Warning bikes behind of danger
Discussion
Pica-Pica said:
LF5335 said:
Pica-Pica said:
If I was riding, and I thought the bike behind was likely to overtake into danger. I would, pull out, gently weave a bit to occupy the lane, give a slow down signal (arm out, and moved up and down), and then a thumbs up to show a friendly intent. After that, it’s their risk.
You’re going to take this the wrong way, so I might as well be blunt. Shove your actions where the sun doesn’t shine. You have no idea of the ability of the rider behind you, they may be much, much better than you and the last thing they need is some self-appointed Road Captain deciding for them what’s safe and what’s not. I’m firmly with the others who have said to do nothing and let things play out.
Why does anyone think how others ride has anything to do with them?
As I see it, there is a big difference in signalling a danger to a biker that's following you, and signalling to a biker who's just caught you up and is about to overtake.
My first instinct if I was the biker following would be to understand them as "watch out for this when you get here" for the first and "don't overtake me" or "you're riding too fast" for the second. In the same category as the driver who flashes his lights after being overtaken.
So whilst it's well intentioned, I'd leave any overtaking rider to make his own observations and preparations for overtaking a series of vehicles.
My first instinct if I was the biker following would be to understand them as "watch out for this when you get here" for the first and "don't overtake me" or "you're riding too fast" for the second. In the same category as the driver who flashes his lights after being overtaken.
So whilst it's well intentioned, I'd leave any overtaking rider to make his own observations and preparations for overtaking a series of vehicles.
LF5335 said:
Pica-Pica said:
LF5335 said:
Pica-Pica said:
If I was riding, and I thought the bike behind was likely to overtake into danger. I would, pull out, gently weave a bit to occupy the lane, give a slow down signal (arm out, and moved up and down), and then a thumbs up to show a friendly intent. After that, it’s their risk.
You’re going to take this the wrong way, so I might as well be blunt. Shove your actions where the sun doesn’t shine. You have no idea of the ability of the rider behind you, they may be much, much better than you and the last thing they need is some self-appointed Road Captain deciding for them what’s safe and what’s not. I’m firmly with the others who have said to do nothing and let things play out.
Why does anyone think how others ride has anything to do with them?
Pica-Pica said:
In the opposite aspect, do you believe that while travelling at close to the posted limit, signalling left for an upcoming fast bike or car, and giving them room (and the understanding that you are aware and prepared for them) to overtake is unhelpful? Any that have passed me have shown thanks with a thumbs up.
Not really. I hate it when cars pull over and spray me with all the crap from the gutter. I’m also more than capable of managing my own ride and overtaking as and when I see fit, without the person in front trying to decide it for me.. I acknowledge and thank car drivers who just carry on driving normally and let me pass when I want to. I dislike when the person in front starts doing something thats not their normal riding, that’s when things can go wrong as the rider in front makes a mistake and clips the gutter themselves. Just focus on your own ride and stop worrying about everyone else.
On bicycles it’s convention to point at the floor on whichever side the hazard is. Usually pot holes or broken glass.
On a bike you obviously need your right hand but you could gave pointed at the car.
Not sure if it would have worked & obvious risk of misinterpretation.
I don’t motorcycle but do cycle, so am generally pretty bike aware & try & make room for filtering etc.
Good shout above though about not chucking up gravel & dust while being ‘thoughtful’.
It’s the same when cycling, you drive your car, I’ll ride my bike, awkward ‘consideration’ is hazardous to everyone.
On a bike you obviously need your right hand but you could gave pointed at the car.
Not sure if it would have worked & obvious risk of misinterpretation.
I don’t motorcycle but do cycle, so am generally pretty bike aware & try & make room for filtering etc.
Good shout above though about not chucking up gravel & dust while being ‘thoughtful’.
It’s the same when cycling, you drive your car, I’ll ride my bike, awkward ‘consideration’ is hazardous to everyone.
My main thinking is to make sure I'm not part of the problem. If you're leaving a safe gap, positioned sensibly etc you're allowing any following rider as much information as possible. I wouldn't want to try and make decisions for other people and its very difficult to be sure that you're getting the right message across in the heat of a developing situation. I think the situation as described is too dynamic to try and do anything other than ensure your riding isn't compromising you or anyone else.
This is a world away from a situation such as a car broken down round a blind bend in the opposite lane to the direction you are travelling in, and trying to warn oncoming riders / drivers of there being an unsighted obstruction (I would do the "slow down" gesture)... I don't even know what the sign would be for "the bloke in front is a bit of lunatic".
Other point of note is rear observations, I've had people arrive on my rear quarter without seeing them coming. That's an area of my riding that I'm mindful of wanting to keep improving.
This is a world away from a situation such as a car broken down round a blind bend in the opposite lane to the direction you are travelling in, and trying to warn oncoming riders / drivers of there being an unsighted obstruction (I would do the "slow down" gesture)... I don't even know what the sign would be for "the bloke in front is a bit of lunatic".
Other point of note is rear observations, I've had people arrive on my rear quarter without seeing them coming. That's an area of my riding that I'm mindful of wanting to keep improving.
Hungrymc said:
My main thinking is to make sure I'm not part of the problem. If you're leaving a safe gap, positioned sensibly etc you're allowing any following rider as much information as possible. I wouldn't want to try and make decisions for other people and its very difficult to be sure that you're getting the right message across in the heat of a developing situation. I think the situation as described is too dynamic to try and do anything other than ensure your riding isn't compromising you or anyone else.
This is a world away from a situation such as a car broken down round a blind bend in the opposite lane to the direction you are travelling in, and trying to warn oncoming riders / drivers of there being an unsighted obstruction (I would do the "slow down" gesture)... I don't even know what the sign would be for "the bloke in front is a bit of lunatic".
Other point of note is rear observations, I've had people arrive on my rear quarter without seeing them coming. That's an area of my riding that I'm mindful of wanting to keep improving.
I often catch myself after an overtake on the bike and wonder if I did all of my checks for other bikes overtaking. This is a world away from a situation such as a car broken down round a blind bend in the opposite lane to the direction you are travelling in, and trying to warn oncoming riders / drivers of there being an unsighted obstruction (I would do the "slow down" gesture)... I don't even know what the sign would be for "the bloke in front is a bit of lunatic".
Other point of note is rear observations, I've had people arrive on my rear quarter without seeing them coming. That's an area of my riding that I'm mindful of wanting to keep improving.
A motorcycle rider using the 'slow down' hand signal probably saved my life when I was about 20. There is a country road over the moors not far from where I live which is a national speed limit road. There is a long downhill stretch where you can easily pick up speed, so I'm heading down hill and a motorcyclist coming up the hill makes the slow down gesture then points back down the hill. Nothing else in site so far, but I slowed down anyway.
At the bottom is a slight left hand kink flanked either side by a stone wall, and right on the apex of the kink was lone sheep just stood there minding it's business. I would likely have swerved or hit the sheep and gone clattering into the stone wall. In a 1996 Toyota Starlet Glanza, I don't think I would have faired too well.
Always used the same signal since then to help out where possible.
At the bottom is a slight left hand kink flanked either side by a stone wall, and right on the apex of the kink was lone sheep just stood there minding it's business. I would likely have swerved or hit the sheep and gone clattering into the stone wall. In a 1996 Toyota Starlet Glanza, I don't think I would have faired too well.
Always used the same signal since then to help out where possible.
I'm not sure there's a guaranteed way of giving a signal that won't be misinterpreted, in particular when it's concerning a fast approaching bike who wasn't previously "in convoy". Feels like a good chance of them thinking you're a road captain who just objects to their speed.
Car driver shouldn't have gone for the overtake with the bike already making his, no, but if the biker was properly steaming up behind all of you at warp speed, in my opinion it very much highlights the risk of going outside what other road users expect - most people in a 60 limit are going to be making their observations on the basis of that being about the speed people are doing, maybe a bit higher. Something small like a bike coming up at a fair rate chunk over that has a higher risk of being missed or the approach speed misjudged.
This isn't about whether you "should" pull big numbers on such a road, or whether they "should" make better observations and spot you in such a scenario, more about considering the realities of being around other road users in the interest of self preservation.
Car driver shouldn't have gone for the overtake with the bike already making his, no, but if the biker was properly steaming up behind all of you at warp speed, in my opinion it very much highlights the risk of going outside what other road users expect - most people in a 60 limit are going to be making their observations on the basis of that being about the speed people are doing, maybe a bit higher. Something small like a bike coming up at a fair rate chunk over that has a higher risk of being missed or the approach speed misjudged.
This isn't about whether you "should" pull big numbers on such a road, or whether they "should" make better observations and spot you in such a scenario, more about considering the realities of being around other road users in the interest of self preservation.
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