What Does It Mean When A Motorcyclist Gives You The Peace Sign?

If you've been on the road long enough, you've seen your fair share of motorcyclists, splitting lanes, weaving in and out of traffic. What you might not have noticed is the various hand signs they give to other bikers and sometimes non-bikers. Motorcycling is more than a mode of transportation to some riders — it's a culture, and it comes with its own rituals and signals, such as leaving a helmet on the ground behind a motorcycle. One common gesture they make is a peace symbol, but instead of holding it up for all to see, they typically hold it low to their left side. This signal is simply a sign to show other riders respect or to acknowledge them.

It can also be interpreted as a simple wave hello. However, this writer has seen the gesture used as a sign of gratitude toward non-bikers when they make room for the biker to pass. Hand signals are an ideal form of communication for bikers. When they ride with friends or random riders they meet on the road, it becomes a universal language that they can all understand. It's not like riding in a car where you can hear the driver talking to the passenger, and it's not like you can have a passenger call a friend in another car during a motorcycle road trip. Bikers have a slew of hand gestures that have a variety of meanings to make riding easier.

Using hand gestures to signal your intentions to other drivers is nothing new. It's common for drivers when their turn signals or brake lights aren't functioning. Bikers also have basic hand signals, such as when they make a left or right turn as well as when they're coming to a stop. Whether riding a Harley or the newest Kawasaki Ninja, it's easy to go faster than the speed limit on a motorcycle, making the signal for reducing speed a useful one. Perhaps four-wheeled vehicle drivers should have something similar as well. Bikers simply extend their left arm out to their side with their palm facing down and swing their arm down and up a few times to get the message across. 

Oftentimes bikers will ride in a group, and when there's a helmet and the sounds of the road between you and other riders, giving simple directions isn't so simple. So, there are exclusive signals specifically made for groups of bikers. Every group needs a leader, so there's a signal for telling another rider to take the lead. This can be as simple as pointing at another rider and then pointing forward down the road.

Motorcycles are relatively slim, and when in a group, riders can either ride single-file or double, side-by-side, and there's a gesture the leader of the pack can make, depending on what works best for the situation. Telling the pack to ride single-file requires holding the left arm up with only the index finger showing. If side-by-side is more fitting, holding up two fingers will signal to everyone to get in double file.