Which (hand) signal for this?

[Katherine]

I'm enjoying the descriptions of the signals. I've just had a go at this one whilst seated at a table - it looks a bit like tickling an invisible person under the arms, who is seated diagonally opposite. Or if you look along the extended arm it's like you are trying to cast a spell on someone outside the window.

 

[theclaud]

I have a French friend who, in situations where most people would make the universal signal indicating a male self-gratification artiste, does this thing where she raises her hand to just above head height and makes a motion as if she is holding a pear and trying furiously to twist it from the tree. Apparently this is standard in Marseille.

 

[theclaud]

So far the Big Sweep is way in the lead, with a couple of chivvyers and noddists, and a few masters of indescribably subtle body language. Thumbs-ups are not even making the grade.

 

[theclaud]

Nothing. Motorists who flash lights pressure incompetent motorists into endangering other road users. This and all variations of it should be stamped out. If the bus isn't indicating to pull out, I'd probably pass it. If it is indicating, Stagecoach East tend to just pull out then anyway!

Lighten up. People will find ways of co-operating - this is, broadly speaking, a much better thing than a rigid adherence to The Rules. It's true that motorists co-operating with each other often do so at the expense of cyclists and pedestrians, but this is a reflection of the prevailing power relations, not an argument against informal co-operation, which works very well when public space is reconfigured in favour of pedestrians. It's my view that cyclists and buses should be allies, and cyclists are often in a position to facilitate buses pulling out. Holding back cars so that they can do so is small way of disrupting the aforementioned power relations in a positive way.

 

[srw]

Last night, Bromptoming back from to hearing my daughter play in a concert to where I'd left the car far enough out of her university town to be free parking, I came up behind a bus, ready to pull out from the stop, but clearly unsure whether I was going to let it out or not. I was so mesmerised by the coincidence with this thread that I fannied around in the middle of the road, gave no indication to anyone of my intentions, slowed but not enough to be decisive, and resulted in me, the bus, and about three cars behind me all stuck stationary waiting for each other.

Ah! The perils of over-intellectualising.

I haven't the foggiest idea what I do in this situation - which must be one I encounter several times in each commute. I suspect it involves a large dollop of improvisation.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I have a French friend who, in situations where most people would make the universal signal indicating a male self-gratification artiste, does this thing where she raises her hand to just above head height and makes a motion as if she is holding a pear and trying furiously to twist it from the tree. Apparently this is standard in Marseille.

We got the same gesture in Italy: it means " are you soft in the head or what???"
While, hand in front of face, fingers coned together, up and down motion, means "che cazzo fai!!!" ... I'll let youse Google translate it

 

[mjr]

Lighten up. People will find ways of co-operating - this is, broadly speaking, a much better thing than a rigid adherence to The Rules.

Cooperation is good but that's arrogance not cooperation. It's not cooperation because it lessens other people's self-responsibility and ability to self-help, while subverting the openness and transparency of the rules of the road. It's arrogance in acting as if you know best, better than other road users and better than the bus driver who isn't even indicating yet, and as if the world would be a better place if traffic did as you instruct - it's a mini power trip!

 

[swansonj]

Lighten up. People will find ways of co-operating - this is, broadly speaking, a much better thing... .

Cooperation is good but that's arrogance not cooperation. It's not cooperation because it lessens other people's self-responsibility and ability to self-help...

We have a test case in our family: if a neighbour asks to borrow your ladder to access their roof, do you lend it to them? It's happened to both my father and me. I lent it to them. My father refused, partly on grounds of not accepting any liability. I'm guessing @theclaud would lend; @mjray possibly not?

 

[mjr]

What are you on about @swansonj? What's lending a ladder got to do with attempting to direct traffic?

 

[summerdays]

We have a test case in our family: if a neighbour asks to borrow your ladder to access their roof, do you lend it to them? It's happened to both my father and me. I lent it to them. My father refused, partly on grounds of not accepting any liability. I'm guessing @theclaud would lend; @mjray possibly not?

Assuming it was my neighbour and therefore I'd know them, I'd lend it because none of them are stupid, but I wouldn't lend it to someone if I though they would muck around and possibly damage something, or lacking sense, so they would be trying to use it beyond their or the ladders abilities.

As for the bus thing, I was in the car last night and saw the cyclist.... They undertook my car as I was waiting for the bus to pull out and overtook the bus as it started to pull out. Then cycled in a plodding fashion to the next bus stop, as the bus first couldn't overtake due to space until there was no point as he was about to pull in. I stopped at the next traffic lights then watched the cyclist go through then, which summed up that we had different approaches on the road!

 

[Levo-Lon]

Your not responsible for the vehicles behind you..

 

[theclaud]

Your not responsible for the vehicles behind you..

No, but you can influence their behaviour.

 

[theclaud]

What are you on about @swansonj? What's lending a ladder got to do with attempting to direct traffic?

It's a bit of a stretch to describe letting a bus out as 'attempting to direct traffic'. The parallel, I expect, is that you are responsible for your part in the transaction (knowing that the ladder is sound and satisfying yourself that the person is capable of using it, checking that the space you are inviting a bus into is clear), but not for everything that might possibly ensue (someone kicking the ladder away, the person up it dropping something on someone's head, a driver angrily attempting a dangerous overtake of you and the bus)...

 

[Levo-Lon]

No, but you can influence their behaviour.

their behaviour is nothing to do with your actions..try that approach with a claim..
if you caused them to have an accident through your reckless actions then that's something else..

 

[Moodyman]

I play the cricket umpire and give them out. Arm raised forward with the finger pointing to the pavilion straight ahead.