Re: Brake handle mounting left vs right

Ted Bennett writes:

Since hardly any bicyclists ever signal a turn more than once in a
blue moon, I really doubt that has anything to do with the
placement, nor should it.

Signaling is not an issue, signals being given before the turn and
on motorcycles and bicycles are made with the arm outstretched to
the side of the turn. As for shifting I have no trouble doing all
downtube shifting with the left hand and always have. There is no
need to use different hands for that.

The excuse of signaling and braking is not plausible because people
who put these rules together are afraid of the front brake as is
often echoed here on wreck.bike, so the position is reversed for
these folks. I believe putting the front brake on the left hand is
more to get it away from the right handed folks who would be
endangered by it.

I have never seen any right turns signaled by a bicyclist or
motorcyclist by pointing with the right hand. It would be folly for a
motorcyclist to do that as he would have to remove his hand from the
throttle.

As I said, it is done before turning and right turns, by those who use
hand signals, on a two wheeled cycle are made with the right hand.
Having only the left arm adjacent to a window (in a left side driver
position) it is the automobile that made the upright left arm a right
turn signal in the days before turn signals were introduced.
Bicyclists never suffered that constraint while cars are required to
have turn signals.

In addition, learning drivers are always taught to signal a right
turn with the left forearm and hand raised. It's the same for all
road users.

I'm glad you are not pragmatic about this but there is a better way.
A bicyclist using your method looks like someone waving to a friend
rather than indicating a turn.

Front brake on the right for me. I prefer it that way, even in
places where they drive on the left.

So what's your point?

Jobst Brandt
.

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