Do you remember your first group ride? Up front an arm goes out, someone points at the ground – and you’re left guessing what it means. Everyone has been there. Hand signals aren’t for show: they protect the person behind you. Here are five situations that come up on almost every ride – each with its signal and the short call that goes with it.
Why signal and call belong together
In a group you mostly see only the back of the rider in front of you. The leader spots a pothole, a parked car or someone braking long before the sweeper does. But a hand signal is only seen by whoever is directly behind – and only if they happen to be looking. A short call, on the other hand, is heard by the whole group, even on a bend, in the half-light or when someone is glancing at their bike computer. The safest option is both: show it and say it. And whoever sees a signal passes it back.
Five situations, five signals
1. Stop!
The front is stopping, for example at a junction or for a break. Signal: arm stretched downwards, palm facing back. Call: “Stop!” Then brake gently, never abruptly – otherwise someone will ride into your back wheel.
2. Slow!
It’s getting narrow, steep or hard to see ahead. Signal: arm angled downwards, move your hand up and down. Call: “Slow!” Ease off evenly so the group doesn’t bunch up.
3. Hole right!
A pothole, a drain cover or loose gravel on the right. Signal: point at the obstacle with your right hand. Call: “Hole right!” Ride past it on the left – and pass the signal back. If the obstacle is on the left, point with your left hand.
4. Left turn!
The route turns left. Signal: stretch your left arm out to the side. Call: “Left turn!” Look back over your shoulder first and signal in good time. Here, by the way, the signal is more than a group habit: in Switzerland, anyone turning or changing lanes must indicate this clearly and in good time – on a bike, with your arm. The Swiss Federal Supreme Court confirmed this in 2024 in a case involving an e-bike.
5. Single file!
Oncoming traffic, a narrow road or a car that wants to overtake. Signal: arm raised, index finger pointing up. Call: “Single file!” Ride one behind the other and keep your distance.
Tips if you’re new to the group
- Agree on the signals before you set off. Not every group uses exactly the same ones. A quick word during the 5-minute check before the ride saves misunderstandings on the road.
- Ride at the back to begin with. Watch how the others do it, and ask. Your confidence grows with every ride.
- Only signal when it’s safe. When you need both hands on the bars – braking, on gravel or in strong wind – the call comes first.
- Pass on what you see. A signal that gets stuck in the middle of the group is no use to the sweeper.
- Keep it short and calm. “Hole right!” is better than a long sentence. If you call calmly, you won’t spread any panic.
When can you ride along?
VOXPEERS is coming to the stores soon. We’ll only announce a firm date once everything is just right. If you want to be there from day one, sign up here – we’ll be in touch as soon as it starts. And why calls matter even more at dusk is explained in Clocks go back: riding safely at dusk as a group.
Overview, not legal advice. As of November 2026. The signals for stop, slow, obstacle and single file are common group habits, not signals laid down by law. Indicating a turn: Swiss Federal Supreme Court, judgment 6B_301/2024.