Moving into gaps

people will always moan.

just keep doing what your doing aslong as its safe.

What did they moan about? What sort of signal did you make? Did you take a hand off the handlebars? Usually a look over the shoulder is considered signal enough.
Sometimes other riders don't want you in the position you want to be, that's inevitable - it's not a club ride after all.
As long as you move over gradually, I don't see a problem. As you said they can still tap you on the hip and if they can't they are too far off the wheel anyway.

Herbsman can't see any issue with the way your ride from what you say think its a perfectly reasonable action in a race & as you said if someone didn't want you there they could easily close the gap a bit and put the elbow out to let you know.

I wouldn't be wanting to take my hands off the bars in a road race to signal anything myself. Thus - I'd look and move.

Sure - if there's no actual gap or it's too small, etc then of course people might moan. But it;s racing and not a club run. You don't have to ask for permission to make a move if you do it safely.

Imposter wrote:

It's good practice to let people around you know what you are planning to do. I frequently signal like that in road races, as do many others. If you don't fancy taking your hands off the bars in a road race, then good luck trying to take a drink on the move

OK - that was a fair comment (about taking a drink). However, I tend to drink when everyone slows up and it's 'safe' - not when flying along. If I was taking my hands off the bars all the time to point to gaps constantly... I would have problems.

But I'm probably not the best bike handler

A look over the shoulder is the signal. No point using your hands.

FWIW all levels of riders do all sorts of different things, many just move in, but equally many good riders also signal too if they want you to let them in. Signalling is not the sign of a noob, as I noticed a few full time riders signal their intent at a race I did recently. I still say on your left, on your right etc if I think that person may not be aware of me moving up, just makes it safer.

Herbsman wrote:

"YOU CAN'T JUST POINT AND MOVE INTO A GAP!"

Hilarious! If anyone leaves a gap it's there for the taking. I'd have answered " we'll I just did so ner ner ner ner na na"

No need to signal or ask, just take the gap, your bike moving into it is the signal.

we are talking about racing aren't we?
i want to beat you, so, if a gap is there big enough and i want it - i would not ask for permission.
as others have stated - it is not a club ride.
it sounds like you have done well Herbsman and like others, i would prefer you keep your hands on the bars while in tight bunches and technical situations.

people shouting in races is sometimes a reflection of their own racing inadequacies, sometimes they have a valid point, sometimes the rants are just a by product of adrenalin and are un-intelligble, perhaps he wouldn't have said anything if you were in team kit - or had shaved legs etc etc - you need to make up your own mind, but on the basis of you have done it for a while (hand signals that is) and its not been commentated on before I would suggest that its cool. The guy left what he acknowledge was a gap, and as someone said earlier - it would be beneficial, for you to fill it. (not withstanding the other valid points about bends etc etc ).
Plenty of riders use hand signals in races - from the TdeF down to the local crit -

I've seen more accidents by people looking over their shoulder in races than as a result of hand signals and opening the hand out to suggest your moving in to a gap doesn't really mean you have any hands actually off the drops.