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1. jackthedog - Member

   During my commute home yesterday I ended up following a local club roadie for a while. Once he clocked that I was behind he started offering hand signals whenever things were happening, when approaching some rough ground, moving out for a parked car etc.

   The only darkside I ever do is the commute. I didn't have a clue what any of it meant so could only guess. And they weren't aggressive or anything, we had a friendly chat at the lights.

   I was just wondering if they're a universally recognised set of signals, or if each club has their own, or if they're just random.

   Posted 2 years ago #
2. Junkyard - Member

   universal but we cant tell it to people who call us darksiders
   Flicking elbow means it is your turn at the front all you need to know

   Posted 2 years ago #
3. therevokid - Member

   and the elbow used indicates which side you are to
   pull the rest of the line through on :-]

   Posted 2 years ago #
4. jackthedog - Member

   Pull the rest of the line through? So the guy who does the elbow flick goes right to the back? Makes sense.

   What dictates the length of time you spend at the front?

   Posted 2 years ago #
5. sofatester - Member

   What dictates the length of time you spend at the front?

   Your fitness!

   Posted 2 years ago #
6. anc - Member

   Most roadies point out road obstacles, potholes, drain covers etc. As its difficult for the rider behind to spot them.

   Posted 2 years ago #
7. joemarshall - Member

   Do you point at the obstacle, or at the direction you are going to avoid the obstacle? I've seen both, but maybe that was just a New Zealand thing?

   Joe

   Posted 2 years ago #
8. clubber - Member

   hand pointing/generally waving to the ground - obstacle/pothole/something coming up on the road

   hand pointing sideways behind the back - parked car/something in the road which you'll have to ride around

   hand in the air - usually puncture (when riding in a bunch)

   open hand waving towards the ground - slow down (eg traffic light's turned red ahead)

   Those are the main ones

   Posted 2 years ago #
9. clubber - Member

   Do you point at the obstacle, or at the direction you are going to avoid the obstacle?

   In the UK and in France, I've never seen anything other than pointing at the obstacle

   Posted 2 years ago #
10. RealMan - Member

    Pointing at the ground, means pothole, drain, roadkill, gravel, etc. Basically something you dont want to ride into/on. If they move their hand while pointing down, it generally is just information on what that thing is shaped like. So if its a long pothole, they might move their hand backwards and forwards, and if its a drain, they might move it in circles.

    Obviously arm out means turning.

    If they put their arm behind them, pointing or waving over, that means theirs a car, walker, horserider etc. on the arm theyre using side, and you should move over.

    Hand behind them, palm facing you, sometimes making pushing motions means slow down.

    Middle finger up in the air, other fingers down, palm facing them means youve done something wrong.

    The actual elbow thing you see on the track and in the TdF doesnt really get used much in the real world.

    A lot of talking as well "car front", "car down", "gravel", "puncture", "road kill", "hole", etc.

    Posted 2 years ago #
11. KINGTUT - Member

    So what is left hand down 3 fingers out? Some guy did this when he overtook me on the road section of the clic24, he was wearing a skinsuit with British Triathalon emblazoned over it if that has any relevance.

    Posted 2 years ago #
12. AndyP - Member

    Middle finger up in the air, other fingers down, palm facing them means youve done something wrong.
    hehehe

    Posted 2 years ago #
13. shoefiti - Member

    So what is left hand down 3 fingers out? Some guy did this when he overtook me on the road section of the clic24,

    Now KINGTUT - are you a 100 percent sure the 'guy' that overtook you was wearing a 'British Triathlon Skinsuit' maybe fatigue jaded your memory?

    

    Posted 2 years ago #
14. RealMan - Member

    LOL

    Posted 2 years ago #
15. jackthedog - Member

    Clubber and RealMan - thank you.

    Posted 2 years ago #
16. Aidy - Member

    club riding sounds like far too much hard work

    Posted 2 years ago #
17. RealMan - Member

    You go faster and its actually easier.

    Posted 2 years ago #
18. Aidy - Member

    it was a bit tongue in cheek for the number of hand signals you have to learn

    Posted 2 years ago #
19. Surfr - Member

    This might help a little although most have been covered.

    http://www.inlandempirecycling.com/Cycling/hand_signals.htm

    Posted 2 years ago #
20. jackthedog - Member

    good link, cheers

    Posted 2 years ago #
21. RealMan - Member

    Nah, everyone knows turning right and left, pointing at the ground is obvious, and so is slow down. I never had anyone teach me them, I just sort of guessed.

    Posted 2 years ago #
22. D0NK - Member

    Guessed some but didn't know the elbow or hand behind your back ones.
    If you're passing parked cars on your left would you put your left hand behind your backpointing to the right?

    Have only done one club ride but have teamed up with other riders on occasion.

    Posted 2 years ago #
23. clubber - Member

    If you're passing parked cars on your left would you put your left hand behind your backpointing to the right?
    

    yes (it'd be hard to do the other way round )

    Posted 2 years ago #

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