Hand signals?

[GuyBoden]

Hand Signals, who uses them?
https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/technique/essential-guide-road-cycling-hand-signals-calls/

Slowing down.

Stopping.

Pothole.

Indicating.

 

[Smokin Joe]

When necessary I do. Be predictable and avoid conflict.

 

[GuyBoden]

I've always thought that the slowing down signal can easily be interpreted as an indication to turn by other road users.

 

[Threevok]

I only tend to use them at roundabouts

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Hand signals are interesting to me. I notice lots of secret signalling going on at the beginning of the shorter 100km Audax rides. Towards the end, not so much. And I rarely see any at all on the 200km events. There must be some bigoted explanation.

 

[pjd57]

On led rides , the ride leader will put an arm straight up , not to stop , but to ask their assistant to come up front beside them , usually at a junction.


I usually indicate and will point at potholes when out with others.

Never use the slowing down signal

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I use left and right arm signals when approaching junctions, plus I always wave to acknowledge anyone who has stopped to leave a gap for me to turn across or get through when coming the other way. I don't bother with other signals, because a lot of others would not understand the intention of them. Being polite means the other driver is more likely to make room again next time, and minimises negative motorist attitude towards cyclists.
I myself hate other road users who are rude and don't signal their intentions, so it's reasonable to assume other road users likewise expect me to signal and acknowledge courtesy.

 

[Profpointy]

It's often, maybe usually, best NOT to signal left when cycling as it tends to encourage stupid overtakes, or clowns left hooking you into the turn

 

[Threevok]

It's often, maybe usually, best NOT to signal left when cycling as it tends to encourage stupid overtakes, or clowns left hooking you into the turn

Indeed.

On a roundabout, I will only signal my intentions to go straight ahead, and only then when I am reaching my exit.

This is more a politeness to people approaching the roundabout, so they don't slow down or stop just for me.

 

[Crackle]

Not the stop one but I've used and do use the others. It's becoming more difficult to indicate at junctions as the road surface is so bad in places that taking a hand off the bars is not an option.

 

[GuyBoden]

Shouting, "I'm stopping" is sometimes more effective.......

 

[Alan O]

I indicate turns, when it's safe for me to do so.

I remember one time when I turned left without indicating (uphill, sharp left, narrow lane, both hands needed on the bars). A driver followed me on the same turn, and someone in the car rather snottily shouted "You're supposed to use hand signals."

So I used a hand signal.

And he still wasn't happy.

You can't please some people.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It's often, maybe usually, best NOT to signal left when cycling as it tends to encourage stupid overtakes, or clowns left hooking you into the turn

Not signalling left then veering off without warning also tends to irritate other road users though. Presumably as a cyclist you expect motorists to signal their left turns? Well, they also expect us to signal the same! The Highway Code says something along the lines of "always give a signal where it would be useful to another road user". It applies to everybody.

 

[smutchin]

There was one point on what used to be my regular commute where signalling was problematic - a right turn halfway down a steep descent. It's simply not possible to signal right and operate the front brake at the same time.

The solution was to signal well in advance of the turn, move across towards the middle of the road to prevent overtaking, then return my hand to the bars in time to brake. I did on occasion have idiots overtake me who seemed to assume that because I was returning my hand to the bars I was deciding not to turn right after all.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I have to, on my led group rides. You soon learn what happens if you don’t. Even when I’m riding solo, most of the hand signals are a good idea: