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0 pointsdownut3y ago0 comments

I am literally dressed and ready to head out for a 3000' training ride with tight twisty descents and IMHO it is quite suicidal to look down at a map when anything like you describe might happen. If I was a riding with you and I noticed you doing what you claim you need to do I would stop, let you go on, and if I didn't hear any crunching noises, resume, never to ride with you again.

Apex "civilization": people trust a fucking tiny map off in some other direction than they are traveling in lieu of the data streaming realtime right into their goddam eyes.

So you're looking at that fucking map, and what do you do when the squirrel/deer/javalina/pile of lumber discard appears in front of you?

I should delete this but no I am going to descend Thumb Butte road in a fury now.

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Brian_K_White3y ago

Information is always useful. Your objection to it doesn't matter.

I hope you don't drive a motor vehicle without looking in the mirrors because gasp you are moving forwards at 80mph and need to be looking that way!

loeg3y ago

It’s obviously not the information that’s the problem, it’s looking away from the road surface even for an instant.

Cars protect the driver substantially more than bikes and car tires handle small debris in corners substantially better than bikes. Also the rare road surface that supports 80 mph speeds has relatively shallow corners and is closed to bikes. It’s a useless comparison.

frankhhhhhhhhh3y ago

Here's a stage winner of the Tour de France explaining using maps when descending. https://youtu.be/rY1-eq4FqTc?t=547

farski3y ago

That's a great clip to link to because 30 seconds later Tristan says "I don't want to be responsible for you guys beaning it off the side of a hill because you were trying to go too quick," which obviously was him walking back Ben's recommendation a bit because even he thinks it's a safety issue to look at a map while descending hairpins as a tourist.

marcosdumay3y ago

> Apex "civilization": people trust a fucking tiny map off in some other direction than they are traveling in lieu of the data streaming realtime right into their goddam eyes.

Well, I haven't heard about people driving into a cliff because their GPS told them to in a while, but it used to be somewhat common.

There is no reason to expect people to not the equivalent thing in a bike. There is something about easy information summaries that compels people to get them and act on them.

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