From Deseret.com…
We know the many health benefits of using a bicycle for commuting or recreation. But there are ways to be more aware of surroundings and to get more credit for your efforts.
May is National Bike Month and many will head out on the roads or trails to collect the mental and physical perks that come with a ride. But if some people need convincing, note the cool tech out there to get the most out of rides and help keep cyclists safe.
Crashes injure more than 130,000 and kill nearly 1000 bicyclists on United States roads each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While tracking the number of cyclists killed by drivers in 2020, Outside magazine found that in 26% of those crashes were hit-and-runs.
And while many cyclists have been using Garmin’s rearview radars for years to know if a car is approaching, the company just released an upgrade that may help in hit-and-run cases. The Garmin Varia RCT715 rearview radar and tail light now has a camera. It is always capturing video and if an incident is detected, that footage from before, during and after the event is automatically saved.
Riders will receive visual and audible notifications to warn if a vehicle is coming up from behind, up to 153 yards away. The Varia RCT715 can pair with a companion Garmin device or an app on any smartphone. This could offer a little peace of mind for cyclists and has four hours of battery life. The rearview radar with tail light and camera costs $399.99. The tail light and radar without the camera is $199 and the radar unit alone is $149.
