Universal Roadside Help Signal for Motorcyclists

[RoadScholar]

Is there a universally-recognized signal for roadside help? Do they vary by region, motorcycle type and/or age bracket?

Should someone try to promulgate a universal motorcycling SOS sign?

Please post whatever you do or have seen done, and roughly where. Also any suggestions for the best instantly-understandable signal. I will try to find patterns in the responses.

I get freedom-loving independent-mindedness, but being able to get help is sometimes a pretty serious matter (Medical emergency? Trying not to miss graduation or a court appearance?) and maybe a convention would be a good thing.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Rubone]

A couple of things to start with.
First one would be to introduce yourself. It will help immensely in being taken seriously! And include a signature and AMCA member number!
As far as emergencies go, the first requirement is awareness of other riders, REGARDLESS of brand. I notice that if I am on one of my modern bikes Harley-Davidson riders tend to look away rather than look to see if I nee help. And If I am on an old Harley everyone else looks away or stares but does not stop.
My typical response if I see someone on the side of the road is wave to get their attention and then give a "Thumbs-Up" sign. If they acknowledge it with the same I know they are OK. If not I stop to see if I can assist in some way. Pretty simple. If they are waving and trying to flag me down I suspect they are in serious trouble.
I was once on the side of the road in the Colorado mountains on a '47FL and four guys stopped to ask if I needed anything. All they had between them were 4 cell phones in an area with no reception! They walked around the bike a couple times mumbling to each other, got on their bikes and left. I caught them about a half hour later in perfect formation trying to negotiate twisties without bumping into each other. Funny to watch! As soon as I had a chance I blew past them and never saw them again. Good thing I wasn't in trouble.
And if they are like most modern "Bikers" they are sitting in their truck wearing their chaps and Do-rags with the flashers on and the hood up waiting for AAA.
Robbie

[sludge]

Is there a universally-recognized signal for roadside help? Do they vary by region, motorcycle type and/or age bracket?

Should someone try to promulgate a universal motorcycling SOS sign?

Please post whatever you do or have seen done, and roughly where. Also any suggestions for the best instantly-understandable signal. I will try to find patterns in the responses.

I get freedom-loving independent-mindedness, but being able to get help is sometimes a pretty serious matter (Medical emergency? Trying not to miss graduation or a court appearance?) and maybe a convention would be a good thing.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

any time i can miss a court appearance it's a good thing....usually though if you sit on the guardrail or curb next to your bike looking down at the ground with your head in your hands that is taken as a sure sign that you need help...

[D.Mac]

Hitting, kicking or throwing things at the bike, while cursing loud enough to be heard at the next exit, is the universally recognised distress signal.
Doug.

[Chris Haynes]

Many years ago Easyriders magazine suggested placing a glove over your rear view mirror if you did not need help.

[D.Mac]

Many years ago Easyriders magazine suggested placing a glove over your rear view mirror if you did not need help.

Hmmm, How about if the thumbs up-everythings cool, the thumbs out- he needs a ride, the thumbs down- needs help, if just one finger of the glove is up- just look staight ahead and keep goin

[Tommo]

Here in NZ the "Thumbs-up" is used and if the guy by the roadside gives you the "Thumbs-down" he's asking for help.
If he's just stopped for a breather he'll give you the "Thumbs-up sign back to signify he doesn't need any help.

[T. Cotten]

Here in Illinois,
Modern riders don't even wave much less consider the needs of a rider on the side of the road.
After all, cell-phone users SHOULD pull off the road. Incredibly many do not.

A thumbs down would probably just get a local sidewalk commando club-probate to turn around and assault you.

I have even been road-raged by the Peoria County States Attorney when my Datsun pickup was too slow for his BMW auto.
(Its a matter of record in Marshall Co, out of his jurisdiction.)

The last time I stopped my hack to help a fellow older-model H-D motorcyclist, he was cussing as he tossed burnt fuses one after another out of his saddlebag into the darkness, searching for a fresh one. After so many, you would think he would figure out that another fuse wouldn't fix the problem. He got peeved that I was trying to give him light with my headlamp, much less a tip like wrapping a gum wrapper around a burnt fuse, so my wife and I continued on our way.

....Cotten

[portagepan]

Sounds like it sucks out there, Tom. Not that bad yet in Ohio. Of course, I am not talkng big city stuff. It still seems the guys with the Harleys, and other older bikes stop more often. I have helped a lot of riders by the roadside. I don't need any thanks for it. I just hope somebody can do the same for me someday.
Mike

[Robert Luland]

I always stop and ask do you need help. To me that is universal if you ride a motorcycle. No matter what! What’s it take, an extra minute out of your life. I have another one of my hard luck stories here folks. Way back when being a fag was frowned upon (81). I got to date this stuff ya know! I got my newest creation on the road. As I’m going up the NYS Thruway, I keep thinking to my self why does the bike feels like its lugging. At one point I turned my head and notice the brake drum is glowing orange. I pull over and I’m just piss beyond belief. I pull the cap off the master cylinder and it’s empty. What’s the F__K going on here? In anger I wacked the master cylinder with an adjustable wrench. What ever was lodged in the reservoir return hole, dislodged it’s self sending a stream of brake fluid fifty feet in the air. In my mind I’m saying great problem fixed. Now what do I do (I have no front brake)? Out of know were a black guy on a CB750 chopper pulls over. I mean this guy looked like he just left a Panther rallying meeting. I tell him my plight and he tells me hang in there. He jumps on his bike and off he goes. Twenty minutes later he reappears with a bottle of brake fluid and refused to take a dime. I shook his hand and sent him on his way. It’s rare but good people are out there. I didn’t get home in till 4:00am I was hav’en so much fun. All because somebody took that one minute to say: Do you need some help. Bob L

[Ohio-Rider]

In these times great care should be taken when stopping to help any stranded motorist. A good friend’s wife who puts more miles a year on two wheels than either of us had a bad experience two years back. She stopped to help what she believed to be a biker with a problem and quickly found her self in a lot of trouble.

The guy said he knew what was wrong with the bike but needed three hands to get it running and asked her to help him. She got off her bike and as soon as she approached his bike this guy grabbed her and began to drag her down the embankment along the side of the road. She got really lucky that a passing car noticed her trying to defend herself and pulled over to see what was happening. It was a couple young guys who gladly detained the bum until a 911 call brought help.

The cops told her the next day just how lucky she had been. The bum who tried to assault her was wanted on several warrants thru three states and the bike he was on had been reported stolen the day before. Sorry about the long speech here but every time this subject comes up I get the need to tell everyone to please be careful.

[silentgreyfello]

Common sense and a going with your gut feeling usually prevails. 99%+ of the bikers out there are good guys. But if I am a woman riding alone, you better be very wary. Gone are the days where we locked up sicko's and threw away the key. Now, the gov't thinks they can rehabilitate them, then lets them go. I have heard about the glove or helmet over the left mirror as a sign of no help needed. I like the thumbs up/down thing as well. A woman could do this as she is passing by and if the person stranded gives a thumbs down, she could go to the next business and call the partrol to report a stranded vehicle.

[silentgreyfello]

A couple of things to start with.
First one would be to introduce yourself. It will help immensely in being taken seriously! And include a signature and AMCA member number!

WHY? I don't think any differently if I don't know their name or their number, and surely wouldn't think that would make me take them more seriously. Seriously!

Welcome to the forum, Roadscholar.

[bmh]

Years ago the sign used in these parts that you needed help was to place your helmet on the ground beside the bike where it would be visible. If it was a comfort stop you sat it on the seat.