[Danielle G.]

Hand Signalling​

Before car signal lights, drivers used their hands to say where they were going. It was a requirement for passing a driver’s test in the ‘60s. Do you recall seeing someone make hand signals, or did you master it yourself? Share your memories here.

Image source: Australia Remember When / Facebook

 

[Tarzan1951]

My first car was an FX 1948 / 1952 Holden Sedan. They never had indicators, but the did have some wonderful things like Corner windows and Bonnet air vents, headlights dipper button on the floor near the clutch pedal, but the best thing of all is that they weren't made of plastic and were actually made in Australia utilising Australian labour and materials.

 

[Mikev]

Yes I remember my father giving hand signals out of the old Holden. I remember asking him what he was doing and learning what the signals were.

 

[PeeJay35]

Yes, I remember it well from when I got my drivers license in 1953! Bloody cold having the driver's window open in mid winter

And after that we had cars with flipper signals on both sides that could be activated by a switch on steering column. No more open windows

 

[Gus]

Them were the good old days, when I started driving and there was manageable traffic on the roads.

 

[Leenie]

My first car was an FX 1948 / 1952 Holden Sedan. They never had indicators, but the did have some wonderful things like Corner windows and Bonnet air vents, headlights dipper button on the floor near the clutch pedal, but the best thing of all is that they weren't made of plastic and were actually made in Australia utilising Australian labour and materials.

And best of all steel bumper bars .

 

[Leenie]

Yes when I got my license in 1954 , hand signals were what was used. There was no driver training, family trained you ,my dad taught me driving on bush tracks in an International truck. No place for errors as the tracks were narrow with lots of bends , that teaches skills, can’t see too many doing that now.

 

[Veggiepatch]

My favourite hand signal.

 

[DLHM]

My favourite hand signal.

View attachment 81700

Yes, I’ve noticed.

 

[Reet]

Yea I learned to drive that way. It was probably safer to use your hands as a lot of drivers forget these days to use their signals.

 

[Viellarde]

Yes I remember my father giving hand signals out of the old Holden. I remember asking him what he was doing and learning what the signals were.

Arm up at right angle to turn left. I remember being allowed to use the foot 'button' to dim/restore the headlights, while sharing the front bench seat. The gear stick in our family Holden was on the steering wheel column.

 

[Vet543]

My Parents had a Plymouth before Holdens first arrivved on the scene.
The Plymouth had the flippers but i learnt in a Holden on the property in the 1950s
NO INDICATORS ... snd too many driveers lost their right arms. so they bought in the blinkrts, I drove cars to Cunnamulla and Bourke also at 16 I drove my Grandparent's from Charleville to Redcliffe through Brisbane. We were using right and left arm indicatiion to show which way we would turn . lol Very dangerous even in those days..Lrft turn was the right horizontal..across the body shoullder high. sometimes the passenger did the left signal. lol
My first car was a HD Holden Automatic. The first automatic car in W. Qld .. They had pre-select but they were not true Auromatic First licence was in May 1960, A lifetime licence till it went through a wash about 5 years later.

 

[Viellarde]

Yea I learned to drive that way. It was probably safer to use your hands as a lot of drivers forget these days to use their signals.

It was safer then as there was only one lane of traffic. Imagine the collection of severed arms now. And the motorcyclists being slapped off their bikes.

 

[Vet543]

Arm up at right angle to turn left. I remember being allowed to use the foot 'button' to dim/restore the headlights, while sharing the front bench seat. The gear stick in our family Holden was on the steering wheel column.
Arm up at right angle to turn left
No, NO.
Arm Up at right angle WAS I AM STOPPING
As useless as it was right arm horizontal pointing Left was 'I am turning left'

 

[Veggiepatch]

Yea I learned to drive that way. It was probably safer to use your hands as a lot of drivers forget these days to use their signals.

You will probably be charged under Rule 268 = How persons must travel in or on a motor vehicle.

Cop a $2200 fine for having any part of the person’s body outside a window or door of the vehicle.

 

[Veggiepatch]

It was safer then as there was only one lane of traffic. Imagine the collection of severed arms now. And the motorcyclists being slapped off their bikes.

Easy fixed. Motorcyclists with machetes....