Should they be a universal way to alert a safety issue on the road.

[jpajax]

I was on I-40 today and came up on a camper that had left his steps out. This was the second time on two different occasions that this happened. It made me start to wonder why there could be a way we could have some universal way to talk to one another by hand signials on the road about things like steps, antenna, tires and such. If this exist what is there besides pull up next to them wave your hands and scare the hebby gebbys out of them. It is like when someone passes you and they have enough room to pull back in you flash your lights but with a hand signial. The antenna is not as big a danger to the public as the steps, sure would be bad on a persons legs or thier car.

 

[PeternLiane]

I have never seen someone leave their steps down before. I have seen windows that were left open and were flopping around. I have seen a roof pulling off and flapping. I have also seen some idiots who left their pets in the TT. I did waive my arms and point so that they knew some thing was up. We saved their roof and window. I do wish there was a better way to tell them what was going on without acting like my butt was on fire, but that's how it goes. The idiots with the pets that were left in the TT were pulled over and ticketed. There was only one universal hand signal I wanted to use for them. If you find something let me know.

 

[TXBobcat]

Well I left my steps out before. A nice guy in a car pulled along side me, rolled down the passenger window and told me that they were down.

I believe it would be difficult to give hand signals to people in RV's that they have a problem. I find that most people fail to just wave "Hi" using their hand or flashing their headlights.

FWIW
BC

 

[TandT]

I usually try to pull up, if I can safely. Then I get the drivers attention, with a honk, or wave and point to the problem.
If you point back towards their rig, they usually get the message. (I know I do.) Trace

 

[hoefler]

I usually try to pull up, if I can safely. Then I get the drivers attention, with a honk, or wave and point to the problem.
If you point back towards their rig, they usually get the message. (I know I do.) Trace

Ditto! Years ago, you could buy a paddle that had a bunch of different signs and wording on it. You just flipped to what you wanted to relay, like a picture of a flat tire, word "SMOKE", etc..

 

[jpajax]

I had thought about a small digital sign that would go in the back that could be program with a warning message. ( of course it could not have the option that you could put your on message in it). The paddle is a good idea. Maybe this could be a good topic to discuss around the camp fire. (Boy, can't you see cabin fever setting in)

 

[GOTTOYS]

The problem as i see it is, how do you educate the general public to use any type of "universal signal"? If something was decided upon here how would you spread the word? I had a window come unlatched once, or maybe we forgot to latch it..in any event somebody pulled alongside and motioned to roll down our window. I wasn't sure if he wanted to swear at me for something or what as I hadn't see anything in my mirrors. After yelling a couple times we got the message....Don

 

[wdk450]

Gang:
A "Universal Sign" for danger or need help is some warning notification done in groups of 3. Like three blasts of the horn, 3 flashes of the headlights, 3 gunshots (if you are hunting and lost).

 

[Willym]

I've pulled alongside another RV'r and my wife has made hand signals to tell them that their antenna is up. Using hands takes a while. A better way might be to keep a table tennis bat sized piece of whiteboard and a black dry erase marker handy so that a quick message can be written and flashed.

 

[jpajax]

The question was ask how do you educate the public. When I posted this on this forum I had the opportunity to reach almost 14,000 members and there family. That is why I like belonging to a forum like this it give you the place to ask why and why not. Thanks to all that has taken the time to read and reply and kept on asking the question why not. Still like the idea of paddle like a table tennis bat.