Bombardment of lights/radar disconnect messages

Yes, it’s a major bug imo. Only way to get around it is to power down the Garmin and restart 

Right.  You can put the Edge into standby or power it off.  As long as you don't save the ride before doing so, it will give you the option of continuing it when you power on the Edge.

Think this will still create 2 activities not 1, but I will give it a go. Anyways, not exactly the solution I was looking for....

looigi is correct. All Edge models allow you to continue on the same activity after turning it off.

No, as long as you haven’t ended the ride, putting it to sleep is the method I use at cafe stops. A quick press of the power button and I resume my ride. 

If you do put it to sleep, make sure all devices reconnect when you wake it up....

Not sure how all this would sort the issue with buffered disconnect messages?

  I've never seen this buffered messages    issue. You do mean messages from the radar correct?

Correct, varia515. Try walking away from your bike with the Garmin in your pocket and leave the lights mounted.

I am new to Garmin as I recently purchased a 1040 and it’s taken me several days to work thru the menus and set up the screens.  I’ve been doing this in my office and my Garmin Radar, which is in the garage, is constantly connecting and disconnecting, each time with an irritating beep and a screen message.  For the life of me I can’t understand why there isn’t a set up mode where the screens are live but the sensors are on standby.  Garmin please give us a button in the setup menu that prevents sensor connections.  Thank you.