Giving drivers the all clear

[doogle84]

I'd be interested to hear any views on giving drivers behind the thumbs up to say "it's ok to overtake".

My commute is pretty much all hedge-lined B roads. There are a number of blind corners and crests. When a car approaches behind and slows down to wait, I'm often tempted to give them the thumbs up once I move into a position to see down the road (due to sitting higher on approaching the crest of a hill or being further to the left for a right hand bend) to give them a head start on overtaking me.

Pros

- It seems good manners and a nice way of saying thank you for waiting
- Helps to builds a better relationship with drivers who find it easy to get impatient behind a bike (particularly the speed I go up hills!)
- They spend less time looking at my sweaty backside

Cons


- Is it illegal?!
- Could it lead to some kind of liability should an accident happen? E.g. the driver takes an age to react to my signal, pulls out before they can see, in the meantime another car has appeared coming the other way at 90mph and the driver overtaking fails to see my frantic arm waving.


These days I suspect it's safest to do nothing. I'm currently taking some exams (so watching a lot of daytime TV) and the world seems overrun with personal injury lawyers, double glazing and Spam for some reason.

 

[Spinney]

I think the driver has ultimate responsibility.

I have done this in the past, and got cheery waves for my trouble. But I have also done it a few times when, as you say, the driver takes ages to react and then it is no longer safe. I don't do it anymore, for all the reasons you say.

If someone has been behind me for a while, I try to find a gate or wider bit of road to pull into to let them past.

(Not that I ever need a brief rest... )

 

[yello]

Common practice for cyclists to wave a driver through here in my part of France - even around bends or over hills where the driver cannot possibly see the road ahead. It makes me nervous to be honest because I wouldn't do it. I'd prefer the driver to make their own decisions unaided.

But as has often been remarked, the motorist-cyclist culture here is different. Perhaps the degree of mutual trust and respect allows such a thing to happen.

 

[Scoosh]

I often ride in Primary until it is clear to overtake, then move to Secondary, give a big wave-through signal when I can see it is clear - and frequently get a toot/wave of acknowledgement

.

If the car is too slow, I will (urgently

) wave them back in again and move out to Primary.

The onus always rests with the driver of the car as to when/if it is safe to overtake - just like always on the road.

 

[numbnuts]

I will normally hold my arm out, palm facing back, to tell a driver that it is unsafe to pass. I will very rarely tell them that it is safe to pass because that is their decision.

I do the same, but only on country lanes, on normal roads - sod them

 

[Matt_Sheffield]

I tend not to wave drivers past, but if I feel under threat or as if a driver won't have seen something dangerous ahead then I'll put my right hand straight down my side and hold my palm to the back.

I think the signal means that I'm stopping but it seems to work well at holding drivers back!

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Any driver who makes a risky manoeuvre because someone else says it's OK is asking for trouble. We see this problem a lot when someone gives way to another driver and that other driver then proceeds without making any of the checks that they should and normally would.

 

[2Loose]

I too like to give the thumbs up to thank a driver who has taken it upon themselves to be considerate and hang back rather than attempt a squeeze past.

I never see it as a 'now you can go', more of a 'thanks for thinking of me.'

 

[cyberknight]

I often wave drivers by after i crest the top of a bridge if i can see there is no oncoming traffic .

 

[Matthew_T]

I always wave drivers by to show them that it is clear to overtake. I do it all the time on country roads where I am in a higher position than them and can see over hedges. There is nothing illegal about it, just good manners.

In the end though, it is up to the driver to overtake. You might get a bit confused if the driver doesnt follow your instructions but in the end, thay dont have to. Its just common courtesy to allow people to pass you where they might not have if you hadnt done anything.

Carry on being a friendly and courteous cyclist and make yours and others lives a bit better.

 

[Chutzpah]

I'm another one in the "do it from time to time" camp. But with the caveat that I only do it when I am *100%* sure there is nothing coming, which like Matthew T says sometimes you can tell. I too cycle a lot in lanes and country roads. In fact, I did it just today.

On the other hand, I would never do it in town.

I'm also not afraid to use the palm out "don't you dare as you'll kill me and yourself" gesticulation, as well as pull over at a passing point or farm gate to let a patient driver pass. I think it's just polite and I like to think that the driver will be nice to the next cyclist they meet on their journeys.

The weird thing about the "stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop" hand signal always seems to go down well in the countryside. I often feel that drivers are more courteous in the countryside than when they're just trying to accelerate to the next set of traffic lights in town.

But to be clear, I only wave a driver to pass when I am 100% sure there is absolutely nothing coming. If I'm not sure, I don't do a thing.

 

[XmisterIS]

I will normally hold my arm out, palm facing back, to tell a driver that it is unsafe to pass. I will very rarely tell them that it is safe to pass because that is their decision.

Last time I tried that, the w**ker sat one inch from mr rear wheel, beeping at me.

 

[HLaB]

Usually positioning is enough for most drivers but I do wave the odd one through; I don't do it unless I'm 100% sure though the road is clear.

 

[edindave]

I will normally hold my arm out, palm facing back, to tell a driver that it is unsafe to pass. I will very rarely tell them that it is safe to pass because that is their decision.

I tried that on a blind bend just outside Dumfries on the Stage 1 Tour of Britain challenge ride, only to be rudely and closely overtaken by Range Rover reg "4LYS" who then had to brake sharply as there was a group of horse riders about 20m in front of me. He then proceeded to speed at high revs past them too.

That's my only memorable negative experience to date.

 

[Matty]

Nah, I wouldn't do it. Just in case it goes wrong, 'oh, cyclist waved me through .......'. A thanks afterwards is sufficient and should be encouraged. It is up to the driver to judge whether it is safe to overtake or not.