On the road, cyclists are especially vulnerable. After all, they do not have a body that protects them from impacts in the event of an accident. They also do not have turn signals or brake lights that alert other drivers about their maneuvers.
Therefore, we must be especially careful if we are behind the wheel of a vehicle and we find a cyclist in front of us. To overtake them, we must hope to have good visibility and be sure that there is no danger. In addition, it is imperative to signpost the maneuver and maintain a distance of at least 1.5 meters from the cyclist.
But, in addition to this important issue, we must pay attention to the movements of the person who is pedaling in front of our car. Their only way of communicating with drivers is through hand gestures, so it is essential to know them to avoid scares or accidents.
This is the best known and is used by the cyclist to let drivers, other cyclists or even pedestrians know the direction of their march. It’s the equivalent of their turn signal, only instead of a flashing light, they hold out their arm signaling which way they’re going to turn.
Another very important signal is when the cyclist indicates to a vehicle that it is going to reduce its speed. It is important to recognize this sign, otherwise we could get too close to the cyclist.
It consists of the extended arm with the palm of the hand facing down and moving it up and down repeatedly.
With this gesture the cyclist indicates that he is going to come to a complete stop, with which caution must be sharpened to avoid reaching or impacting. They indicate this by raising the arm in a 90 degree position and the palm of the hand facing forward.
The cyclist tries to make it easier for the car behind him to overtake, indicating that it is safe for him to pass him, since they have better visibility than the driver behind him. They will do so by extending their left arm, moving it forwards and backwards, encouraging the driver to pass.
In the presence of obstacles on the road that they must avoid, cyclists point to them with their index finger, using their right or left hand depending on where the obstacle in question is.
In the case of bumps, they either extend their arm and move it up or raise their elbows repeatedly. Both notices are especially relevant to communicate with other cyclists.
