That’s just crazy how different our experiences were. It must have to do with the pitch, because after years of playing loud music, I sure don’t have good ears.
I do have some hearing loss but that’s only partial in one ear. I think the tone on the 1050 doesn’t help but according to the Garmin forum I’m not alone with the issue. The thing is at the same speeds where I can’t hear the Varia or eat alerts I CAN hear the bell loud and clear, so it’s not an issue of the speaker being incapable but the fact that Garmin don’t let you customize the tones and the loudest setting for alerts is still not loud enough.
I tried to troubleshoot with Garmin but they wanted me to pull log files and send them videos and stuff and I was not in the mood to help them with this when they said on the forum where people were complaining that there are no plans to allow for tone customization or increase volume. Seems kind of peculiar considering you can customize everything else on the Garmin units to the point you’ll drive yourself crazy.
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They could have a voice say ‘CAR BACK!!’. Like they do with car driving directions. I like the Australian female voice like they do for their GPS devices.
I think a voice could be/would be better for many people. Dealing with rapid vehicle reports would also become more important.
I don’t have a problem hearing Varia below 30mph, my main issue with Varia is that I think the alerts aren’t useful.
Whether I know there is a car behind or I don’t - can’t figure out how this could help with anything. Maybe if I wanted to ride in the middle of the road, but that seems a niche case.
I always take the lane unless I’m riding somewhere with very wide shoulders. 1. I think it’s safer, and 2. I think it’s helpful that cars see me move to the side when the Varia detects them. Also, the Varia alert and little dot(s) let me know not to drift into the lane when cars are coming, or that there are multiple of them. I don’t think taking the lane is a niche case at all.
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So you have one and you don’t find it useful, or you are speculating that if you had it (and the info it provides) you don’t think it’s be useful?
I have had one since the original horizontal brick. I mainly like Garmin lights because they turn on when I hit start on edge and turn off when I stop the ride. Zero faff with buttons. And edge lets me know when battery is low. So best light solution for me.
However I only use lights in winter and every summer Varia goes on eBay. Just trying to see if I’m missing anything because the alerts are not useful for me personally. I don’t ride in the middle of the road and apart from that just can’t see the purpose. And the camera variant is a major major pain to get any videos out of it.
No to the camera, but I do use the varia because it at least shows what I can’t see on a continuous basis. I’ve ridden without it, but do try to be a little more aggressive to BE SEEN, to BE DEALT WITH. I’ve had some drivers honk at me, and I usually try to get over before that, but at least the see me. The aggressive turds are going to be aggressive, but I want them to see me. The varia helps tons.
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If you’re on a narrow road with no shoulder, it isn’t of any help to at least have a heads up when a car might come flying past you at 50+ mph?
I don’t ride in the middle of the road, but still enjoy a heads up when a car is coming on me. I usually hug the shoulder a little extra once they get close.
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If turning lights on then off via the press of a button is considered faff, then the impending collapse of society is imminent 
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Kids today don’t know how to properly faff. When I was a kid, we could faff for hours before our bikes were ready to ride. Up hill. Both ways. In the snow.
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I love a good faff. But pushing buttons to switch on and off each light is where I draw the line. Especially those lights with 27 different modes when one has to get to work at 8 am. No thank you.
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Yeah, the ‘auto on/auto off’ worked for a couple weeks, and it stopped. It’s not a big deal to have to do it manually. I actually prefer that to thinking/hoping that it works. At least if it’s not working, it’s definitely my fault for not doing what i’ve had to do time and time again. 
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OMG!! LOVE THIS!!! 
Get cheaper lights?