simonhill wrote:It's all relative (or maybe personal). I'd rather cycle through Hanoi where I understand the rules than throw myself downhill at 55 mph. I rarely reach that in kph. To me that is reckless (no offence, each to their own, etc).
Yes, the main risk of going somewhere new (e.g. another country) is that you might not have evaluated the risks as well as at home. So you could be doing something relatively dangerous without even realising it. As long as you do your background research and take a bit of time to settle into the country you can make informed decisions.
In some ways I'm more adventurous now than I was when I was younger, because I have more confidence and also it's easier to do my research about travel destinations using the internet. I did some cycling in Sri Lanka in some fairly remote areas last year, but I was able to plan the routes online and even look at the roads using Google streetview. I was also carrying a mobile phone, and I wouldn't want to rely on always being able to get a signal, but it is a bit of insurance if you get completely stuck somewhere.
On the other hand I hurt myself quite badly earlier this year by falling off my mountain bike at about 15mph. So that taught me a lesson.
John