Blind corner overtaking

[Wobblers]

Jeez .... no need to be anti everything you don't know about

from what I've read, it detects cars from approx 100 meters away .... obviously not if the car is around a bend .... even if it does not detect a car, I will still check by looking ....

I also thought it was a gimmick, but people who have them regard them highly .... (read the reviews on Wiggle)

it's better than not having one, and costs £138 from wiggle .... this is for the radar unit on it's own which connects to the Garmin Edge 1000 and similar. If you don't have a Garmin edge that syncs to it, you can get the bundle package which has the seperate display unit which attaches to you handlebars. The bundle costs £239.99 from Wiggle. The radar unit is also a light

I commute over 200 miles a week, so this will come in handy..... if you are 'tight fisted' or don't do high miles, then use your neck to check

While I hope it works out for you I've found that my ears are rather good for detecting rearward cars. They even work round corners! As a bonus, by listening to the engine, you can get a very good idea whether or not the driver's hanging back or just about to charge forwards.

And there is absolutely no subsitiute for looking backwards. Shoulder checks are a vital part of maintaining situational awareness. No technology is a substitute for that.

 

[steveindenmark]

I do high miles and I'm not tight fisted but I don't want any more electronics on my bike. I've managed to detect other traffic by using my eyes and ears for over 50 years. I cant see the point in an electronic radar to tell me what I already know.

If the electronics could help me avoid close passes or blind bend overtaking, it would be worth it. But it cannot.

 

[Mugshot]

I do like gadgets, but radars on a bike? It's an awful lot more expensive than a mirror, and I don't have one of those either.

 

[newfhouse]

there's also this rearviz mirror thingy that I might buy as it's cheap:

Very funny.

 

[Tim Hall]

Looks like a solution in search of a problem to me. What do you do with the information that there's a car 100m away on a straight road?

 

[dim]

I do high miles and I'm not tight fisted but I don't want any more electronics on my bike. I've managed to detect other traffic by using my eyes and ears for over 50 years. I cant see the point in an electronic radar to tell me what I already know.

If the electronics could help me avoid close passes or blind bend overtaking, it would be worth it. But it cannot.

each to their own .... you been cycling for 50 years and still have good ears...

I'm also old, and anything that will make my cycle journey more pleasant and much safer is on my 'radar screen'

 

[Tim Hall]

Anyway, @cardiac case , sorry to hijack your thread. As mentioned up there a bit, ride away from the edge of the road to discourage drivers from overtaking when they shouldn't. And if they still do it gives you space to bail out into if it all goes horribly wrong.

 

[dim]

Looks like a solution in search of a problem to me. What do you do with the information that there's a car 100m away on a straight road?

I become aware that a car is approaching, so if there's a pothole or road debris, or if I need to overtake another cyclist, I will slow down and not veer to the centre of the lane... even if I had the radar, I would still check, but this takes some of the stress away.

It's like having a bike satnav ..... you don't need one as you can use maps, but it makes life easier and the journey more pleasant

I don't have the radar thingy yet, but will update when I get it.

 

[smutchin]

I wondered whether your radar was a useful solution in these circumstances and suggested it may be a poor substitute for good road awareness and positioning.

Your mistake is assuming substitute rather than supplement.

I've found that my ears are rather good for detecting rearward cars.

You are a bat AICMFP.

Yes, sound does travel around corners, but human ears generally are very poor detectors of sound and not to be relied upon as accurate sonar devices. I find that especially in windy conditions, my rearward hearing is very unreliable - I often don't hear cars behind me (though I may be aware of them through looking).

And there is absolutely no subsitiute for looking backwards. Shoulder checks are a vital part of maintaining situational awareness. No technology is a substitute for that.

You too are assuming substitute rather than supplement. Personally, I spend most of my time on the bike looking ahead - anything more than a brief rearward glance will compromise your ability to proceed forwards safely. I don't use a Varia myself but I can see that they might be a useful supplementary aid for those of us who don't have a second pair of eyes in the back of our heads.

 

[steveindenmark]

each to their own .... you been cycling for 50 years and still have good ears...

I'm also old, and anything that will make my cycle journey more pleasant and much safer is on my 'radar screen'

I think its something else to take your eyes off the road ahead. The guy in the clip had 3 screens to distract him. But you are free to spend your money as you wish.

 

[NorthernDave]

Take middle of the lane.
Leave the driver no alternative but to fully cross the centre line. Same when passing traffic islands.
If they think they can get through, lots will push past - deny them the opportunity and they will wait, even if they do it grudgingly.
At least if they get too close, you'll have a bit of wriggle room to move into on the left.

 

[smutchin]

Anyway, to get back on topic, I have the same problem as the OP down here in East Kent - maniacs overtaking on blind bends, often at high speed. In particular the blind bend that is just a couple of hundred metres down the road from my house, and therefore not one I can easily avoid without adding several miles to my 3 mile route into town. It's ruddy terrifying. Even if you do ride well out into the road, many of them will still overtake you.

I have also had the equally terrifying experience of coming round a blind bend to be faced with an overtaking car coming the other way.

I fear the worst is ultimately inevitable but what can you do?

 

[newfhouse]

Your mistake is assuming substitute rather than supplement.

I don't think I'm mistaken.

if you are 'tight fisted' or don't do high miles, then use your neck to check

I read this as substitution, but I could be wrong. Either way, it's not a solution for the OP.

 

[smutchin]

The guy in the clip had 3 screens to distract him.

To be fair, it's a demo. I'd be surprised if he rides with all three devices active all the time. And even if he does, you can't just assume he's looking at them at times when he should be looking at the road (I sometimes go for miles without looking at my Garmin).

 

[NorthernDave]

While I hope it works out for you I've found that my ears are rather good for detecting rearward cars. They even work round corners! As a bonus, by listening to the engine, you can get a very good idea whether or not the driver's hanging back or just about to charge forwards.

And there is absolutely no subsitiute for looking backwards. Shoulder checks are a vital part of maintaining situational awareness. No technology is a substitute for that.

Unless it's one of those new fangled electric cars that sneak up on you like a silent assassin. They really are dangerous.