I fear for my life cycling in Thailand saw the Garmin Varia bike radar - anybody used it?

[nglodnig]

Title says it all I think. The carnage on the roads is frigthening - drunk/yaba drivers killing indiscriminately, no end in sight - no effective policing. Horrific stories like the woman drunk five o'clock in the morning in Chiang Mai who ran over a group of cyclcists and got off with a wai basically. 

 

So, I've got a mirror on my bike, I figure on getting a radar fitted to it so I have a chance to get out of the way. Anyone used this and have they even been used "in anger" so to speak?

[BE88]

I don't think that a radar can save your life as it would continuously give false information as the cars or motorbikes coming from behind you continuously graze with relatively few tens of centimeters on your right.

Cycling in your home seems to me the least risky????

[Henryford]

You are very brave to even think about cycling in Thailand. It's dangerous enough on a motorbike. Reminds me of the sad story about a couple who decided to cycle around the world. They had almost finished their tour and were cycling the last leg in Thailand. You can guess the rest, killed on the road.

[nglodnig]

OK so I know it's dangerous so thanks but I don't need reminding of that.

 

Has anyone actually USED a bike radar in Thailand?

[StreetCowboy]

How early are you going to jump when the radar alarm beeps?
Which way are you going to jump?
  

[nglodnig]

2 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

How early are you going to jump when the radar alarm beeps?
Which way are you going to jump?
  

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it

[Chomper Higgot]

On 11/28/2022 at 2:50 PM, nglodnig said:

OK so I know it's dangerous so thanks but I don't need reminding of that.

 

Has anyone actually USED a bike radar in Thailand?

I borrowed a friends bike and Garmin Radar to give it a try, I found it more of a distraction than a help.

 

To me the biggest danger is taking your eyes off the road ahead, with this in mind I start my ‘Polar’ head unit as I leave town and switch it off again when I arrive back at the town boundary. I do not want to be distracted when I’m traffic.

 

Strava tells me I rode just over 14,000km last year, 11,000 of which were in Thailand.

 

I plan my routes to avoid traffic, very seldom do I ride on main or busy roads and when riding in town I go at a very slow pace.  
 

In over 20 years of cycling in Thailand I’ve had four accidents, once knocked off by a dog, brought down by motorbike cutting in front of me and two ‘pile up’ accidents while racing. 
 

That’s comparable with my accident rate in Europe.

 

Choose quiet roads, keep your eyes and ears open and of course wear a helmet.

 

 

 

[Black arab]

Cycle on quiet roads, keep your wits about you and enjoy, 7 years cycling here in isaan so far no problems.

[StreetCowboy]

Don’t cycle when you’re paralytic with drink.

 

If I were you, I would listen more to the people who have had accidents than those who have not…

Good habits are hard to emulate, but with advice, you can spot bad practice before it becomes a habit.

[nglodnig]

7 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

Don’t cycle when you’re paralytic with drink.

 

Wow! Good advice. That's an important safety note I might have missed ???? 

 

P.S. the great thing about cycling is when drunk you lose your sense of balance and you CAN'T cycle - built-in safety feature eh? ????