Originally Posted by jppe

I have told folks that don’t feel comfortable to be out riding on the road with vehicles to not ride. It’s tough enough of an activity that if your not comfortable and completely enjoying doing it, maybe it’s not for them.

My situation is not so much about what I’m comfortable with right now. It’s more about keeping my wife supportive of my riding. She’s never said anything negative about my riding, extended time away, costs etc. Heck, she even sagged for me riding across the US, volunteered at tours so I could get into the event and ride, and even rode a week with me across NC on a tandem. She’s very aware of the risks and rewards. When her sensitivities get out of balance I’m just trying to pull them back into balance.

Plus even if there weren’t her concerns, these features or Apps I’ve added should be great tools for her and I in the future. Thinking ahead of riding Natchez Trace in April where she will be sagging for me again, she can now track my location (and me hers) which will greatly help us as we plan stops along the route. It can give her more freedom to do side trips off the Parkway to explore and not worry about if I’ve already passed by.

I will say that there is more risk of getting in an accident today than even 10 years ago in the area that I normally ride in. There’s a tremendous amount of growth in people and vehicles and infrastructure will never catch up. It takes longer to drive to places and people have become more aggressive drivers. Speeding is rampant and out of control. Add to that driver distractions from phones and more people driving under the influence. I’m still riding and hope to be as long as I can but it’s critical to be smart about it.