I always take a compass for the reason
freiston wrote:foxyrider wrote:PJ520 wrote:
TBH i've never found a compass to be of much use on a bike, roads rarely go very far in a single direction, my routes certainly don't! There is a compass app on my phone if I really need the function.
I find it easy enough to use the map for orientation and on the rare occasion the sun comes out - well in the northern hemisphere the sun, during riding hours, will always be to the south, if it's rising i'm going east if it's dropping, west - simples.
Back in the eighties, I was coming off the Wolverhampton ring to take the A449 south but took the A449 north. I can't remember what aroused my suspicions but it was a small Silva compass removed from my bar bag and held in the hand (whilst still on the move) that confirmed my suspicions before I turned around
I always take a compass for the same reason.
Town or country you can lose your bearings quite easily, especially if you've done a few turns, you have no familiar landmarks and the sun isn't out.
One town circumstance is when you come out of a large station which has several ways in from different directions. You think you are on the north side and must turn left but in fact you are south and going in exactly the wrong direction.
A map is only useful for orientation if you know where you are to start with - sometimes you just can't work it out.
Another little item which can be useful is a loud whistle - football ref style. You can suddenly find yourself out of sight of your partner and not sure whether he/she's in front or behind. A whistle might just get you connected - it carries further than a shout. I've used it a few times on various excursions. I've also had nightmare experience of losing contact and both of us going around in circles looking for the other although never more than half a mile apart - a whistle would have helped.