Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
Do you ride roads while constantly looking back to see what cars are doing behind you? That has to be mentally exhausting and a distraction in its own way.
No, I only check the mirror when the Varia informs me of an approaching vehicle. I find it's much less annoying than being struck from behind, doing a somersault with the bike, and ending up in the hospital with weeks of recovery time and a destroyed bike. I've done that, pre-Varia. I was riding in a brightly colored jersey on a clear day on a back road, with a bright flashing red taillight and flashing white headlight. It wasn't enough to draw the attention of the driver away from his text message on his cellphone. I heard him coming, but assumed he had plenty of room to pass, since the road was flat, straight, and there were no cars in the opposite direction. I was wrong.