Cycling with headphones/ipods

[numbnuts]

I imagine that most will have some form of hearing enhancement/aid which would no doubt assist them.

I was given an NHS hearing aid and it is piss poor for cycling too much wind noise, the mirror is more user friendly and now seeing is better than my hearing.

 

[Melonfish]

Cycle with headphones if you don't mind being an organ donor.

QFT and LOL

 

[monkeypony]

For those who believe its dangerous to ride with ones hearing impaired,

What is it that you are listening for and how does it effect your riding?

Do you all scamper out of the way the minute you hear a car behind you or does your position in the road actually remain unchanged?

If you are going to change your position in the road, how much do you rely on what you can hear over what you can actually SEE?

I rarely hear cars approaching over the wind noise anyway so I tend to rely on my eyes rather than ears.

 

[Cringles]

I don't see any problem, with having only a earphone in the left ear. I constantly check behind me, as I do with mirrors in a car. Windy days block out the sound of the road, more than a low volume podcast in my ear.

 

[4F]

I tend to rely on my eyes rather than ears.

I tend to use both

 

[Norm]

... so I tend to rely on my eyes rather than ears.

This would be relevant if anyone had suggested that they rely on their ears.

But they haven't, so it isn't.

What I hear doesn't tell me when it is safe to change position, but it might tell me when it isn't safe.

 

[Bromptonaut]

This would be relevant if anyone had suggested that they rely on their ears.

But they haven't, so it isn't.

What I hear doesn't tell me when it is safe to change position, but it might tell me when it isn't safe.

+1

 

[funnymummy]

I have a slight loss of hearing in my right ear, it's like the underwater effect, words are audible but very muffled. In winter or windy days I have to wear a buff as the cold really is painfull, but I always leave my left side uncovered. I tried covering both ears once But felt very nervous, my left ear has become more sensitive it compensates for thr right & I couldn't hear things coming up behind me, or traffic approaching round bends up front as clearly...
We have senses for a reason, we should use them wisely. Those that don't have certain sense learn to live with that, they adapt & can continue doing things minus that sense, but to 'block' one occasionlay will leave you vulnerable, no matter how confident you feel, your body jusy can't cope with loosing something instantly.

 

[Dan B]

What I hear doesn't tell me when it is safe to change position, but it might tell me when it isn't safe.

So, assuming for the sake of argument that riding with headphones would necessarily drown out these external sounds (which is not true, but just assume), the only downside is that you would have to look behind you sometimes when usually you would already know it's not safe to change position.May be less convenient, but it's hardly going to make you an organ donor is it?

Half the people (not you, others) bleating about "losing a vital sense" in this thread seem to have lost their vital sense of proportion already

 

[wiggydiggy]

****Raaahhhhh! I'm really angry****

Made me smile there Capt Angry

 

[MontyVeda]

I've stopped wearing headphones whilst walking after an embarrassing incident in a shopping precinct... I was walking along, minding my own business, listening to my mp3 player when out of nowhere I heard a whooshing noise to my right which got louder and louder... in fear of my life I ducked down and raised my hands to defend myself against the imminent missile attack... at which point I realised it was just a noise coming from the mp3 player and not a missile, but it was too late... I'm practically on my knees, protecting my head with my hands and looking at a variety of WTF expressions on the passing shoppers faces.

 

[4F]

- If are going to throw insults at people for listening to music whilst riding with opinions based on bollocks, presumptions and nonsense, f*** you too.
Bye!

hahaha

 

[corshamjim]

Oops! Yes I can think of a few tracks which include the sound of cars, sirens etc, which could be confusing if they're not familiar already.

One in particular which has the sound of car horns, a whooshing sound at the end and a suitably apt title is 'Suicide' by Barclay James Harvest.

 

[CharlieB]

Oops! Yes I can think of a few tracks which include the sound of cars, sirens etc, which could be confusing if they're not familiar already.

One in particular which has the sound of car horns, a whooshing sound at the end and a suitably apt title is 'Suicide' by Barclay James Harvest.

Sorry to go off-topic;
The first time I was introduced to that song, and urged at the time to listen carefully, it scared the bejasus out of me.
'Please for God's sake, let me move my car'…

To return to topic;
iPods/headphones while cycling: daft, just plain daft.

 

[SquareDaff]

If a pedestrian on a shared cycle path stepped out in front of you on your bike because they had their headphones in and didn't hear you coming you'd complain. It would be all their fault - they should have been aware of you etc, etc.... Any of this sounding familar re: motorist v cyclist?!?