Funny hand signals?

[Dave W]

Caught up with the back of a large group of club cyclists today - guy on the tail end started giving me funny pointing had signals behind his back
Is there a recognized form of communicating whilst bowling along?

[eileithyia]

Various signals:- Moving a hand / arm behind back indicates to keep one side, if they use left arm/hand it means there is an obstruction on the left and they are moving to right and vice versa. Pointing down at the road indicates a pothole or similar that could affect your cycling progress... the problem being either left or right side depending on which arm is used.

or of course they could just have been saying **** off and stop hitching a lift on the back of our slipstream.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Well if you are travelling too close to another vehicle whatever you are unlikely to spot a hazard
So I dont like hand signals from other road users, I will use my own eyes.

[easyroller]

Most clubs tend to use similar hand signals to point out hazards or intentions. Helps when you're in a tight formation following the rider in front's wheel. If it was the left hand behind the back pointing to the right it usually means there's an obstruction such as a parked car coming up on the left.



Or he had an itchy back......

[531colin]

Caught up with the back of a large group of club cyclists today - guy on the tail end started giving me funny pointing had signals behind his back
Is there a recognized form of communicating whilst bowling along?

He is pointing you in the direction away from a hazard you are approaching.
So left hand behind back pointing you right means an obstruction on the left.....an alternative is a call of "on the left".
Left arm held at the side with flat palm facing the ground means pothole on the left....an alternative is a call of "inside"
Right hand means pothole on his right, so an alternative call is "middle" for between 2 rows of cyclists, or "outside" for outside both rows.

[Paulatic]

When there is an array of pot holes, as is often the case, we give a circular motion while point to the side they are on.

[jezer]

With the state of UK roads today the shout of 'holes' is happening all the time. Often hand signals are impossible because two hands are required on the bars to maintain control. As an older and experienced club rider I am able to keep very close to other riders in the group. Many others who lack confidence cannot do the same and are put off by the conditions. As a large club we see many riders who turn up on club runs once or twice, but are never seen again. A great shame, I hope they are not put off forever, but I expect some are.

[531colin]

......... hand signals are impossible because two hands are required on the bars to maintain control. ...... I am able to keep very close to other riders in the group. Many others who lack confidence cannot do the same and are put off ...............

How much of these difficulties results from the fashion for ridiculously twitchy steering?

[ANTONISH]

With the state of UK roads today the shout of 'holes' is happening all the time. Often hand signals are impossible because two hands are required on the bars to maintain control. As an older and experienced club rider I am able to keep very close to other riders in the group. Many others who lack confidence cannot do the same and are put off by the conditions. As a large club we see many riders who turn up on club runs once or twice, but are never seen again. A great shame, I hope they are not put off forever, but I expect some are.

Many newcomers and some not so new find it a bit scary riding fast over a potholed road. For the newcomers there are all the new signals and warnings to learn as well as having to keep up. My club has a range of rides from easy to elite level so that new cyclists are able to gain experience and move up to a group that suits them.
I must say that I'm sometimes taken aback by the speed that some racing clubs travel at over bad roads.

[mjr]

Many newcomers and some not so new find it a bit scary riding fast over a potholed road. For the newcomers there are all the new signals and warnings to learn as well as having to keep up. My club has a range of rides from easy to elite level so that new cyclists are able to gain experience and move up to a group that suits them.

And there's always a pressure to "move up" which I don't get and I suspect puts quite a few people off. I wish more racing clubs were open about the existance of touring groups, like tourers are about the racing clubs, as touring could be a good way for novices to learn the calls and see if they can do the distances before they try a 15+mph 50+mile run and get dropped in the back of beyond.

Our very-not-racing touring group uses many of the calls and especially "pot". I think that's to free people up a bit to look around at the views, rather than fear tyre or wheel damage because you weren't watching the road the whole time.

[foxyrider]

Its a fairly universal thing, when i do sportives in Germany they use exactly the same signals and calls (translated of course) and the speed nearly always increases for uneven road surfaces such as cobbles as its more comfortable!

[Cunobelin]

Hi,
Well if you are travelling too close to another vehicle whatever you are unlikely to spot a hazard
So I dont like hand signals from other road users, I will use my own eyes.

The problem is often that a group of cyclists not only restricts that vision, but you also have less time and space to react

A sign makes the whole group aware of an issue and allows a safer response as the whole group knows to move to move right or left as appropriate

[Sweep]

Been a fair while since I've ridden with any CTC groups.

Nice folks of course but some groups did seem to go overboard on the hand signals. Some could make you rather nervous - made it seem as if there was a potential death trap every couple of minutes.

[Ayesha]

Its a fairly universal thing, when i do sportives in Germany they use exactly the same signals and calls (translated of course) and the speed nearly always increases for uneven road surfaces such as cobbles as its more comfortable!

Did they shout "Pferd Scheiße!"?


Cyclists of a certain era will remember "Razinca!"

[pete75]

Obviously your first encounter with the Freemason Wheelers CC.