9.26. You are riding a bicycle and need to turn left. What should you do?
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This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine concerns safety during maneuvering and mutual understanding among road users. For a cyclist, a timely and clear signal before turning is critically important, as it warns drivers behind and nearby about the change in direction and reduces the risk of collision, especially at intersections and during heavy traffic.
The question tests the section of the Traffic Rules about signals and the start of a maneuver (points 9.1–9.3 of the traffic rules) and is typical for theoretical exam preparation. According to point 9.3, the left turn signal by hand is allowed to be given in two equivalent ways: by extending the left arm to the side or by extending the right arm to the side and bending it at the elbow at a right angle upward. That is why the correct answer is the option that indicates both permitted gestures, while answers with only one gesture do not describe all permissible actions and narrow the norm established by the Traffic Rules.
It is also practically important to remember the procedure for giving such signals: according to point 9.1, you must warn about your intention to maneuver, and according to point 9.2, the signal is given in advance, but the hand gesture itself is performed immediately before the maneuver and stopped right before the turn, so that you can safely control the bicycle. This knowledge helps to correctly answer exam questions and apply the traffic rules in real-life situations.
Clause 9.1
Before starting to move and stopping, changing lanes, turning or making a U-turn, the driver must give the appropriate signal using the turn indicators in the corresponding direction, and in their absence or malfunction — by hand signal.
This clause checks the cyclist’s obligation (as the driver of a vehicle) to give a signal before turning left.
Clause 9.2
Signals must be given in advance before starting the maneuver and must be stopped immediately after its completion. A hand signal is given immediately before starting the maneuver.
This clause explains the peculiarity of giving a hand signal: it is given right before making the turn, so that the cyclist can continue to control the bicycle with both hands.
Clause 9.3
A hand signal is given as follows: when turning left or making a U-turn — the left arm extended to the side or the right arm extended to the side and bent at the elbow at a right angle upwards; when turning right — the right arm extended to the side or the left arm extended to the side and bent at the elbow at a right angle upwards; when braking — the left or right arm raised upwards.
This clause directly defines the permissible options for signaling specifically for turning left on a bicycle.
That is, the correct answer is "Extend your left arm to the side or your right arm to the side and bend it at the elbow at a right angle upwards," given that according to the Traffic Rules, the left turn signal by hand is given either by extending the left arm to the side, or by extending the right arm to the side and bending it at the elbow at a right angle upwards (clause 9.3), and such a signal is given immediately before the maneuver (clause 9.2) as a mandatory warning of the intention to turn (clause 9.1).
While riding a bicycle, before making any maneuver, other road users must be able to understand your intention in advance. Since bicycles usually do not have turn indicators, the Traffic Rules of Ukraine (paragraph 9.3) require you to give hand signals.
When you need to turn left, you must give a left turn signal in one of two permitted ways. The simplest and most obvious for others is to extend your left arm to the side. Alternatively, you can give the same signal with your right arm: extend your right arm to the side and bend it at the elbow at a right angle upwards. Both options mean the same thing — the intention to make a left turn.
It is important to remember a feature of hand signals: they are given in advance so that drivers behind and nearby have time to react, but are stopped immediately before making the maneuver, in order to be able to safely control the bicycle during the turn.
Therefore, the correct answer is "Extend your left arm to the side or extend your right arm to the side and bend it at the elbow at a right angle upwards," since paragraph 9.3 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine allows a cyclist to give a left turn signal with either of these two hand gestures.