What does bikers’ leg gesture mean?

What does it mean when a motorbike rider puts out their leg when they go past you – are they being polite, or the opposite? T.D.

Oliver Rowland
Published Modified

Putting out the right leg is a sign of thanks, for example if you deliberately slowed and pulled to the right to let the motorbike overtake.

Another biker’s convention is raising the left hand to say ‘hello’ to another biker passing in the opposite direction, known as le salut des motards.

q&a driving your questions practical

q&a driving your questions