pdlamb

After Iride posted, "How silly of me to think that tucking in a bit closer is hugging the curb."

Aside from using different words (aka paraphrasing), tucking in to the curb sounds a lot like hugging the curb to me. Can you explain the difference?

Seattle Forrest

I know when I'll be able to merge into traffic and when I won't because it shows me where the gaps are.

Think about what I'm about to say, and you'll understand.

I don't even bring the Varia with me when I ride a MTB on trails where cars can't go.

How many thousands of miles of riding in traffic with rear view radar is your opinion about it based on?

njkayaker

You ignored the “bit closer” part.

If “a bit closer” sounds like “a lot closer” to you, that’s your problem.

Iride01 

So you trust it enough to not look? I'd still look.
That seems sensible. Whether someone does or doesn't, it wouldn't matter to me. Whether on the trails or on the highway with motor vehicles. As I said, I like Varia radar. Much more so than I'd like a mirror. I just don't see that I need it as it doesn't change the way I behave.

Not much at all in urban traffic except for a few brief times. Between having to look at all the jumble of cars in front of me and those pulling out of parking lots, it just makes more sense to assume someone is behind me instead of diverting my gaze to look at a device on my bars.

For most of last year I rode with my son and had my 530 connected to his Varia. I don't know how many miles we rode together but about a third of the time we did. Maybe a 1000 miles or tad over. But he has had his Varia since about 2018 and when riding with him, he announced as soon as he got warning. Though frequently, that was the same time my ears picked up the tire and wind noise of an approaching vehicle.

So while I'm not an expert at them, I'll put out what my opinion is from my perspective. If any other has different opinions, that's fine. I'd like to discuss them so I can understand if there is a fault with my reasoning or if it's just a difference of how one wants to handle their safety or other habits.

Seattle Forrest

​​​​​​The question isn't do you look behind you or not look behind you, it's how often and when.

Sometimes a parked car has a person inside. If they open the door at the wrong moment and you're too close, "the door prize" can send you to the hospital. Your position in the lane is a balance of traffic behind you and avoiding the possibility of getting doored, among other things. You need to be aware of traffic, including where a gap you can move into is, but you also need to be aware of those parked cars looking out for things like the blinkers and brake lights, or for the reverse lights to flash for a second while a person is parking because they're about to get out.

I knew a guy who crashed when a dog and then a kid ran out into the road from between two parked cars. After a ball. Hazards come from all directions. Parked cars can block your view which means things can happen when you have less reaction time which means eyes on the road.

In heavy urban traffic there are always gaps because people can't agree how fast to drive. Already knowing what's going on means I'm not looking backwards taking it all in trying to come up with a plan, I'm confirming what I already know for safety at a moment when it's safe and convenient to look behind me.

​​​​​​In busy traffic the questions you want the radar to answer are how the cars are spaced and if any are going fast enough to want to wait for them to go by. Not whether there's a car at all.

pdlamb

Next time I need to know "how long is a piece of string?" I'll drop you a line.

banjaboy

No, thats not the reason..I do a lot of solo out in quieter traffic areas, To have audio and visual warning someone is coming up on you fgor me, helps. The light also flashes rapidly when it senses a car coming up on . I am considering some type of rear camera also. I have been riding 55 years and this item is one of the best bits of kit I have used.