Conditional gestures and signals are the best way for drivers to communicate. The universal driving language of signs and signals The language of drivers on the road

One way or another, drivers have to communicate with each other. There are so-called unspoken rules of communication between drivers on the road, which are expressed in flashing headlights, using direction indicators and using gestures. Note that here, in the listed methods, there is no use of a sound signal, since it (sound signal) is allowed to be used only to prevent accidents in a dangerous situation.

According to drivers, such signals help to create a friendly atmosphere on the road and increase travel safety. Unfortunately, not everyone understands this language, and someone uses it absolutely illiterate, thereby creating a nervous atmosphere and misleading other participants in the movement.

Nevertheless, even if this "road alphabet" is completely unfamiliar to you, but you saw that the oncoming car "winks" at the rest of the stream, then this should somehow alert - there may be an obstacle in front of you, or control is being exercised for road safety.

Here is a small list of unspoken signals of communication between drivers on the road.

High beam flashing

1. Flashing high beam once

A warning to the oncoming driver about some danger ahead of his movement, which he does not yet see, for example, due to a fracture in the cross-section of the road, or the danger is around a bend. You may be blinked not once, but several times in a row, in order to attract attention.

2. Flashing the main beam twice

A warning to the oncoming driver that ahead, a mobile traffic police post or a police radar "lurked" in motion.

3. Flashing the high beam from the car driving behind

Please skip. Often this is a request from a catching driver to vacate the leftmost lane on roads with two or more lanes. The overtaking car moves at a speed slightly higher than the speed of the flow of cars, and while the far left lane is occupied, there is no way to get ahead of the flow of cars. Hence the request - to clear the lane.

4. Multiple short-term flashing with a high beam from an oncoming vehicle at night

A request from the driver of an oncoming vehicle to switch to low beam headlights. Your car's headlights dazzle oncoming traffic.

5. Turning on with some delay the high beam from the oncoming car at the end of overtaking

A request to slow down or "move" on the road to allow the overtaker to return to his lane after overtaking.

But such a "warning" can be followed in case of any danger, and not only at the end of overtaking, for example, in front of the oncoming car there is some obstacle that the driver does not yet see, and the car is going too fast.

6. Short switching to high beam when overtaking your car by a truck in the dark

This is done in order to make it clear to the truck driver or give him a signal that overtaking is complete and he can return to his lane.

7. Single flashing of the main beam at the intersection of roads or in an ambiguous situation

The offer to go first, or "I let you pass." When you have priority and give way, you do not violate traffic rules.

Flashing hazard warning lights or turn signal

1. Alarm flashing once or twice

Gratitude for help, for example, for giving priority in a difficult situation, or an apology for a rash act on the road, for example, undercutting, sharply braking, or some unusual situation occurred as a result of your actions.

2. Turned on the left direction indicator at the rangefinder or truck driving in front of you

You cannot overtake. If you went to overtake a long truck, and its driver turned on the left direction indicator, then it is better to stop overtaking and return to your lane. The road is better visible from the high cab of the truck, especially if the road has a slight fracture in the transverse profile. When the rangefinder driver after some time turns on the right "turn signal", you can start overtaking.

Immediately before the start of overtaking outside the village, it is possible (but not necessary) to give a sound signal to attract the attention of the driver of the overtaken vehicle.

3. The left turn signal of the car driving behind

Please let yourself be overtaken. The meaning of the signal in this situation is similar to the blinking of the main beam (point 3).

This happens on roads with 2 or more lanes while driving in the leftmost lane. The overtaking car cannot overtake you, because overtaking in this situation is prohibited, and such a signal will be a request to vacate the left lane.

4. The left direction indicator of the vehicle completing overtaking. In this case, the overtaking person does not leave the oncoming lane, but continues to move along it.

The oncoming lane is free for overtaking, i.e. there is no danger ahead.

A signal for those driving behind and wishing to overtake a fellow traveler means that there is no danger for overtaking in the oncoming lane far ahead. The oncoming lane is free, and if one of the drivers behind them wants to, they can safely start overtaking after the overtaking car.

Gestures

• The hand makes a circle and points downwards - the car has a flat tire or a flat tire.

• Pointing to the hood or trunk while patting on the air - either the hood or trunk may be open or not closed tightly.

• Pointing to the door with your hand - perhaps something is trapped in the doorway and sticking out, the door is simply not closed.

• The driver's hand outstretched through the lowered glass of the door - a request to let the person leaving the secondary road through.

Items in hand

When one of the drivers votes on the road, standing next to their car and holding an object in their hand, you need to pay attention to what they are holding in their hands. Often, this object in hand will be a hint of what exactly the driver needs:

• Hose or canister (bottle) - the fuel may have run out;

• Rope or other soft tug (lanyard) - towing may be needed;

• First aid kit - you may need medicines or medical attention;

• Wrench - you need some kind of tool.

These, of course, are not all informal signals of communication between drivers on the road. Some gestures not included in this list may be intuitive. The main thing is to realize that if you are shown something with a gesture, perhaps the reason is serious. Well, to take note or ignore the hint, it is definitely up to you to decide.

It is no secret that there is an unspoken language of communication between drivers driving along the road, through which it is possible to inform another participant in the movement, because it will not be possible to do this in words for obvious reasons. With the help of such "communication" you can thank, point out something, make a request, etc.

An emergency means thank you

However, it is worth remembering that other chauffeurs can also tell you something. Therefore, it is more than necessary to understand this language. After all, it makes the situation on the track less stressful - the driver always has the opportunity to thank or apologize, which, as already proven by researchers, significantly reduces nervousness and reduces it.

These can be not only signals from optics, but also from hands, etc.

Below is a "translation" of such signals given by drivers.

Light signals for drivers

Driving signals with light and sound

1. or a camera is a friendly gesture in the driving environment, with which motorists warn each other about the traffic police post on the highway or the presence of a photo-video camera for fixing violations. To do this, it is enough to blink 2 times with the high beam, although some blink only once. Nevertheless, such tolerance allows oncoming drivers to buckle up in time, slow down and take other measures in order to avoid a fine. In the same way, it is possible to receive a warning. If this happens, then a palm raised up will be a sign of good form.
2. Danger - you can also warn about it by blinking headlights. So it is better to slow down and be prepared for braking, or even a complete stop.
3. Pass - in big cities, situations are not uncommon when a driver leaving the yard or parking lot simply cannot join the stream of cars due to the fact that it is too dense. After all, he has no advantage in movement. Consequently, he can only wait for the one who slows down and lets him pass. If you see such a driver, slow down and blink your headlights. In any case, you need to wait until he passes, although not always such a driver can immediately respond to the blinking of optics.
4. Overtaking - sometimes a car that catches up with you from behind can blink its headlights. Likewise, the driver asks you to give him the way. For greater clarity of their intentions, the driver can turn on the left direction indicator. In this case, it is better to change lane or pull over a little to the side of the road, but at the same time do not interfere with others.

However, you should be on the lookout, because these methods are used by car carriers. The scheme is simple - one of them catches up with you from behind and asks to give way to him. At the same time, the second rides from the side, but so as to constantly keep in the blind zone of your mirror. In case of a hasty change of lane, you will surely hit the car of a fraudster. So do not rush to change lanes - make sure that the road conditions are conducive to this.

After all, even if you do not touch the car of the substitutes, they will certainly try to convince you that this was the case. Hence, caution does not hurt.

5. Stop - in order to ask the driver in front of you to stop, you need to turn on the turn signal (right) and blink the high beam.

Video: Signals from courteous drivers

Emergency signaling light

• Gratitude – it is the blinking of the alarm (1-3 times is enough) that is a universal gesture of gratitude for letting you in or helping you. If you cannot activate the emergency gang, then you can turn on the direction indicators one by one. The driver who has rendered you a service can blink a high beam or give a short horn, which means "please" in the sign dictionary.
• Traffic jam - when a traffic jam occurs, it is important to warn those driving behind, so that they also slow down in time. This is extremely important on expressways and highways where cars move very quickly. And when the person driving behind stops, the emergency gang can be turned off. In the same way, they can warn you. However, this method is rather ambiguous. After all, congestion on such highways occurs quite rarely. So the driver behind you may decide that you are signaling to him that overtaking is possible. And he can go overtaking, which on a highway with one lane in each direction is fraught with a big accident. That is why many people recommend not using an emergency signal, but turning on the left direction indicator, combining it with a decrease in speed. This approach is often considered more understandable and reasonable.
• Apology - you can and should apologize in the event that you accidentally cut someone, or created any other obstacle for another driver. In such a situation, you need to blink the emergency gang, and then it will already become clear whether this is an apology or gratitude.
• Light - sometimes the driver can forget that he has not switched from far to near and blinds the one traveling towards him. If you are blinded by the high beam, activate the emergency light (for a few seconds). Seeing this, the driver of the oncoming car will understand his mistake and turn on the low beam. Also, sometimes drivers blink the high beam as a signal. Once he's switched it doesn't hurt to thank the chauffeur with an emergency light.

Direction indicators

They can also "communicate", but with the exception of cases when an official signal is used when turning or changing lanes.

• - when you are driving for another car, and he blinks you with the right direction indicator, while continuing to go straight, it means that the oncoming lane is not busy and you can start overtaking. This is especially often used by truck drivers, so as not to collect queues of faster cars behind them. However, you should not rely solely on signals during overtaking - you need to independently assess the situation and be as attentive as possible. After a successful overtaking, it is recommended to thank the driver by briefly activating the emergency gang.
• Warning - this situation is similar to the previous one, with the only difference that the driver of the car in front will blink the left direction indicator. This, on the contrary, means that cars are driving in the opposite direction and overtaking is ordered.

Stop lights

They are often used by drivers to signal when a car driving behind is pressed too close and does not maintain a safe distance. To alert, the driver briefly and intermittently presses the brake pedal several times, but does not brake. In this case, you need to slightly increase the distance.

Hand signals

Driving signals with gestures

Sometimes the drivers signal to each other with their hands.

• Clap - when the chauffeur slams his hand in the air, it means that you are driving with the trunk lid open;
• Circle - it means that you have a flat tire. To do this, the driver draws a circle in the air with his finger and points to your wheel;
• A palm raised up is a sign of gratitude (as a rule, to those who are driving in the oncoming lane and blinked their headlights, etc.) or a greeting, which depends on the specific position on the road;
• Downward palm - if the driver lets it down slowly, he asks you to slow down. It is likely that there is a traffic jam ahead or there is a traffic police post;
• Fingers - when the driver shows a clenched palm, and then sharply opens his fingers, he warns you about the need to turn on the headlights. After all, it often happens that in the twilight that has come, the driver gets used to them, and simply forgets to turn on the light or side lights. In addition, you can simply forget to turn on the light (dipped) when you start driving.
• Kukish - there is nothing offensive in this movement, but it is intended for truck drivers who have a stone stuck between their paired rear wheels. After all, at any moment he can fly out and get into a car driving behind.
• Others - there are other gestures with which the riders show each other about any danger or the need to do something. You can see a gesture pointing to the bottom of your car (perhaps something is stuck under it), a door (probably not fully slammed), etc. But these are situational gestures.

From now on, sign language is no longer a secret for you, and you will not be perplexed about what other road users are trying to tell you. And you yourself, if necessary, can point out some aspect to another chauffeur.

Most used signals

Keep in mind that not all drivers are well versed in this sign and symbol language. Of the most common, the following should be highlighted:

• Blinking high beam headlights - informing about the danger, traffic police or pass;
• Blinking alarm - an apology or gratitude;
• Blinking left and right direction indicators - prohibition and permission to overtake, respectively;
• A raised open palm is an expression of gratitude or a greeting.

Therefore, you should be careful in order to understand exactly what other drivers are trying to tell you, because they do not always understand clearly in sign language.

The number of cars on our roads is growing every day. Motorists are mostly responsive people, ready to help in case of problems on the road, especially women. Unfortunately, not everyone who gets behind the wheel knows that there is a special "secret" signal language that helps car drivers to exchange information with each other on the road.

The first and, probably, the most famous such signal is the double blinking of the main beam to the oncoming traffic, which indicates the traffic police officers who are nearby, or some kind of danger on the highway. In gratitude, they usually raise their left palm - "thank you, took note."

The second most famous signal from the language of motorists is gratitude, expressed by the blinking of the emergency gang. Gratitude for what they missed when leaving a secondary road, when changing lanes in a traffic jam, and for other manifestations of courtesy from the driver of the car left behind.

Unfortunately, many people who have just sat behind the wheel of their first car get scared when the car in front of them starts blinking emergency lights. Thoughts “broke”, “something happened”, “now we’ll get stuck here” rush through my head. No, dear auto lady, you were just thanked! And you, another time, when they let you through, give way, be sure to "blink" once - a trifle, and the driver of another car will be pleased.

Now let's talk about other signs of this language of motorists. A single blinking of a high beam from a car walking behind you is most likely a request to give way or not interfere with overtaking. But it is also possible that this is a greeting from a friend, so you need to look at the situation. We do not advise to overuse this signal, and use it only in the most extreme and necessary cases.

Before that, we talked about the signals that all motorists use, and which are known to most. But it turns out that the drivers of heavy trucks, otherwise they are called truckers, have developed their own signals, knowing some of them will be very useful for drivers of ordinary cars.

If on a narrow single-lane highway you are driving behind a truck and it is difficult to overtake it due to poor visibility of the oncoming lane, you can follow its signals. Blinking with the right turn signal means that the truck can be overtaken calmly, the oncoming lane is empty, blinking with the left turn signal means exactly the opposite: overtaking is dangerous, there is traffic ahead of you. The driver of the truck sits much higher than the driver of a passenger car, as a result of this, he has a greater view, and quite often on the tracks they help in this way the cars that follow them.

A natural question arises: why are almost no sound signals used (by the car horn), because light signals will not understand and decipher everything correctly. The fact is that in the traffic rules it is written that the sound signal should be given by the driver only to prevent an emergency situation on the road. The rest of the "pipe" is considered a violation.

Agree that most of the situations discussed above do not fall under the category of emergency. In addition, among motorists, a driver who buzzes with a horn to the right and left is considered rude and rude, and is equated to a rowdy screaming at the top of his lungs in the street and harassing passers-by. Therefore, we advise you to remember the main signals of the "secret" language of motorists - politeness on the road has not bothered anyone yet, and information about the situation behind the turn of the highway is also extremely useful.

Drivers communicate with each other not only through verbal communication, but also through special gestures. This language, over many years of practice, was tacitly formed among the driving environment and today is widely used to facilitate driving in many countries. Therefore, learning signals can be extremely useful for novice drivers: knowing the secret language of drivers will help both in expressing their emotions and in creating a single, correct interacting flow of cars on the road.

What do the gestures of drivers on the road mean?

The left palm raised up means gratitude to the drivers and an expression that the transmitted signs are understood correctly. Typically, the chauffeur reacts in this way when they give him way, warn him about the radar, let him pass to change lanes, indicate a flat tire, or something else.

They also express gratitude by winking at the emergency gang. Therefore, if you notice such a sign, take it for "thank you", and you can make a good habit of thanking other drivers in the same way for concessions and roadside assistance.

Even a beginner knows the cautious radar warning signal: when the high beam turns on twice to the oncoming traffic, it signals that the car has passed the area where the traffic police are located. And the double winking of the taillights, transmitted along a chain to each other, warns drivers that the road police are in front, and they should slow down to avoid the radar.

In addition to benevolent signs, there are more prosaic expressions in the secret language of motorists. So, if you winked once with a high beam, it means that you are asked to give way and warn about overtaking. Familiar drivers can greet you in the same way.

Video - About the driver's gestures and signals in the Main Road program

When interacting with trucks on the road, you can use the sign language that these drivers usually use to communicate with each other. All experienced truckers use these signals, and if you know them, you can plan your behavior on the roads.

It so happens that you find yourself in motion next to a large wagon, moving along a narrow road: in this case, visibility is closed for you, and you do not know whether to overtake the car. In this case, it is important to prevent the behavior of the driver. If you notice that the truck is blinking with the right turn signal, it means that the driver informs you that you can easily overtake it. If the left turn signal blinks, the driver informs that it is impossible to overtake, as there is transport ahead. As you can see, such "negotiations" on the road are very constructive and can prevent a lot of road troubles.

Despite the fact that traffic rules prescribe not to communicate with each other through signals, many drivers still use sound effects to communicate. Sound signals can also mean certain messages, but since most drivers are not familiar with this language, their meaning is often confused. So, for example, a continuous beep may in one case mean a greeting, and in another displeasure. The most common beeps are a short beep of the car from behind, which means a request to move as soon as possible, and one or two long loud beeps, which mean complete dissatisfaction with your driving style, a kind of automobile “obscenity”, and the longer and louder the beep, the more aggressive the reaction.

With short beeps, another driver can also draw your attention to some detail: a lost gas cap, a loose wheel, or something else.

However, it is not recommended to signal with beeps about anything: having learned to express your driving emotions with the help of all kinds of sound effects, you run the risk of falling into the category of "ill-mannered drivers". Therefore, from the very first days of driving, use headlamp language instead of sound and stay polite on the road.

Conventional signals of drivers on the road

These signals will not be taught in a driving school; such signs are transmitted, so to speak, from one generation of drivers to another. A beginner on the road will not be able to understand why an unknown car honks him or why the driver can turn on the high beam during the day. Experienced drivers understand that such signs help in communication, warn of danger.

Historical retreat

Screaming from the window- a useless activity on the road while driving, and waving your hand or head out of the window in the dark is all the more so. You will not be heard or seen. So gradually the alphabet of drivers for the road was formed. Initially, it was used 30 years ago in Western Europe and America: the drivers briefly blinked their headlights at each other, making it clear that the traffic police and police patrols were ahead. Soon the motorists of the USSR adopted this style.

All such signals can be divided into:

1. low and high beam signals;
2. hand signals;
3. sound signals;
4. signals by emergency lamps and turn signals;
5. brake signals.

Headlights. The most common signal is double blinking. If an oncoming car flashes like this, then this is a warning about a traffic police post in front or an accident on the road, it is recommended to reduce the speed. If you are flashing a car on the side in this way, then you have given way. In gratitude, you can briefly blink the emergency gang. If you are blinking twice from behind, then the driver is asking you to clear the lane. If you can give in, then turn on the turn signal and gently line up in the next row. If the oncoming driver turns on the high and low beam in turn, turn on the low beam, otherwise you blind the oncoming car.

Turn signals. The most common signals used by these signals are truck drivers. If the truck has turned on the left turn signal, then it is better not to overtake it for now, since the lane is busy and a collision is inevitable. Only when he turns on the right turn signal and squeezes a little to the side of the road - you can start overtaking. If a truck is overtaking you, turn on the high beam to protect yourself from a collision.

Emergency lamps. Used in emergency and emergency situations. They talk about the technical problems of the vehicle. Also included as a token of gratitude (one flash).

With your hands. Acceptable during daylight hours for communicating with pedestrians or other drivers in a traffic jam. You can use different gestures to indicate: an unclosed trunk, a badly closed door, a cobblestone stuck between the wheels, etc. If you miss a pedestrian, wave your hand, he may not notice facial expressions, and a sound signal can scare you.

Note: Sound signal. According to the rules of the road, it is used exclusively to prevent accidents. Warns of danger.

The brake. If the brake lights on the car in front are often flashing, the driver asks you to keep your distance.

Not all signals can be interpreted unambiguously, follow the road carefully and follow the traffic rules.

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