'I intend to slow down or stop'...
- Thread starter Maz
- Start date
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summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I wouldn't use it.... if I wanted to stop and felt I needed to let a car know then I would just use a short left hand signal. The slowing down signal would leave my hand off the handle bars for too long when I might want them on the brakes to slow down.
I wouldn't use it. When I first started urban cycling in my teens and read up on the HC I used it a few times to shouts of abuse "are you trying to get someone killed" or "get off the road". I think it just draws more attention to oneself and we all know there are a minority of moronic motorists waiting to vent some anger in our direction at the slightest excuse of being out their comfort zone.
Nigeyy
Legendary Member
- Location
- Massachusetts, USA
Yep, that's interesting. I've seen that signal quite often where I ride (Massachusetts). Mind you, they don't believe in a straight right arm out to signal a right turn, you're supposed to use a left arm bent 90 degrees up. Or something like that -but I strongly believe that most motorists have no idea what that means anyway. Probably like the slowing down signal too.
Rhythm Thief
Veteran
It always struck me as pretty bloody pointless, to be honest. I mean, if I want to stop I just indicate (or signal, on the bike) left and, er, stop.
John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
I've used it - on my old commute, I used to stop just after (3 or 4 driveways along) a side road on my left - if i indicated left, cagers would assume I was off down there and whizz past me before I reached my destination. (Dodgy because this was another place where Stockport council had "calmed" traffic by placing a traffic island in the road). I used to do the "I'm slowing down" signal at the side road, and then the left turn signal after passing.
Even if no one recognised the signal, and just didn't pass because they were thinking "WTF?" I got far fewer close calls using the method above.
Even if no one recognised the signal, and just didn't pass because they were thinking "WTF?" I got far fewer close calls using the method above.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Maz said:
It's close to the correct way to signal that turn here in the UK. Only of course it's your right arm (hence left for the Leftpondian above) as a driver, round and round anti-clockwise.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Lots of people don't know what the slow down or stop signal is, but they should!!! It's useful when you're riding a vehicle without brake lights.
Mr Celine
Discordian
- Location
- Waxing my moustache
I haven't used that signal since passing my cycling proficiency test in about 1970.
When I passed my motorcycle test in 1976 I was tested on the full range of hand signals, including left/right turns, pulling in to the right, slowing down and waving other vehicles past on the right. When my son and daughter passed their driving tests the examiner didn't ask then to use hand signals at all. It is only part of the theory test.
Nigeyy
Legendary Member
- Location
- Massachusetts, USA
No, I'm being very serious. Really.
When I first found out (reading the Massachusetts Road Rules) I almost laughed myself. Well, apart from the fact I'm probably one of the very few people in Massachusetts who has read the rules that is.
Which brings me to the other point I made: I'm far from convinced 99% of road users here know what it means anyway!
Now... let me tell you about 4-way stop sign junctions......
When I first found out (reading the Massachusetts Road Rules) I almost laughed myself. Well, apart from the fact I'm probably one of the very few people in Massachusetts who has read the rules that is.
Which brings me to the other point I made: I'm far from convinced 99% of road users here know what it means anyway!
Now... let me tell you about 4-way stop sign junctions......
Maz said:
Maz said:
It is still in many states' rules. It dates back to pre-indicator-of-any-kind cars, when, if you signalled right in the same way you signalled left, you would punch your passenger in his/her left ear, so car drivers stuck their left arm out of the driver's side window and held up the upper arm at right angles.
Since US drivers might be confused by a cyclist signalling right by putting his right arm straight out in the same way as he would put his left arm straight out to signal left, they decided to make the cyclist's right turn signal the same.
Unfortunately, when Wagon Train became popular, it led to large numbers of Connestoga wagons drivers getting confused between the Ward Bond "Wagons Roll!" signal and the rh turn signal, which led to a considerable number of cyclist/covered wagon collisions.
Aren't you glad your ride in the UK?
