The Five-O, Fuzz, PoPo, The Heat....
 

Ever since moving to SoCal I have noticed a trend of helmet patting to signal the presence of the Boys in Blue. I never noticed this in ATL before I moved.


What's you local way to signal other riders?

We flash our headlights.

I'd say that one is fairly well known... It's the same on this side of the puddle, and I have been given that sign in several parts of Europe...

I guess riders in ATL are just less prone to warning each other...

Ive never seen that signal around here. Weirdly our Motorcycle Safety Course booklet says a helmet tap is to tell someone their Highbeam is on.

I'm from Georgia and I see it in the North Georgia Mountains.

You'll see it from passing rider every now and then here in Minnesota. But it was common practice in the group rides I used to participate in.

When I was back home in WV we would always use flashing the lights like bikerpipes said.

Tweety may be right about ATL though. People just don't seem like they care enough to warn each other. Haha.

a tap or a rub ...see it hear in Wi

here in floridaim,we do the head tap or lights.
but the head tap is down much more because at one time,flashing your lights here in my area was considered illegal,even tho it wasnt,somes cops would abuse the word of the law and give tickets.
but its been proven to be unconstitutional by a judge. :)

Yep. That one has been around a long time.

Flashing your lights to warn about a cop can get you pulled over or given the bird. Helmet tap is the universal signal that most people know, and if they don't then they will learn. Flashing your lights usually means someone has their brights on.

I have been doing the head tap since I was 16 I'm 42 now, did it here and in CT.

In New England the head tap or angel ring signal over the head is the common sign for cops, but I have seen quick flashing of high beam on & off several times as well, if someone want to signal that your high beam is on, it would be a longer high beam switch.

BTW, I prefer to run high beam during day time so the cage drivers will see me coming better and it works surprisingly well, learned that in Australia, just my 2 cents on safety ;)

i always ride with the high beams on.it does help.

I run high beams all day long and modulating lights so some of you see me coming i guess you think i am signaling the popo is ahead and you would be wrong.

Tap the the top of helmet has been used here in TN and northern GA since late 70's, so it is not anything new.

taps here in NC too.

My MSF instructor noted this as well. And then told us about it being a universal indicator of a LEO. And then he combined the two: if you get pulled over for tapping your helmet to another rider, just tell the officer that you were indicating that he had his high beam on.

Also, flashing beams is commonly used for general road hazards (deer, accident, police) as well as hi-beams everywhere I've been.

I would LOVE to know the VC violation they try to stick you with for tapping your helmet, as tapping your helmet to warn of LEO presence or for any other reason is not illegal. There are a number or other things they could get you for (blinker spacing, plate position, no reflectors, etc) but you can not be stopped solely for a helmet tap. Hell, ive had moto cops tap helmet to me before.

On a side tangent, anyone ever wave to a moto leo and not get a wave back? Only one moto cop ever waves back here. We're all on motos, just because you are a cop doesnt mean you should be rude.

And another side tangent, when do you refuse to wave back? I usually wave to everyone, from scooters to choppers. However today I had a squid in shorts, tennis shoes, and a tshirt give me a wave and I just shook my head and rode on.