Universal warning sign for cops.

What is the bikers universal warning sign for the coppers or a speed camera? A biker gave me the thumbs down sign today and i sussed what he meant but its the first time i've seen it. Also thumbs down means enemy. Perhaps thats a bit strong.

 

I wasn't aware that bikers had a universal sign to warn of speed traps
or the plod, I have given the hand up and down sign but never the thumbs
down, in fact car drivers have warned me more times about speed traps.
Maybe people interpret hand gestures in different ways dependent on
where they come from? Did you see the plod and was there a speed trap?
if there was he meant to warn you that the plod are the enemy, thats if
you judge then in that way

 

I got a thumbs down from a biker the other day and thought he was commenting on my riding! However there was an accident and police presence round the next bend.

 

i usualy flap hand up & down to indicate reduce speed problem up ahead , thats what im trying to convay, but different folk will read it as meaning a variety of things , but at least they are a bit more alert

As i understand it thumbs down is a lorry drivers term for cops or danger ahead, so my dad said when i was a lad but how universal it is i dont know . what usualy happens is an aproching car will flash you , having said that i have been flashed by oncomeing cars a number of times in the past few years including cop cars and there has been no problems up ahead , you spend the next 1/2 hour wondering why they flashed you at all particualy as most of these incidents took place when i was riding within the speed limit( ish ) so i take it with a pinch of salt but steady down a bit for a few miles just incase

once flashed a bloke to warn him of a broken down car around a blind bend , his responce was to give me the v & mouth fu** off charming

 

There was cops up the road a bit so that was what he was trying to say i suppose. I was stuck behind a load of cars anyway so i wasn't speeding at all anyway. The hand flap motion is the one i would use to warn other traffic. Never seen the thumbs down before which is why i asked.

 

I have been riding for 9 years and the thumbs down for police is the one i am aware of another one was the right hand being rotated which i sussed out after the next car flashed me.

 

Ed ,
thats unbelivable , was thinking of doing just that ,holding a sign up saying speed trap ahead , dont think i will bother now . i think the cops have too much power

 

Hi Keith and all, how disgusting does it get, this makes my blood boil . The cops are there 'supposedly' 4 'road safety' and to get drivers to slow down, which they say speed is the cause, but stats show that accidents attributed to speed is only about 4%. We all know its all about MONEY, if you warn a rider/driver of a speed trap, you hav in effect 'stolen' £60 out of their pockets, cos they would have got that money off the speeding road user. You therefore are accountable for that loss and you are DONE and what for?, obstructing the course of justice?, 'obstucting the officer of carrying out his duty'.. yeah you hav successfully stopped him from fleecing yet another motorist.
in my mind to warn a fellow road user, well thats a job well done, for the obvious reason of ' slowing him down in the interest of Road Safety' .
in the 11 years i've been riding the warning signs i've seen are; 1- movement of the hand palm down, up and down, 2- the thunb down, 3- circulating the fore-finger in the air (as if copying the rotations of a helicopter, i.e the flashing light of the boys in blue) and 4- the car driver flashing his lights (and usually he will be gesturing in his car any of the above cos he's a biker or he hates the Police/tactics)

 

This will always be an emotive subject for all of us using the queens highway.
We all know that speed traps and cameras are a money making scheme in
the name of road safety,its cheaper for them to take our hard earned cash
rather than spend our already rip off road, tax fuel duty to improve britains
crumbling and badly designed roads, oh and pay for police overtime.
Its probably just a matter of time before every driver in this country has
a conviction for speeding, unless you're warned first by any hand gesture
you may think appropriate. May your luck go with you

 

I was looking at 9 points last year but fortunately they offered me a speed awareness course instead so that got it down to 6 , then lost another 3 in march ( 4 years was up ) just got to last till December 09 then i have a clean licence , funny thing never been done on my bike or works van ( where i do most of my miles ) but always in the bloody car usually bank holiday or 11 pm at night when the roads are clear, Staffordshire has been in the mcm recently about being friendly towards bikers / car drivers , load of b*ll*cks it has the most fixed speed cameras i have ever seen

 

I currently have a clean licence but since going back to biking I suspect it
wont be to long before my luck runs out. Like you Andy I managed to escape
with a speed awareness course about four years ago, 37 in a 30, the speed
limit had been reduced from 40 to 30 a month previously, life's a bitch :roll:

 

Ed,
They tell you why you are naughty for speeding & how its not all about the money ,then a copper (with real relish ) show you some pictures of the consequences of speed , then you have lunch ( not a bad spread actually ) .
In the afternoon its a 2 hour practical session with an advance driving examiner ( 2 punters per examiner ) you have a drive then he tells you why you are shit & shouldn’t be driving fast , then he has a drive & commentates on his drive , basically shows you how it should be done , then you have another go to see if you have improved , if so he fill out the paper work & you get a nice little certificate to hang on yr wall , and sends the paper work to the cops who then call the dog off
Is it any good ? well yes i learnt a few things & a few tips & have saved 3 points on my licence
Has it stopped me speeding ? well for a week or so it did but old habits die hard

 

All we got as a way of reward for them making our ears bleed was a Fancy pen
and keyring with speed kills engraved on them. The traffic officer took a total
dislike to me for having an opinion on speed cameras been a revenue collection
agency for the government, he politely said I wouldn't be getting the freebies
after the the course, Was I bothered

 

Rowly you could have flogged the freebies on Ebay

Not like you to be negative about the "Old Bill"

Nice One

 

You would understand why if you knew what I do for a living
NO Im not a seasoned criminal

 

so wot do u do 4 a livin Rowly?

 

Yes Rowly What do you do for a living