# Headphones while cycling. Yay or Nay?



## morebiggins_lesswiggins (19 Sep 2012)

I always have my headphones in while cycling, listening to music as I go along. However a guy at work was saying that this is a really bad idea as it is really dangerous. As a very inexperienced newbie, is this right? Is it best to ride without the apparent distraction or does it not matter as long as you pay attention to the road (including regular looks behind you)?


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## ianrauk (19 Sep 2012)

moved to headphone debates


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## Pauluk (19 Sep 2012)

Are you able to hear car engines behind you and can you hear when people call out or use a bell? If you can't then you may want to leave them off. Also, do you get "lost" in your music, is it a distraction?

It may also be worth bearing in mind that if you are involved in an accident with a motor vehicle their insurance companies would probably not pay you any compensation.

Personally I don't think they should be used but that's just me.


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## the_mikey (19 Sep 2012)

Nay to headphones, but I do have a handlebar mp3 player with it's own loudspeaker that I use sometimes.


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## roadrash (19 Sep 2012)




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## smokeysmoo (19 Sep 2012)

Don't to death subject TBH. Some do, some don't end of.

For more details of who does and who doesn't there is a search box provided


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## Bryan_Cymru (19 Sep 2012)

Hi, I'm a Noob & I don't jack in while on my bike & that's nigh on the only time that I'm not plugged in. 
I don't believe that experience comes into the equation. Its more than common sense than anything.
Seeing & hearing are the two main tools that a cyclist has at their disposal to stay alert & save. Jacking yourself in removes one of the two main senses. It coold be seen as either on par or worse than those who look down to text while in their car.
But then again, that's just me.

Be safe.


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## morebiggins_lesswiggins (19 Sep 2012)

Didn't realise there was a full section on the subject. Have I just heard a can of worms opening (in the background of my headphones)?

I normally only have them on low so it is more background noise than getting lost in the music.


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## Sullie (19 Sep 2012)

Nay for me


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## Hacienda71 (19 Sep 2012)

It is personal choice, like wearing a helmet. I don't use headphones while riding although I have in the past.
The most important thing in my opinion is to be aware of what is going on around you, by far the best way of doing this is by checking over your shoulder to see what is coming. If you are not comfortable doing this invest in a mirror.


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## Adam Robertson (19 Sep 2012)

never


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## Hitchington (19 Sep 2012)

Personally, not when I'm commuting through London but I have on a ride up the Thames river path to Dartford. In a nutshell - never on the road in traffic.


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## Pedal pusher (19 Sep 2012)

Pull the pin and stand back


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (19 Sep 2012)

varies, sometimes I do, most of the time I don't. But will only ever listen to it with 1 ear phone in (in the UK, I listen to music with the left ear, leaving the right ear to hear the road & traffic). I don't have it loud either, just enough to hear the music, not enough to drown out the road. One of those personal things like helmets - if you drive, do you listen to music? Well yes I do, but not loud enough to drown out car horns/sirens etc - same with the bike... play it sensibly, literally.


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## Bromptonaut (19 Sep 2012)

Headphones vary.

Some admit ambient noise through open backs. Others seal the ear canal *and* use electronics to suppress external sound. And there are stages between those extremes.

YMMV.


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## triangles (20 Sep 2012)

Bromptonaut said:


> Some admit ambient noise through open backs. Others seal the ear canal *and* use electronics to suppress external sound. And there are stages between those extremes.


 
I no longer use headphones myself - having been in several accidents (all unrelated to headphone use) I want to minimise any factors that could detract from my focus / safety.

However I remember thinking these looked interesting - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environme.../26/bike-headphones-music-cycling?INTCMP=SRCH


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## 4F (20 Sep 2012)

not here


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## mark st1 (20 Sep 2012)

I do if im out riding on my own


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## Miquel In De Rain (20 Sep 2012)

Yes,but they are normally covered up by my bandana.

Got pulled over by a CO yesterday and they didn't looked too impressed when they realised I was wearing headphones.Don't worry they only wanted to stamp my bike.


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## ACS (20 Sep 2012)

Nope


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## Miquel In De Rain (20 Sep 2012)

triangles said:


> I no longer use headphones myself - having been in several accidents (all unrelated to headphone use) I want to minimise any factors that could detract from my focus / safety.
> 
> However I remember thinking these looked interesting - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environme.../26/bike-headphones-music-cycling?INTCMP=SRCH


 
It's in my own interests to cycle safely and if I thought my headphones were detracting from this I wouldn't wear them,I can normally switch myself off from the music if I need to.I do a job that means I have to concentrate for long periods of time (headphones not allowed) which means by the time I am riding home sometimes in the rush hour (after concentrating for up to seven hours in a day doing my job) I spend up to another hour concentrating when cycling home.

The premium Rush film was interesting on how the courier is planning his routes (in the split second) out when he gets into tight situations and looking ahead and I believe I cycle like this as do many cyclists,plus looking behind regularly.


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## triangles (21 Sep 2012)

Sorry I wasn't suggesting people aren't safe, I've read loads of arguments both for and against the idea that they detract from safety and quite like the idea that riding with ear phones encourages cyclists to be more thorough checking over their shoulders and thinking ahead. Overall I think it is quite subjective - personally I have found music quite distracting when driving (where external noise is less important than to a cyclist) so have decided the same probably applies to _me_ when cycling - although I have never owned a car so that is probably more down to being inexperienced...

Just editing to add that I had no idea this was in a specialised headphone debate subforum - I'm sure this has been completely done to death anyway so I'll shut up. The main reason I posted was to draw peoples' attention to the novel earphones in the Guardian article


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