Correct way of showing that you are slowing down?

[XmisterIS]

I know that if you want to turn, you stick out whichever arm is required, horizontally. I usually point with my finger too.

Anway, just now on the way home I was being drafted by another cyclist, pretty close, there was heavy rush-hour traffic too, and I needed to stop at the side of the road.

Rather than slamming on the anchors and leaving the bloke behind with nowhere to go, I dug deep into the recesses of my memory to try to remember what my driving instructor told me about hand signals, waaaaaay back when I took my driving test as a wee nipper.

Anyway, my brain decided that the correct memory was that I should stick my left arm out straight, palm facing downwards and flap the arm up and down in a vigorous fashion.

I did so for a few seconds, then began braking while still doing the arm flapping, then got passed within a whisker of being hit by the following cyclist who shouted, "Oi! Knob!" at me, and then something else which I couldn't hear.

Was I right or wrong? Did my brain lie to me?!!!

 

[sabian92]

He was a bastard for drafting too close. You shouldn't be so close that you will crash if the guy in front brakes.

I understand the point of drafting is to be close, but there's that then there's too close.

 

[CopperCyclist]

I'd recognise that in a car as slowing down, hence I'd recognise it as the same on a bike. Never ridden with a club/group so don't know if theres a different version.

If he was drafting, you could have done a shoulder check and spoken to him though.

Regardless, he was the knob, not you.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

You were right: that is the correct hand signal.

However, with it being so uncommon these days I'd go with CC advice and given him a shout.

Either way the Highway Code requires that you do not travel so close to the vehicle in front that you cannot stop without colliding.

Which is also common sense: what if you had to stop in an emergency or suffered a breakdown or blow-out?

 

[ManiaMuse]

Slam your brakes on and sue for damages.

 

[Bobtoo]

I used the official signal for slowing down once, in 1978. It got me hornage from the following car and my mates, who I was stopping for, had a right go at me for signalling right when I was pulling in.

I've never used it again and never will.

 

[Origamist]

That is the correct signal, but I believe officially you are supposed to use your right arm (however, this can cause problems as the front brake in the UK is usually operated by your right hand).

I'd shout "Easy" or "Stopping" as hand signals are not universally understood by non club riders or by other road users for that matter.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I know that if you want to turn, you stick out whichever arm is required, horizontally. I usually point with my finger too.

Anway, just now on the way home I was being drafted by another cyclist, pretty close, there was heavy rush-hour traffic too, and I needed to stop at the side of the road.

Rather than slamming on the anchors and leaving the bloke behind with nowhere to go, I dug deep into the recesses of my memory to try to remember what my driving instructor told me about hand signals, waaaaaay back when I took my driving test as a wee nipper.

Anyway, my brain decided that the correct memory was that I should stick my left arm out straight, palm facing downwards and flap the arm up and down in a vigorous fashion.

I did so for a few seconds, then began braking while still doing the arm flapping, then got passed within a whisker of being hit by the following cyclist who shouted, "Oi! Knob!" at me, and then something else which I couldn't hear.

Was I right or wrong? Did my brain lie to me?!!!

You were 90% correct. It should be your right arm. The problem with hand signals is very few people remember them and if you have not had driving lessons there is little chance at all you will know what they mean.

 

[HLaB]

That is the correct signal, but I believe officially you are supposed to use your right arm (however, this can cause problems as the front brake in the UK is usually operated by your right hand).

I'd shout "Easy" or "Stopping" as hand signals are not universally understood by non club riders or by other road users for that matter.

+1 In the clubs I've been in its "Easy" or "Stopping"

Edit: that said a commute is not a club run, there's a time and a place for drafting and thats not it IMO.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I'm no expert, but I think the correct approach is, in an almost single fluid movement, move over to the left, whilst pulling hard on the left brake lever and with the right arm firmly out at about neck height. Having clothes lined the person behind, you can then carry on in peace while they untangle themselves.

 

[Matthew_T]

I would just scream as loud as I could: "I'm ****ing stopping, get off my tail".

 

[BentMikey]

Don't over think or over worry about some idiot's misinterpretation, mate. You did just fine.

 

[Buddfox]

Indeed - if he was drafting you on a commute, he should have been looking out for you slowing and that hand signal would have shown that - either that you were slowing down or moving to the left to pull in. A modicum of intelligence would have led to the conclusion that you were about to undertake a maneuvre - sounds like he was a complete prat.

 

[totallyfixed]

As a club rider the correct method is to shout "stopping" because you know that you will have riders on your wheel, however drafting someone on a commute, especially in a built up area is a no no. If you need to stop quickly then stop quickly, the following rider is the one who will come to grief and unless you have a mirror, or he / she has been there a long time you can't always be expected to know they are there. Second option is to just stop pedalling, third option is to drop them, stop further on and grin at them [whilst trying not to breathe hard] as they come past.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Don't over think or over worry about some idiot's misinterpretation, mate. You did just fine.

+1

Though I think the arm movement is supposed to be a slower, gentler up and down movement, not flapping around like a broken-winged pigeon being chased by a tom cat