Etiquette/signals

The Buster

Did my first sportif a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Prior to the food break we were all bunched and I found it a bit nerve wrecking cycling in group but guess that's something you get used to. Didn't help that I got caught up in a crash and somehow I managed to stay on my feet with fallers all round me!! Much fathered second half when I got to cycle with 1 or 2 others

Some people were signalling / shouting warning what's ahead etc. sometimes I thought it was a bit overboard and there were a constant stream of shouts but suppose better safe than sorry! Anyway doing another sportif in a few weeks and want to try and relax a bit more in group so what is the etiquette for this. Does everyone shout for obstacles, what are the main things to warn for? What about hand signals, again do all riders signal.

Cheers

ROK ON

Problem with cycling signals is that some things mean different things to different people.

I always thought that car up meant car coming up behind you and car on or car back meant car coming tooward you.

I was at a thing a while back where car up was used in the group to mean car coming toward you from the front and coming at you from behind.
I think at a sportif just keep your wits about you as who knows what people mean.

When out with a group ride - simply ask them what their signals are and stick with that.

dragratchet

better to hear 2/3 shouts of the same thing than not hear a call and end up mangling your wheel in a pothole imo.. people do go overboard shouting exactly what the lad one wheel ahead has just bellowed but it does no harm and keeps riders wits about them. i enjoy a bit of shouting actually.

OleRodrigo

This can get a bit annoying - you should keep your eyes open, the same way you do by yourself. Most of the time this is enough to avoid obstacles.

Some roads are so bad you could be calling pothole, gravel surface etc all day.

easygoing39

Theres nothing wrong in calling out potholes or gravel,the experienced club riders/racers will always call out.Same for car up (which should mean a car is coming up from behind the group,to car down,which should mean a car is coming against the group).I've had the mis-pleasure of riding in groups on 2 sportiffs/charity rides this year where no shouts were given,this is a very dangerous situation to find yourself,as no-one like to ride into a bad road surface.

Wishbone Ash

ROK ON wrote: »

...I always thought that car up meant car coming up behind you and car on or car back meant car coming tooward you....

I've never heard anything other than Car Up or Car Down.

UP (your arse) DOWN (your throat).

Grassey

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I've never heard anything other than Car Up or Car Down.

UP (your arse) DOWN (your throat).

Some in my club insist on saying car up (ahead) car back (behind), rather than what you've said above. It's worse when they start reversing the calls mid cycle!

OleRodrigo

easygoing39 wrote: »

Theres nothing wrong in calling out potholes or gravel,the experienced club riders/racers will always call out.Same for car up (which should mean a car is coming up from behind the group,to car down,which should mean a car is coming against the group).I've had the mis-pleasure of riding in groups on 2 sportiffs/charity rides this year where no shouts were given,this is a very dangerous situation to find yourself,as no-one like to ride into a bad road surface.

If you're a nervous rider, it can be reassuring to hear every nook and cranny called out.

68 lost souls

Grassey wrote: »

Some in my club insist on saying car up (ahead) car back (behind), rather than what you've said above. It's worse when they start reversing the calls mid cycle!

That's what I always thought it was/ was told it was. Car up (as in up in front) car back (coming from the back) to me that makes a lot more sense

ROK ON

And this is exactly highlighting the problem.
Different clubs different calls - only a problem if you are at a sportif when many clubs shouting the same thing but mean different things.

It's probably best to stay silent.

Qualitymark

One club used just shout "OIL!!" for a car anywhere!

HivemindXX

As far as I'm concerned the most important call to get right is slowing/stopping. Every time you are cutting your speed use one or the other. If you are braking hard because the guy in front of you did so without warning it also doubles up as a recrimination!

Mehaffey1

ROK ON wrote: »

And this is exactly highlighting the problem.
Different clubs different calls - only a problem if you are at a sportif when many clubs shouting the same thing but mean different things.

It's probably best to stay silent.

Would still be of the opinion that Car Up is one coming towards the riders but six of one half a dozen, the important thing is that the dozing riders in the group wake up a bit.

smacl

OleRodrigo wrote: »

This can get a bit annoying - you should keep your eyes open, the same way you do by yourself. Most of the time this is enough to avoid obstacles.

Some roads are so bad you could be calling pothole, gravel surface etc all day.

Yep, got caught in a bunch on the WW200 year before last that seemed to be issuing instructions non-stop, total head-wreck and I didn't have the pace to ditch them. Skipped a food stop and lost them that way, and made a point of not tagging onto groups subsequently. While I enjoy riding in twos or threes and having a natter, riding in a big bunch led by one or more frustrated middle management / school marm types does nothing for me whatsoever.

ROK ON

^
+1
I used to do a charity thing a few years back. It was enjoyable other than the continual stream of shouts and signals.
I stopped after one of the organisers arrived with a whistle. I kid you not - I simply couldn't take it after that.

Generally I prefer silence. Point holes etc. I only ever call at the back of people need to tighten up - otherwise what's the point.
What is interesting is that the pros shout too. I saw onboard footage from Giant Alpecin when guys are shouting all over the place.

Eamonnator

I did a sportive a few years ago, in Northern Ireland.
I got in with a group, that I thought, would suit my pace, about 10 of them.
After about a minute, I heard a loud whistle blowing. The riders moved up and over. Another minute, same thing. It turned out, the "leader" of the group had a referee's whistle, which he blew to signal the up and over.
It wrecked my head, But God was watching, one of the group punctured, they all stopped. I didn't. Never saw them again.