Headphones while cycling. Yay or Nay?

[triangles]

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

 

[4F]

not here

 

[mark st1]

I do if im out riding on my own

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

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.

 

[ACS]

Nope

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

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.

 

[triangles]

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