I started hand signlaling today

I didnt feel as geeky as i thought i would and i had no problems balancing. Daily 'training' on
downhill courses helped with that I don;t think its really gonna make a difference though. WHen i
didnt signal, I always made it obviosu what I was going to do.

Arpit wrote:
>
> I didnt feel as geeky as i thought i would and i had no problems balancing. Daily 'training' on
> downhill courses helped with that I don;t think its really gonna make a difference though. WHen
> i didnt signal, I always made it obviosu what I was going to do.

When we meet up in a group ride, we do the right things... We drop a closed right fist to say I'm
stopping, flutter open and close a right fist to say I'm slowing down, left or right hand's fingers
pointing down to say there's a <gthumlp!> oops, too late, hole in the road, a wave forward to say
'take the front', or a hand with a pointed finger to say my turn-off is here, good riding with you.

Why then are we so reticent to do the hand-signals that would tell non-bicycle traffic (bicycles ARE
traffic) what we are doing? Admittedly, there's no law anymore that says we have to stick our arms
out to say we are turning (and what should you be expected to do, when you're braking, changing
gears, and steering 'round a corner anyway?)

Guess it's just a matter of pragmatism. I give turning hand-signals so that car drivers don't kill
or seriously injure me. I've pushed the fact that I feel like a complete dork giving hand-signals
somewhere back into my subconscious with the... hey, you don't want to know...

Yep. It's funny and odd, and something that's practical and also philosophical...

With you there, Arpit..

p

Arpit wrote:
> I didnt feel as geeky as i thought i would and i had no problems balancing. Daily 'training' on
> downhill courses helped with that I don;t think its really gonna make a difference though. WHen
> i didnt signal, I always made it obviosu what I was going to do.

I find myself using handsignals only when I want to let other road users know my intentions.

Their use builds better motorist/cyclist relations. I often get a cheery wave when I've signaled to
show that I'm turning off, so that a motorist knows they don't have to wait for me.

John

"Arpit" <DONTSPAMMEF00Lneko4@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
news:atr1qvg6ubt065lfgqg5ssultplk1f0n1i@4ax.com...
> I didnt feel as geeky as i thought i would and i had no problems balancing. Daily 'training' on
> downhill courses helped with that I don;t think its really gonna make a difference though. WHen
> i didnt signal, I always made it obviosu what I was going to do.

I dont care about looking dorky. I care about being alive. If you drive a car and see people in
other cars make moves without signalling it sure irritates me. I provide that level of courtesy. I
am sure most appreciate
it.

Pete

"Arpit" wrote
> WHen i didnt signal, I always made it obviosu what I was going to do.

You waved your arm or something? :-)

Theo

<hello, *waves back*>

__________________
Noli nothis permittere te terere

Well, i just stayed to one lane on busy roads, doing just leeft turns, and using pedestrian
crossings for crossing the 6 lane roads. on notn busy rods, if i was turning id position my bike at
an angle so it was obvious which direction i was going.

On Thu, 30 Oct 2003 23:50:28 GMT, "Theo Bekkers" <theo@bekkers.com.au> wrote:

>"Arpit" wrote
>> WHen i didnt signal, I always made it obviosu what I was going to do.
>
>You waved your arm or something? :-)
>
>Theo

John Doe wrote:
>
> "Arpit" <DONTSPAMMEF00Lneko4@dodo.com.au> wrote in message
> news:atr1qvg6ubt065lfgqg5ssultplk1f0n1i@4ax.com...
> > I didnt feel as geeky as i thought i would and i had no problems balancing. Daily 'training'
> > on downhill courses helped with that I don;t think its really gonna make a difference though.
> > WHen i didnt signal, I always made it obviosu what I was going to do.
>
> I dont care about looking dorky. I care about being alive. If you drive a car and see people in
> other cars make moves without signalling it sure irritates me. I provide that level of courtesy. I
> am sure most appreciate
> it.
>
> Pete

Sorry - "me too" post.

Cars have lights for brakes and turning.

I drive a car (on weekends, mostly.) Brake lights are an involuntary indicator that gives other road
users information about what my car and other cars are doing or intend to do.

Turn lights/indicators also give other road users information about what my car and other cars are
doing or intend to do, but they are activated under the volition of the car driver. If you wanna see
(slow, but nevertheless) hairy traffic, go to (my /furusato/) Tasmania, where using your car's
indicators is the exception instead of the rule (snippet from My Odd Life: "Ah Dad, man, you know I
love you, but you're in Victoria now, and I know everyone's giving us a lot of leeway because you've
got a Tasmanian numberplate, but, please, please, can you use your blinkers when you change lane or
turn corners? I'll still be your loving son if you don't, but FU#KIN' JEEZ-A-FU#KN' CHRXT YIPES,
Dad! Mum, we can vote 2 to 1 let me drive the rest of the way?"

Bikes have neither brake lights nor indicators. This means non-bike-riding car drivers don't have a
clue what we're doing at even the best of times. Hand signals at least give them some information.

OK, so it's
a) just about impossible to give a hand signal when you are cornering+changing gears+braking; and,
b) really dorky to give hand signals.

In a perfect world... well, you know what.

But in the real world, start hand signaling today.

p

ps: did I say this was a "me too post"? Umm, guess I did.

Fred Nieman wrote: correction:
> (snippet from My Odd Life: "Ah Dad, man, you know I love you, but you're in Victoria now, and I
> know everyone's giving us a lot of leeway because you've got a Tasmanian numberplate, but, please,
> please, can you use your blinkers when you change lane or turn corners? I'll still be your loving
> son if you don't, but FU#KIN' JEEZ-A-FU#KN' CHRXT YIPES, Dad!

Should be corrected to: "but... FU#KIN' JEEZ-A-FU#KN' CHRXT YIPES, Dad, you missed that little
Barina also going 110 km/h that was in the other lane that didn't know you were trying to get into
the left-hand lane for the turn-off by f##ckin' millimetres. Dad!"

and i forgot to close the brackets on "Mum, we can vote 2 to 1 let me drive the rest of the way?")
>
> Bikes have neither brake lights nor indicators. This means non-bike-riding car drivers don't have
> a clue what we're doing at even the best of times. Hand signals at least give them some
> information.
>
> OK, so it's
> a) just about impossible to give a hand signal when you are cornering+changing gears+braking; and,
> b) really dorky to give hand signals.
>
> In a perfect world... well, you know what.
>
> But in the real world, start hand signaling today.
>

> p
>
> ps: did I say this was a "me too post"? Umm, guess I did.

oye, where's my slab?

__________________
Noli nothis permittere te terere

Top-posting-a-rama, but...

Your slab? Umm, I don't get it. What did I miss here? Was it the q. about whether there were
actually any twins in The Thompson Twins or Cocteau Twins, or was it about Stanley Knife-ing the
back par6ts of your brake-shoes so you get instant toe-in? (ps: my mum tells me that the bike
path now extends even further than just from the Glenorchy footie club grounds all the way to
the Cenotaph)

Oye (whatever that means) right back atcha, cfsmtb!

p

cfsmtb wrote:
>
> Fred Nieman wrote:
> > Fred Nieman wrote: correction: .
>
> oye, where's my slab?
>
> --
> life ain't much but there's nothing else to do

true, but it's only a little jape, now have your morn coffee after the Sunday ride.

In regards to hand signals, a good acedote on the CM list, watch for a twept in a white ute with tinted windows & rego starting with TBC around the CBD. Dunno about flipping the bird back, but sure wouldn't mind if a flock of seagulls poo'ed on the duco or the driver was swooped on by a hungry Powerful Owl.....

BTW, did anyone else watch the UCI Champs on SBS this morning?

__________________
Noli nothis permittere te terere

Fred Nieman <fred_kneeman@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:3FA26692.D17ED364@hotmail.com...
> Fred Nieman wrote: correction:
> > (snippet from My Odd Life: "Ah Dad, man, you know I love you, but you're in Victoria now, and I
> > know everyone's giving us a lot of leeway because you've got a Tasmanian numberplate, but,
> > please, please, can you use your blinkers when you change lane or turn corners? I'll still be
> > your loving son if you don't, but FU#KIN' JEEZ-A-FU#KN' CHRXT YIPES, Dad!
>
> Should be corrected to: "but... FU#KIN' JEEZ-A-FU#KN' CHRXT YIPES, Dad, you missed that little
> Barina also going 110 km/h that was in the other lane that didn't know you were trying to get into
> the left-hand lane for the turn-off by f##ckin' millimetres. Dad!"

to the irritating politically correct versions...
---
DFM

"cfsmtb" <spamspamspam@spambakedbeansandspam.com.tas> wrote in message news:3fa47481
> BTW, did anyone else watch the UCI Champs on SBS this morning?

AWWWWW WHAT?! Did I miss another SBS cycling thingo?!

Damn! When are they gonna start promoting these things properly? I suppose I have to check their
website weekly or something to find out when stuff is being covered?

hippy mumble moan groan no ride this weekend sob moan

hippy <sbirnie@NOSPAMbigpond.com> wrote in message news:bo2q2k$15mr$1@otis.netspace.net.au...
> "cfsmtb" <spamspamspam@spambakedbeansandspam.com.tas> wrote in message news:3fa47481
> > BTW, did anyone else watch the UCI Champs on SBS this morning?
>
> AWWWWW WHAT?! Did I miss another SBS cycling thingo?!
>
> Damn! When are they gonna start promoting these things properly? I suppose I have to check their
> website weekly or something to find out when stuff is being covered?
>
> hippy mumble moan groan no ride this weekend sob moan

T'was a ****ty, ****ty weekend for it. I missed out on critical mass Friday, because I wasn't
prepared to take the crazy bike through the city across wet tram tracks in high winds in the pissing
rain and heavy traffic. Dammit, there had better be a decent few days this week, coz my bums sore
from watching videos inside!!!!

Currently working on a new silly bike. Just finished building it today. Found the tiniest kids bike
frame I have ever seen, and put an 800mm seat post on it to make it rideable!!! Crank length is
about 100mm or something...
---
DFM