I just assume that people won't signal holes, and then, if they do, it's a bonus.
Mind you, there was a chap on a ride a short while back, who, rather irritatingly, signalled road hazards by putting his arm out as if to turn, resulting in a couple of evasive manoeuvres, at least one of which put me through the pothole. I don't think my stoker was grateful....
I'm pretty sure I've never ridden with you, so that wasn't me,
BUT, I've only recently been getting into the swing of riding in company.
I'm very grateful in that respect to wowbagger and delthebike for helping with my early group riding experience.
On the first outing i ever had with others (wow's yellow roads of Essex), del, in particular, had to take evasive action on a number of occassions while I learnt some of the niceties of signalling.
I'm certainly better at hand signals and calling now, but still have much to learn. I'm also already passing on the knowledge to others that I ride with. One chap did, though, interpret my signalling of an obstacle (dead rabbit in the road) as a challenge and promptly
bunny hopped (hoho!) it
.
It all takes time to learn, and more importantly, to feel comfortable with signalling, and sometimes even with the best willin the world, you may be too tied up steering around somethng you saw late to signal it (as i found to my cost on the Essex Roads Spring Lambs sportive, when I had to dodge a vicious pothole by take a 24 mph off road stint through mud and trees, much to the amazement of those that saw - not so much that I did it, but more that I stayed upright, and didn't puncture).
I'm still learning, but getting there. If anyone needs a tutor, I'd definitely recommend following delthebike for a few miles.
Getting back on-topic for a moment, signals at night are going to be fine, I'd have thought: if you're running sufficient lighting to see any potholes etc. if you weren't following someone, you're surely also running enough to see their signals!
Cheers,
Mark