Making eye contact

When we talk about communication with others when riding or driving the standard conversation is towards indicators and arm signals. Often we see over simplified images of roundabouts or junctions, with standardized procedures for when to signal left and right or not. In the UK these are laid down by the highway code.

While this textbook approach may be good if everything is perfect and for when teaching novices the basic rules of the road, often in reality however the art of signalling our intentions is a little more complex. Our communication skills have evolved over thousands of years. Born from long before we developed a common language. Often this is lost when people wrap themselves in steel boxes. But on a motorcycle, especially when I can make eye contact with another, there are many communications that go unnoticed by many.

Sometimes we can focus our signals on showing our intentions to the person we are signalling to. The same exit from the same mini roundabout may require signalling in opposite directions or not signalling at all, depending on where the other road users are located. This requires a more dynamic approach to how we approach junctions, not just following a set of instructions, but interacting with the world around us and taking a more dynamic approach to the other road users.

At advanced level we will teach riders to use forearm signals. The UK highway code lists arm signals as full arm affairs. We try to improve on that as sticking a full length arm out to the side of the bike is unnecessary, even dangerous. We can stay more stable and still give a clear signal with a fore arm. It is easier as well, especially for right turns when taking our hands off the bars allowing the throttle to close. Slowing down signals being worth a note on an international forum. When signalling to the vehicles behind us driving on the right has an advantage, as a slowing down signal to the vehicles behind can be done with the left arm.

While for those of us who drive on the left require a right arm signal, which of course again requires removing our hand from the throttle.

However this used to be in the UK test so we used to practice it a lot. It is easy to get 3 clear forearm up and down waves to signal our intentions before putting our hand back on the bars to apply the brakes. Again it’s worth remembering what we are trying to signal, try to visualise using the palm of your hand to signal to someone to slow down, then doing this to the side so the vehicle behind can see it. Good one for approaching crossings to signal to pedestrians and vehicles behind our intention is to stop. It is very good if we don’t think the vehicle behind is reacting to a changing situation ahead as well. We were teaching this long before hazard warning lights were fitted to motorcycles.

We teach people on UK test training courses about the basics of this; not signalling too early to suggest we are taking an earlier junction for example. But often this is only briefly touched on, while deeper connections are over looked. Ever considered signalling intentions before the brow of a bridge? Or before going out of site around a bend? A good time to do a mirror check as well, better to consider what's behind us when we can see as it helps us to react better if we encounter surprises around the bend.

We interact with the world around us all the time, in the supermarket isles, at work, as we walk down a street. People make eye contact and share a whole variety of signals, many of which are very subtle.

Have you ever directed someone to something with a glance of your eyes or a nod of your head? We do it all the time. Vocal communications are limited when at a distance in a noisy environment. Yes, people often mouth communications. Unfortunately most commonly used being swear words, we seem to be very good at lip reading them. Which is a shame as line of site communications can be used far better to communicate with the world around us.

Making eye contact, especially when attached to a smile, can defuse situations. Is a good aid to safety as it can often demonstrate that someone has actually seen us. Once the eye contact is made then all sorts of location specific information can be exchanged in relation to the specific interactions taking place.

We can also give so many indications of our intentions in so many ways. These are skills that we have evolved with over thousands of years, so while we may not be aware of it, we use them often to communicate.

Sometimes full face helmets can be wrongly interpreted as a threat. Especially when a Biker is wearing a black leather jacket on a large motorcycle, we can offer an intimidating presence, eye contact is very good at defusing this. But for safety I still prefer to have face protection. I use a flip-fronted helmet for this purpose. Often I will lift the chin guard in built up areas to offer face contact with people as it can often help communicate my intentions.

We have many problems with being seen on motorcycles. Kevin Williams over at Survival Skills has produced “SoBS" – the Science of Being Seen which discusses why riders are often not seen on the roads. Others like the Z-line and the SIAM manoeuvre aim to help us be seen by using our bikes and position to wave at emerging car drivers. Every form of communication can assist, the horn used in a non aggressive, pro active way can be very useful. Not much point used aggressively with hindsight – only to bleep out the swearword on the helmet cam. Police riders often use whistles. Not saying we all should, but it shows how useful short blasts of sound can be in order to get attention.

With the rush to train people to a test standard, much of the world only focusing on off-road machine handling, rote learning rules in order to obtain licences. It is a shame we rarely get time to share so much of the details that we use to communicate.

Now I know that not everybody is friendly, we need to be aware of our safety and avoid surprises of all sorts. Yet from my experience, by far the majority of interactions are friendly, everyone just trying to get on with their lives. The roads are so much nicer environments when we communicate with each other and avoid confrontation. Eye contact can make all the difference.