Safety issue? Debate wanted.

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Dr Dave
Posts: 1503
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 7:09 am
Location: Halfway there

Safety issue? Debate wanted.

Post by Dr Dave »

As a newbie to cycling when I joined the club I became used to the usual 'Car up!' for oncoming cars and 'Car back' for vehicles from behind.
Over the years I have noticed that in most of the rest of the country, and some local riders, instead use 'Car down' for oncoming traffic and 'car up' for traffic from behind.
I have been told this references 'down your throat' and 'up your backside'.
In Scotland the equivalent warnings are 'nose' and 'tail' respectively.
My point in raising this is that 'car up' means 100% the opposite depending on where you come from and that this is potentially hazardous.
The Scottish system has the merit of being one word only and is self-evident with no ambiguity.
Are there grounds for discussing this and, as a club, suggesting an agreed format to avoid confusion and possibly a potential accident?
Keep pedalling!
Tullio
Posts: 812
Joined: Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:40 am
Location: Vicenza

Re: Safety issue? Debate wanted.

Post by Tullio »

Must admit I was always brought up on 'up ya bum' and 'down ya throat' so that just seems logical to me and has been the same in other Clubs I've ridden with. Also, used to using the term 'oil' as a generic for vehicle of any kind rather than worrying about whether it's a car, motorbike, spaceship etc.

It's probably just like language in general at some point someone has flipped it's use and gradually it's become the norm. Or maybe it's a North/South thing and at Watford Gap the compass flips.

Not sure we can try to impose any club policy mandating which to use though. Just keep your wits about you if someone shouts.
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