Motorcycles are loud; sometimes ear plugs are even needed. If you’re riding in a group or happen to pass another motorcycle rider on the road, it’s much easier to communicate with hand signals over the noise of the engines. This is why riders have adopted a universal list of hand signals to better communicate their next move with each other and car drivers around them. While some are more well known, like outstretching the left arm to signal an upcoming left turn, some lesser-known ones have left car drivers stumped. One of those is when a motorcycle rider points up at the sky — what’s even up there?
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When a motorcyclist points at the sky, this is actually a hand signal meant for the other riders in their group. Still, it’s good to be aware of what this means if you’re a car driver so you can better predict how a motorcycle group may behave to ensure there’s no confusion or dangerous situations.
Motorcycle group hand signals explained
There are two groups of hand signals — those meant for when a rider is by themselves and those meant for motorcycle groups. There are a lot more hand signals in motorcycle groups since this is often how they communicate with each other on the road. One popular group hand signal is when a motorcyclist points up to the sky. If a motorcyclist has their left arm lifted from the shoulder up and an index finger pointed straight up at the sky, this is meant to inform the group that they should start riding single file. If they lift their index finger and middle finger straight up into the sky, this means ride in double file formation.
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Other useful group hand signals include extending a left arm out with the palm forward, pointing with a left index finger, and then swinging in an arc from back to front to communicate you’re taking the lead, extending a left arm out, facing palm down, then swinging it upward to tell everyone to speed up, and swinging an arm down by your side with the palm facing your body to indicate you need the other riders to slow down. For a complete list, check out SlashGear’s list of important hand signals every rider should know.
Knowing when to ride single or double file is an important part of riding motorcycles in a group, making this hand signal one to know. Taking a motorcycle safety course is another way to learn hand signals and other road etiquette if you’re looking to get into riding.
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