Newbies - what's your stance on headphones

[festivalite]

I listen to music constantly and I'm always one of those wandering around with wires coming from my ears but when I cycle on the roads I always take out my earbuds. However on cycle paths and very rural roads I tent to start listening to my music again.

 

[Radius]

I sing to myself when I'm bored riding on the road.

He's not even joking, he does! I've heard it!

 

[PaulSB]

I won't criticise anyone who wants to wear earphones but would not do so myself. A number of reasons:

1. I'm on my bike and want to enjoy all the sensations around - that's sight, sound and smell - when I'm in the country.
2. If I'm in traffic or on a quiet A road I need every warning I can get about traffic. Imagine the situation where you see someone step in to your path from the pavement and you haven't heard the vehicle behind you but have no time to look around.
3. I need to concentrate and I know listening to music / speech would break my concentration leading to me potentially making a last moment manouevre without taking adequate care.

To be honest if I was hit by a cyclist wearing headphones I would blame the cyclist for being distracted. In exactly the same way as I'd blame a motorist for using a mobile while driving. I think it's hard to defend one's position if one isn't fully concentrating on the ride.

 

[Downward]

Sounds cool - Can we blame motorists for listening to the radio ?

 

[Sore Thumb]

I've got a radio in my car.

I listen to music on the way to work on my cycle.

I can hear more traffic noise on my bike than I can when I'm in my car.

So maybe cars should have volume limiters on there music systems. Maybe if I hit another car I can blame them partially for the collision because they were listening to the radio at the time?

 

[col]

Inside most cars you cant hear enough of outside noise to make a difference in driving safety, in fact most new cars make a point of how nice and quiet it is inside your own world, so whats the difference with music on? I think we are looking to far into this.

 

[Joe24]

Theres nothing better then riding through traffic on a nice day, with a nice song on and relaxing. Its great.
It doesnt effect your balance, if you think it does you have no balence.
You can still hear, if you get to traffic you can focus on traffic easily and blank the music out. Its automatic.
What also is good, is going down a county road with a good song on. The road can be boring, but you have a good song on. You can happily get into the music and have cars coming past you, be drumming on the handlebars or in the air and be safe.
I think that actually talking to someone while cycling is more off putting. You tend to look away from the road for abit, or focus on their voice, and you can just have someone in a car just appear behind you.
Wind is also dangerouse, if its blowing in the wrong direction, you cant hear the car coming up behind until they are close. Or the wind will completely blank out your hearing when your going fast, or theres a strong wind.

 

[col]

Theres nothing better then riding through traffic on a nice day, with a nice song on and relaxing. Its great.
It doesnt effect your balance, if you think it does you have no balence.
You can still hear, if you get to traffic you can focus on traffic easily and blank the music out. Its automatic.
What also is good, is going down a county road with a good song on. The road can be boring, but you have a good song on. You can happily get into the music and have cars coming past you, be drumming on the handlebars or in the air and be safe.
I think that actually talking to someone while cycling is more off putting. You tend to look away from the road for abit, or focus on their voice, and you can just have someone in a car just appear behind you.
Wind is also dangerouse, if its blowing in the wrong direction, you cant hear the car coming up behind until they are close. Or the wind will completely blank out your hearing when your going fast, or theres a strong wind.

Wasnt there some sort of invention to stop wind noise, something you put in your ears, but let you hear behind still?

 

[Joe24]

Wasnt there some sort of invention to stop wind noise, something you put in your ears, but let you hear behind still?

No, your just making this up. And if it is real, it probably doesnt work.

 

[Goffins]

Do the ear phone haters also have an issue with Deaf cyclists and drivers?

 

[Joe24]

No he is not you can buy ear plugs that do especially block out wind noise for use on a Mbike and I do remember reading somewhere about some headphones.

Both the plugs and headphones are a bit pricey though.

Doc pro ear plugs do it i think. They block out wind and have a little hole in so you can still hear slightly.
I had some for canoeing, they stopped water going into your ear, but had a hole in so you could still hear whats going on. Only one had a hole in though i think

 

[Joe24]

Do the ear phone haters also have an issue with Deaf cyclists and drivers?

Thats a good point.
Well? Do any of you?