I'm back!

Pete Biggs said:

What a good form of transport cycling is. I can't even walk properly but
*can* ride a bike :-)

Yeah - when I broke my leg last year I was cycling before I could
really walk very well.

LSMike said:

More to the point why do you actually signal left? I thought
cyclecraft recommended not to do it

My copy doesn't.

p.65 states:
"The general principle, however, is to signal when, and for as long as,
a signal can convey useful information to another road user"

p.72-73 (the bit you're probably thinking of) states:
"Signalling a left turn might seem an elementary courtesy which is easy
to do. Unfortunately, due to the behaviour of a significant minority of
drivers, this is not always as desirable for a cyclist as it should be.
Some drivers, who themselves wish to turn left, take any indication that
a cyclist ahead of them is doing likewise as an invitation to overtake
at the junction, cutting across the cyclist's path in a very dangerous
manner. Even the primary riding position does not protect a cyclist
completely against this behaviour. Obviously, you should judge the
prevailing conditions for yourself and be courteous to others when
possible, but the general advice is to signal left only immediately
before you turn and when it is unlikely to cause any danger to yourself."

As a matter of courtesy, I will always signal my intentions if it is
safe to do so and another road user is likely to benefit from the
signal. More often than not, if I am turning left there will be a
motorist waiting to turn out of the road that I am turning into. It
makes sense to me to let that motorist know that I am turning and that
he doesn't need to wait for me to go past (it's rare for motorists to
pull out into my path, possibly because I make myself very BIG).

I usually make sure I am well out into the road before I signal left,
which prevents anyone passing me just before I turn. Unfortunately
traffic calming recently installed in the road adjacent to the road that
I live on causes signalling difficulties at my last turning on the way
home. A combination of speed cushions and pavement build-outs means
that, as I pass between cushion and kerb, I am too close to the edge of
the road to be happy about signalling. And if I *did* signal I'd
probably bash my arm on a bollard on the pavement build-out :-(

(BTW, glad you're back on the bike Pete).

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Glad you are well enough to be back on the bike & sensible enough to be
taking it easy :-)

Cheers, helen s

Pete Biggs said:

What a good form of transport cycling is. I can't even walk properly but
*can* ride a bike :-)

Indeedie. I did the knee in last autumn, less seriously than you,
but badly enough that I could neither walk nor cycle for a few days.
I was back on the bike about the same time my (unaided but slow and
cautious) walking crept back up to the mile, but before I felt able
to give up the crutches for carrying a heavy pack on the bus home
from Tescos.

--
Nick Kew

Pete Biggs said:

Back on the bike, that is, three months after breaking my hip and three
frustrating months of no cycling whatsoever.

Excellent news! I hope your recovery continues to go well.

--
Carol
"Mmmmooooowooooff!" - the Moobark, "The Treacle People"

Good Egg!

Very good news indeed Pete.

--
Cheerful Pedalling
John Mallard

Pete Biggs said:

Back on the bike, that is, three months after breaking my hip and three
frustrating months of no cycling whatsoever.

Great news Pete, good to hear. Have fun mate.

--

Call me "Bob"

"Let every man make known what kind of government would command his
respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it"

Henry David Thoreau

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 19:36:25 +0000 someone who may be Not Responding
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I used to always signal left. The only danger (oh, go on then tell me
there are others) in doing so being that someone, knowing your going
left, tries to overtake you on the corner.

Someone coming the other way who thinks it a good idea to turn right
into the road as you turn left into the same road.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

David Hansen said:

Someone coming the other way who thinks it a good idea to turn right
into the road as you turn left into the same road.

I never signal left. Keep 'em guessing is the safest option; that way they
won't risk it.

Monkey Hanger said:

I tend to signal left when the only other traffic is coming from the

road

Quoted message said:

I'm turning onto. They probably won't run you down. Hopefully. If

there's

Quoted message said:

just traffic behind me I sometimes signal at the last moment when

there's

Quoted message said:

no time for them to come round the outside and attempt to kill me.

:-/

Quoted message said:

--
Chris

That's largely my strategy too. I've experienced not just idiots
trying to overtake turning left, but also oncoming traffic thinking it
can turn right into the same road I'm turning left into.
Rrrrrraaaaaagghhhh!!!!!

Danny Colyer wrote:

<snip>

LOL, true, but in many circumstances the priority of my safety is why I
don't signal, and interpret Cyclecraft as effectively meaning not to
signal. A late signal is about as useful as no signal surely? I don't
like the irritation factor it gives to other traffic, but IMO that's a
minor issue if not signalling avoids a dangerous incident.

Excellent news, Pete. Good to hear it.

d.

"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Back on the bike, that is, three months after breaking my hip and three
frustrating months of no cycling whatsoever.

Nice one Pete!

Regards,
Peter B

Danny Colyer said:

I usually make sure I am well out into the road before I signal left,
which prevents anyone passing me just before I turn. Unfortunately
traffic calming recently installed in the road adjacent to the road that
I live on causes signalling difficulties at my last turning on the way
home. A combination of speed cushions and pavement build-outs means
that, as I pass between cushion and kerb, I am too close to the edge of
the road to be happy about signalling. And if I *did* signal I'd
probably bash my arm on a bollard on the pavement build-out :-(

I tended to signal more on the bent due to the lack of weight on the
arms. On the uprights I tend to only signal right, and then only if I
require someone to allow me across the lane and it's busy. Decent road
positioning is enough to indicate your intentions to most drivers with
half a brain... and the others wouldn't notice if your arm was stuck out
anyway!

Jon