Nachoman

I do. Today I rode with a bunch of clowns that refused to give any hand signals or any verbal warnings for potential road hazards.

After I made up my mind never to ride with these guys again, I ended up hitting a huge pot hole, dead on, that was so easily avoidable had anyone in front of me given any warning at all.

Luckily my rim survived, but I did end up flatting and riding the last twenty miles home solo.

banerjek

You'd ride so close to someone you couldn't react to hazards when you didn't know them at all?

P.S. That means I don't care if they signal or not.

cappuccino911

I agree, why are you riding so close to them that you can't see stuff or if your that close to them, just follow their line and you should miss stuff. Personally as a relatively new cyclist, I'm not always confident to take a hand off the bars when I'm moving around a bad object at speed, I would hope that those behind me would notice that i dramatically veered off line for a reason.

LoCPC

It doesn't bother me, but, it's a nice courtesy when I see one of them point and shake a right hand/arm down at the ground. That at least gives me a brief second to make a small swerve to the left to avoid whatever it is they're pointing at (glass, gravel, car shrapnel, roadkill, etc.).

SBRDude

I never ride with others, so I'm not used to giving signals. If I know someone is behind me, I usually make an attempt, but since there is always a fair amount of debris in some of the bike lanes, I'm not going to point out every last thing.

hao

Point s**t out was probably the first thing I learned about riding...

asgelle

I've found the more experienced and better the group, the less they point out obstacles and call out any vehicle that happens to be within a half mile on the road. The leaders merely gradually move to go around hazards and those behind simply follow them. It's only for the rare, sudden road hazard that anyone has to say anything.

caloso

This has been my experience too. That, and the pavement around here is so crappy that potholes are expected. You ride your featherweight race wheels at your own peril.

umd

I expect people to point out big objects or holes in the road that are slightly off line. Glass is nice too.

Nachoman

Yeah. Checking out a new group today and didn't know any of them.
but even when I ride with my regular club there are always guys showing up that I'm unfamiliar with.
It's a crap shoot out there.

StephenH

I'm used to looking out for myself with stuff in the road.

But what I've noticed is that other people seem to do whatever it is they want to do, not what I want them to do, and you just have to deal with it or ride with someone else. They may be VERY experienced cyclists and still do stuff I think they shouldn't.

Gluteus

I feel your pain. In large group, you can't always see all the dangers ahead.

Equally irritating are those who insist on pointing at every manhole (covered) or little twig, or screaming to announce a car up or car back, a mile away.

JoelS

You should have yelled at them, then left them alone.

Creatre

I don't really mind as long as it doesn't affect my safety. For the major things that could end up causing a wreck or worse, I expect them to be announced or signal's somehow. For the minor things, meh, gets annoying to have all these people doing hand stuff all the time, probably less safe than having the hands where they should be.

umd

All that said, the most common signal on our rides is usually a flick of the elbow.

CrimsonKarter21

Funny, I haven't seen a single elbow flick since I left Belgium.

Personally, I don't care if they point stuff out. if thedy swerve to avoid a pothole, I follow them. I'm always looking up the road on a training ride.
Races are different. The only hand signals should be a push, a punch or a flick of the elbow.

rustybrown

I wave. They never wave back.

Jeepnut22 

This...

Riding with my friends means we try to draft the long hauls, and out duel each other on climbs. When drafting, you HAVE to rely on those in front to signal obstacles, turns and stops. You get yelled at if you don't.

Chris_F

Does the middle finger count as a hand signal?

"Woo Hoo! I'm #1 again!"

DScott

While I feel your pain for the flat, I wouldn't ride that close behind people I didn't know.

pdedes

don't do the clown ride again. a nice group ride = not too much talking, pointing out the big stuff, calm unhurried movements in the draft.
elbow flicks to indicate changes at the front. sometimes a shove on the hip to keep someone in line. agreed that punches in races only.

BikeMech

I don't mind if they don't use hand signals when turning but usually if i'm riding with someone for the first time i just ask them to signal road hazards as i can't see them until it's too late since they're blocking my view. Personally i try to point out every little obstacle unless i don't see it or don't realize in time to call it out.

Cactuskid

I point out things WORTH pointing out, some are annoying pointing at a teeny pebble for Pete sakes lol

fogrider

I hate it when people are constantly calling something out. if you're in front, ride wide of small objects and potholes, those in back should follow and see the objects. yell out only if there is a dog or something that jumps out in front and hard braking is required.

good things to call out:
slowing
stopping; to make sure people know that you are intending to make a full stop
gravel (hard to see)

zazenzach

why is it THEIR fault for you hitting a pothole? you were riding, it's your fault what you hit.

if you didn't have enough time to react, you were to close behind them.