports detailing road traffic incidents involving veteran scooter riders and younger motorists which they claim illustrates the misunderstandings that can arise from the traditional art of hand signalling …These documented reports are being used as evidence to support their quest to make amendments to the Road Traffic Act. 1921 |(Equipment and usage) (sec F) (subsec
para 69).
Case#1-4-2019, The statement read in magistrate’s court outlining the “Road Rage” incident resulting in serious personal injury.This account was given by the car driver (charged with GBH.)
“As I was approaching the roundabout the road began to narrow from three to two lanes and at about 80 metres a Scooter suddenly surprised me on my left causing me a to swerve right.On making eye contact with the rider, he made a strange sign by outstretching his right arm out in my direction and rotating his hand in a clockwise manner.This I took to be a provocative gesture which I Immediately took offence at.Then whilst stationary at the roundabout and abreast of the rider, I responded with an offer to knock his blinking lights out ,but his retort about not needing blinking lights further enraged me .My intention to take the third exit from the roundabout changed when he then stuck out his left arm which I took to be an invitation to “sort it out” on the first exit’s grass verge.”
A further example from a confused motorist that phoned the police warning of a scooter rider seemingly drunk ...
Case # 1-4-2019
“As I followed the scooter onto the dual carriageway ,I observed the billowing blue smoke getting thicker.Believing the smelly bike was about to burst into flames I increased the distance between us by slowing down.Although the speed limit was 70 mph I could see the vehicle was struggling to attain even 40 mph and thought the rider either crazy or drunk to attempt a journey on such an old machine.Further evidence to support my suspicions arose when the rider started flailing his right arm about as if whipping an imaginary horse , in reverse. I eventually took this as an invitation for me to overtake him ,but as I was increasingly concerned for his welfare I continued following.
The final reason to call the police on my hands free mobile came when the rider suddenly alternated outstretched arms, first his left arm horizontally then his right arm making an up and down waving motion.My first thought was that he was preparing to abandon the moving vehicle and was deliberating whether to jump off to the left or right handside. However the scooter pulled into a layby and the rider commenced to lecture me regarding Highway Code signalling rules relevant to his 50 year old Lambretta , this at that time I believed to be pure fantasy which he was making up”.
Whilst the Road Safety Campaign organisers concede that most of the hand signals are still valid and shown in the Highway Code they maintain that hand signals are not easily seen during the period of dusk to dawn and that it would be more expedient to mandate the fitting of modern type signal equipment rather than an never ending expensive advertising campaign to remind or educate motorists of the relevant passages in the Highway code.
Clearly the generation gap between veteran motorcyclists and drivers of later experience gives cause for concern.Whilst still operating under valid Highway Code rules, the vintage rider’s art of hand signalling is alien to the modern day younger motorist that take for granted illuminated indicators.
In an effort to avoid the need for legislation and stop this proposal involving physical modification” in its tracks” ,a novel but credible compromise has been suggested by Mr Cedric Hootwhistle ,Chairman of the” Morris Dancing Bells and Whistles Association”., (and co-incidentally a Vintage Vespa rider) who knows from experience gained from formation Morris dancing the dangers of misunderstood movement intentions. I quote his approach…...
and solution:
“It has long been a fundamental requirement to prevent being repeatedly struck about the body and head by colleague’s sticks and or severe kicking injury caused by misunderstandings when performing our dance routines, for this very reason it was necessary to adopt certain safety practices.These now form part and parcel of our dancing and were evolved over the centuries. I see there are clear parallels within our passion and the vintage motorcycling community”.
“The problem of making clear and unambiguous turn signals from vehicles not originally fitted with such means might be solved by the mandatory wearing of coloured gloves.These should be Red , which shall be regarded as “Left “ , and Green signifying “Right”.The use of embedded LED bulbs in the gloves which only activate when the arm is outstretched will serve as illumination for nighttime use. The optional tying of a coloured ribbon weighted by a small bell from the wrists could also raise visibility. These add ons serve us well in traditional Morris Dancing where the casualty figures before and after adopting these attachments were drastic.
The fluorescent pigment used in the manufacture of the gloves and ribbons should be guaranteed to last at least 24 months and thereafter may be subject to an annual test by an authorised body.
Certain precautions to prevent the gloves being inadvertently turned inside out ,and then worn on the wrong hand indicating their opposite meaning must be incorporated during manufacture.It is suggested that sharp needle like protrusions are stuck to the outside surface to counter this.”
It is hoped that if ,by an early widespread voluntary adoption of this solution, the need for alternative mandatory legislation might be avoided.
If found acceptable by the Vehicle and Driver Standards , the “gloved answer” together with illustrated signal diagrams should be incorporated more prominently in future editions of the Highway Code together with a universal publicity campaign on Television and Press media.
In anticipation of an enthusiastic take up for this easy remedy ,the “Hootwhistle Glove Company” has started mass production of the gloves.
At the moment red gloves and green gloves are being produced at two different locations (to prevent staff pilfering) and are to be matched by size at the point of sale.However we have obtained several hundred pairs of pre market samples that are available online at a price of £22 (batteries not included).
As with most prototype projects there have been some manufacturing rejects that feature either too many or too few fingers, but can with a little twisting and “fist clenching” be made to fit.These of course are offered at a reduced price of 50p per pair,batteries included ,post free.Further details at chootwhistle.con
The Ministry of Transport welcome any and all comment or advice on this subject and after consultation may forward their recommendations to Parliament for consideration.
