# If you wear earphones



## anothersam (5 Feb 2020)

The next time you encounter disapproval, or incredulity that you can be safe cycling around plugged into your chosen noise dispenser, consider bringing Katrina Jungnickel & Rachel Aldred to the argument. _Cycling’s Sensory Strategies: How Cyclists Mediate their Exposure to the Urban Environment_ is a 2013 study that I grabbed with both hands* shortly after it came out. There are people who won’t click on Torygraph links as a matter of principle, so here’s one from Cycling Weekly which boils it down nicely. 

Music has been helping me "negotiate" and "tame" challenging environments for a long time now. 

That the BBC did a poll and found "almost 90 per cent questioned being in favour of a blanket ban, many citing a perception of cyclists being unaware and unresponsive to dangers" was not a surprise. That we've made it to 2020 without such a ban, is. 







* that's not me in that stupid picture


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## Profpointy (5 Feb 2020)

Never mind earphones, people in cars drive with the windows shut and even listen to the radio

Motorcyclists wear (and are recommended to wear) ear plugs to reduce hearing damage from the (considerable) wind noise at speed

But cyclists are reckless and irresponsible for wearing earphones

I should add that I don't personally care to wear earphones cycling, but not particularly for any safety reason


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## Phaeton (5 Feb 2020)

i could mention those of us who have limited/no hearing in the first place


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## mjr (5 Feb 2020)

Phaeton said:


> i could mention those of us who have limited/no hearing in the first place


But you won't because we can't hear you over the music? ;-)


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## numbnuts (5 Feb 2020)

Phaeton said:


> i could mention those of us who have limited/no hearing in the first place


Like me


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## Jody (5 Feb 2020)

It seems counter intuitive and I appreciate some people may not like the idea of headphones while riding, but I find i am more aware of whats going on around me when I have some ear buds in. The volume has to be at the right level on road though and can't be thumping.


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## numbnuts (5 Feb 2020)

Jody said:


> It seems counter intuitive and I appreciate some people may not like the idea of headphones while riding, but I find i am *more aware of whats going on around* me when I have some ear buds in. The volume has to be at the right level on road though and can't be thumping.


Yes being more aware, since loosing some of my hearing I have become “more aware” of my surrounding more so while cycling, the body adapts


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## steveindenmark (5 Feb 2020)

I wear bone conductors and so can hear the traffic. 

I wear ear plugs on my motorbike and can hear the traffic better than if I didnt wear them. 

I see cyclists with those huge muff style headphones. I have no idea how they can hear outside noise


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## mjr (5 Feb 2020)

steveindenmark said:


> I see cyclists with those huge *muff* style headphones. I have no idea how they can hear outside noise


(emphasis added)

They don't need to. Motorists are too shocked by the obscenity to cause any trouble.


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## Drago (5 Feb 2020)

My car has inch think sound insulation and double glazing. Volvo don't seem to think that auditory exclusion is a major road safety issue, and neither do I.

All I can hear on my motorbikes are Yoshimira pipes and wind noise.


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## Phaeton (5 Feb 2020)

Drago said:


> All I can hear on my motorbikes are Yoshimira pipes and wind noise.


It can be uncomfortable riding a bike after eating curry


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## anothersam (5 Feb 2020)

Jody said:


> The volume has to be at the right level on road though and can't be thumping.


Agreed that there is an ideal level, which varies depending on the environment (and song, for that matter). In the city I prefer loud enough to qualify as thumping; in the country I turn it down a notch. Though some have to be loud no matter what.


View: https://youtu.be/PdpAop7gp0w



steveindenmark said:


> I wear bone conductors




View: https://youtu.be/nqgUG_JVzCs


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## Shut Up Legs (6 Feb 2020)

numbnuts said:


> Like me


Same here, but my bad hearing (with which I was born) doesn't make me any less aware of my surroundings.


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## Kryton521 (28 Feb 2020)

Never really thought about it. Might be nice to have a bit of music to drown out the howling gale wind noise!


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## Drago (28 Feb 2020)

Went out in my Volvo the other day. It has double glazing (yes, honest) and I was listening to System of a Down on 11. The trail of destruction was impressive!

In all seriousness, its been long established that simply driving a car with the windows wound up gives a greater level of auditory exclusion than the typical wearing of headphones, yet this simple piece of info gets constantly overlooked in the ensuing hysteria.


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## straas (28 Feb 2020)

I've got an old VW transporter, I can't even hear the radio over the engine.


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## The Central Scrutinizer (28 Feb 2020)

The only time i have ever wore headphones on a bike was when i had a turbo trainer in my conservatory and i only wore them because it was so bloody boring.
Sold the trainer and decided just to ride outdoors throughout the year.


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## rivers (28 Feb 2020)

I've just bought a set of bone conducting headphones. They're brilliant for riding and being able to hear traffic. I use them daily on my commute


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## Thisoldbike (12 Mar 2020)

I don't have issue with road cyclists using earphones - it is more awkward on more narrow cycle paths where you need to overtake and they cannot hear your approach.

I personally use speaker earphones on cycle paths so I can hear my music and hear approaching cyclists as well. Very useful for taking phone calls as well. My commute is in a more remote area, so there is no one to appreciate my terrible taste in music!


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## wafter (14 Mar 2020)

Nice to find some balanced and factual discussion, rather than the usual default of external observers frantically-grasping for a reason to blame the perpetually-maligned cyclist


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## Tiger10 (14 Mar 2020)

numbnuts said:


> Like me



It's a bit off topic and I haven't even met you. Try listening to a bit of music.


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## rogerzilla (7 May 2020)

I rely on my hearing a lot. I can hear if following cars are going to stop at traffic lights and, on the open road, if they've seen.me and are slowing down. To a reasonable degree I can predict a close pass and tuck into the kerb at the crutical moment.

I was saved by my hearing a couple of years ago when sat at a red light* and heard a car approaching fast from behind, obviously not slowing at all. I dragged myself and the bike right off the road as the car, wheels now locked, slid over where I'd been standing a second before. The driver was vaguely apologetic.

Comparisons with cars and motorbikes are valid if you have mirrors on your bike. Motorised road users don't use their hearing, just their mirrors.

*for readers in London, these are used in the provinces to indicate whether or not you may proceed


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## iancity (7 May 2020)

Didn't like any music while I cycled for years, thought how irresponsible...then I looked into the bone conduction stuff and bought a few sets...fairly happy, sound not great but good enough, and importantly could hear all ambient noise...then tried the Jabra Elite series, they have a 'hearthrough' option that , literally, lets you hear the outside noise. First set (65t I think) it did not seem to work and sent them back. Persuaded by reviews bought the 75t and they are fantastic. Music at a decent quality, earphones fit very very well in ear, very comfortable, can hear any approaching car, and even took a phone call from my dad while out and about, both he and I were impressed with how clear the audio was.
Very pleased with mine and although expensive the have changed my cycling/commute :-)


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## anothersam (8 May 2020)

It _is_ very counterintuitive that earphones and cycling could be even the slightest bit safe.

I don’t want to convince anybody to do it, but it would be nice to get people to accept that it is not actually a crazy or irresponsible thing to do. YMMV obvs.

Rightly or wrongly, no data is so convincing as our own experience. Mine started in the latter half of the 90s, shortly after I was born again. A Walkman kept me company as I explored Great Britain from one end to the other, and helped keep The Rage at bay back home in London.

Almost all of my riding is done plugged in. Doubtless if I die on the road my Shuffle will be blamed for it (just please dear god don’t print the playlist).


View: https://youtu.be/FDPqKy3HGB8

_I can’t grow a beard either, Shania_

PS. The Torygraph story is behind a paywall. This isn’t.


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## Drago (8 May 2020)

Screw earphones. Most road users don't even bother using their eyes properly, never mind any of their other senses. Look at all the helmet cam footage of riders who simply stare dead ahead, and then have the cheek to complain when the miss very obvious and avoidable trouble a coming and end up kissing tarmac.


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## HMS_Dave (8 May 2020)

Load of bollocks. Out of interest is there a study out there linking any cycling fatalities, serious injuries etc to cyclists or pedestrians to the use of Earphones on the behalf of the cyclist?

Secondly, on my fat bike i can't hear anything other than the tyre noise.

This wreaks of 'get out of my way cyclist, can't you hear me roaring up behind you!?' rhetoric from the motorist lobby...


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## confusedcyclist (14 May 2020)

Historically I didn't ride with headphones as I found the cable would snag, which was annoying and distracting. I more recently started cycling with one of a pair of bluetooth earphones in my left ear, no cable to get snagged, and no appreciable lack of awareness perceived, I may start to ride with two soon. The one strange thing is that sounds coming from behind you, can sometimes seem as though they are coming from out front, but once you are used to this phenomenon, it's not nearly as annoying or risky as it might sound. Your brain quickly learns interpret the direction of the vector of the source correctly. Our brains are incredible things.


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## Wookee (15 May 2020)

When I drive a car I have never really relied on my hearing, the mirrors help a lot and I am conscious that in a car I am very visible. My main form of travel is a motorbike and I have custom moulded ear plugs, one set has built in headphones, but I would only ever use them on a long tour in Europe where drivers are a bit more aware of bikers. The normal ear plugs cut wind noise out, but I can have a normal conversation off the bike. Although it too has mirrors, these give a much smaller range of vision.

I tried wearing earphones on a bicycle just the once and they lasted 50m before I nearly got taken out by a car I didn't hear coming!! If I were on a long ride in a more bike friendly country I might try them again, but never here. 

Besides, I do like the peacefulness of riding a bike. I don't need help from ACDC to enjoy it!


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## Jaykun85 (18 May 2020)

I wear headphones when I cycle .. but I have the bone conducting ones from Aftershokz .. so it still allows me to hear everything on around me without being completely bored  so there are products out there that will allow you to listen to music and also hear things around you .


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## DCBassman (18 May 2020)

Drago said:


> Screw earphones. Most road users don't even bother using their eyes properly, never mind any of their other senses. Look at all the helmet cam footage of riders who simply stare dead ahead, and then have the cheek to complain when the miss very obvious and avoidable trouble a coming and end up kissing tarmac.


I'm entirely one with Drago on this.
IMHO, not even pedestrians should use them.


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## RoadRider400 (18 May 2020)

Profpointy said:


> Never mind earphones, people in cars drive with the windows shut and even listen to the radio
> 
> Motorcyclists wear (and are recommended to wear) ear plugs to reduce hearing damage from the (considerable) wind noise at speed
> 
> ...



But how many times is a motorcar likely to experience another car overtaking them from behind, and how at risk of serious injury would they be if they diverted slightly into its path? Plus of course motorists have several mirrors to allow them to observe whats behind them.
This comparison is a non starter. Much like my old C reg Vauxhall Nova.


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## Jody (18 May 2020)

RoadRider400 said:


> But how many times is a motorcar likely to experience another car overtaking them from behind, and how at risk of serious injury would they be if they diverted slightly into its path? Plus of course motorists have several mirrors to allow them to observe whats behind them.
> This comparison is a non starter. Much like my old C reg Vauxhall Nova.



The consequences of a car or motorbike being hit when overtaken by a car drifting out of it's lane can be just as lethal. There are plenty of examples on Youtube. Mirrors don't help when the person maneuvering doesn't check them properly. 


View: https://youtu.be/2csHStua1WA


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## classic33 (21 May 2020)

RoadRider400 said:


> *But how many times is a motorcar likely to experience another car overtaking them from behind*, and how at risk of serious injury would they be if they diverted slightly into its pahth? Plus of course motorists have several mirrors to allow them to observe whats behind them.
> This comparison is a non starter. Much like my old C reg Vauxhall Nova.


Where else is it going to come from, other than behind, if it's overtaking?


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## Drago (26 May 2020)

RoadRider400 said:


> But how many times is a motorcar likely to experience another car overtaking them from behind, and how at risk of serious injury would they be if they diverted slightly into its path? Plus of course motorists have several mirrors to allow them to observe whats behind them.
> This comparison is a non starter. Much like my old C reg Vauxhall Nova.


Mirrors that we well know the typical driver does not use well, if at all. Heck, most drivers dont even know how to adjust them properly.


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