Cycling UK Forum

The current HC "arm signals" are here (with nothing for "straight ahead" )

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway ... road-users

IIRC, the only "straight ahead" signals in the HC of yesteryear - I think gaz may have some earlier versions - were to be used to communicate with police officers (and more recently traffic wardens) on what used to be called point duty. "I wish to go straight ahead" was indicated by raising the palm of the hand. There wasn't anything to communicate this intention to others.

I think the main problem faced by the OP is that there's no recommended way of communicating with an idiot. Had we but world enough and time, they might be invited to demonstrate what signal they had in mind. IMO, as a roundabout is really a set of junctions, there may be value in indicating left immediately before exiting and right when continuing round but there's nothing else.

That reminds me about the old cycling proficiency instructions for roundabouts: keep left, signal right at each exit you're not taking, then signal left before leaving. Maybe that's what the motorist thought cyclists should do. Some motorists haven't updated their learning since the 1970s, I suppose.

Ridiculous as it may seem a roundabout is a continuous road. To join it you must give way and to leave it you must indicate your intention. This is done so that regardless of the size of the roundabout the traffic using it is adhering to the highway code rules consistent with other junctions and lane discipline. For example. Imagine you have just left a motorway and at the end of the sliproad is a roundabout. It is so big you may only be aware of the give way area at the end of the sliproad. To all intents and purposes you are waiting at a junction with a one way street and have to give way and only proceed to the left and the road markings and signage say so. Once on that 'one way street' any other traffic has to give way to you and if you want to leave it you should indicate. Likewise if that 'one way street' has more than one lane -shown by markings on the road- you should indicate your intention and give way to other vehicles.
Consistency with the other junctions is the key here and road users tend to make assumptions or become lazy and pay more attention to the vehicles in front (follow my leader) than to the road signs, markings and traffic lights. Lots of people are confused when meeting mini-roundabouts and conflict often occurs when traffic on the more heavily used route doesn't yield to traffic from a lesser road approaching from the right.
The ' I am going straight ahead at this roundabout so I don't have to indicate, ever' rule is completely wrong.

boliston wrote:just curious if there is a hand signal for 'straight ahead'?

No there isn't. There isn't an electrical signal either.

tykeboy2003 wrote:

boliston wrote:just curious if there is a hand signal for 'straight ahead'?

No there isn't. There isn't an electrical signal either.

And it's the lack of that in motons brains that creates most conflict situations in the first place.

thirdcrank wrote:I think the main problem faced by the OP is that there's no recommended way of communicating with an idiot. Had we but world enough and time, they might be invited to demonstrate what signal they had in mind. IMO, as a roundabout is really a set of junctions, there may be value in indicating left immediately before exiting and right when continuing round but there's nothing else.

Beautifully put!

Bmblbzzz wrote:

PDQ Mobile wrote:Those of us of certain age remember a hand held straight forward palm outwards, was the convention. Even in a vehicle!
Maybe it's still in the Highway code.
Though of very limited usefulness in today's frantic traffic, IMHO.
On a bike who would still recognise it as a sign of intention.

Preserve your life.
Keep both hands on the bars and signal left or right as appropriate.IMV.

That sounds like a stop signal!

Me thinks that is the signal given to a person (who would be facing you ) controling traffic, indicting you are going straight ahead.

ferrit worrier wrote:

Bmblbzzz wrote:

PDQ Mobile wrote:Those of us of certain age remember a hand held straight forward palm outwards, was the convention. Even in a vehicle!
Maybe it's still in the Highway code.
Though of very limited usefulness in today's frantic traffic, IMHO.
On a bike who would still recognise it as a sign of intention.

Preserve your life.
Keep both hands on the bars and signal left or right as appropriate.IMV.

That sounds like a stop signal!

Me thinks that is the signal given to a person (who would be facing you ) controling traffic, indicting you are going straight ahead.

That is correct and TC got there before you.
Like all signals (or language) it is dependent upon both or all parties understanding the code/convention.
So I have in the distant past used such a straight on signal at a crossroads but it's day is now done I think.

PDQ Mobile wrote: ... That is correct and TC got there before you.
Like all signals (or language) it is dependent upon both or all parties understanding the code/convention.
So I have in the distant past used such a straight on signal at a crossroads but it's day is now done I think.

And in the distant past I've stood in a box in the middle of the road directing traffic in the days when some drivers indicated which way they wanted to go by using hand signals. FWIW that was not a million miles from what is now J3 of the M621 - dressed in a long white coat made for somebody a foot taller than me, so looking for all the world like the character from Dastardly and Muttley. Policeman's helmet rather than flying helmet

The convention is that the absence of a signal is an indication that you are going straight on. You only signal if turning left or right, or slowing. Some people misinterpret the convention of lifting the arm straight up in the air before lowering to the left or right, as a straight on signal, but it isn’t, the lifted arm is to get attention that a signal is forthcoming.

Obviously, on an internet forum, we cannot know the whole situation.

I often find it appropriate to signal my intention to exit a roundabout, even if my road position should be a good indication of where I am going.

There is no commonly used signal for straight ahead, but I have occasionally pointed at where I am going, just to make sure it is completely clear, even to an idiot.

That said, it is mostly me reading how things are at a prticular junction, and deciding if communication is needed, how to do it, etc. Most of the time, I operate my pedal bike as a vehicle and signal as other operators vehicles do, and it works just fine.

The underlying problem is a regular occurrence: somebody gets it wrong and their opening shot is "You should of ......" Had the OP contrived to improvise a "straight ahead" signal, it would have been "You should of (done something else.)..."