Probably been asked a thousand times but....

[StuartG]

I have a deaf daughter. It taught me how much information hearing people get from the sound around you without being concious of it. When the brain spots an anomaly it just gives you the urge to glance in that direction. It could be a lifesaver. Hence I would never cover my ears unless it was very, very cold.

 

[Hacienda71]

I did, now I don't. It is not illegal and therefore the choice is yours. I would agree that a shoulder check (lifesaver) is far more important than relying on listening for the vehicle that is about to pass you.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I use battery powered computer speakers, and hear both ambient noise and music.

 

[ComedyPilot]

I ride with music on sometimes, and other times I don't bother.

I have yet to get caught out being approached from the rear without knowing about it**

(** paging @Fnaar )

 

[JonUK4]

I ride with them in, but usually listen to podcasts as the spoken word has enough breaks into it you can still hear around you well enough. I would say that the volume that I listen to anything is significantly less then the noise of the wind buffeting around my ears. At 20mph the wind tends to drown out the discussion I was listening to anyway so I tend to rely on what I can see and use my hearing to confirm when the already spotted vehicle is passing.

Much like driving a car, don't just check when you need to maneuver, constantly check your surroundings so you can deal with any situation as it arises.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Agree about the wind. Drowns out near everything, including traffic.

 

[[Philip]]

About 4 years ago, on Old Street, I knocked down a cyclists while riding my Ducati motorbike. It was quite heavy traffic so no one was going fast, the cyclist had no helmet on and was weaving in and out to get through the traffic. I was going down the outside of the traffic very slowly and the cyclist just weaved to the side right in front of me and I went straight into him.

He was fine, it could have been a LOT worse. He seemed oblivious to it. I went ape shoot at him for not having a helmet on, and for having earphones in. Before then I didn't have an opinion and when I cycled I would wear earphones and listen to the news quiz or just a minute podcasts (I'm so rock n roll!) but not any more, it's too much of a risk especially in London.

 

[akb]

I prefer to have all of my senses available when out cycling. So headphones is a no-no for me. Especially on a road ride.

 

[mickle]

Headphones in all the time @ full volume. I dont believe that anyone can tell if a truck approaching from behind is going to hit them or not by the sound of it.

 

[mickle]

The only downside is not hearing your bike creaking when it starts falling apart underneath you.

 

[slowmotion]

The only downside is not hearing your bike creaking when it starts falling apart underneath you.

Got a rusty chain?

 

[ScotiaLass]

Thanks for all the replies...a very emotive subject.

I will play it by ear <insert groans here> but as I have a very short journey to reach the dedicated cycle paths I will be using (about a mile), I will not use my headphones until I'm off the main road. Even then it'll be kept on a low volume (although I can't guarantee my singing will match that!) and I'll see how I go.
Thanks again for replying - you must get fed up repeating yourselves to us newbies

 

[Venod]

About 4 years ago, on Old Street, I knocked down a cyclists while riding my Ducati motorbike. It was quite heavy traffic so no one was going fast, the cyclist had no helmet on and was weaving in and out to get through the traffic. I was going down the outside of the traffic very slowly and the cyclist just weaved to the side right in front of me and I went straight into him.

He was fine, it could have been a LOT worse. He seemed oblivious to it. I went ape s*** at him for not having a helmet on, and for having earphones in. Before then I didn't have an opinion and when I cycled I would wear earphones and listen to the news quiz or just a minute podcasts (I'm so rock n roll!) but not any more, it's too much of a risk especially in London.

Not wearing a helmet is not dangerous IMO, cycling with headphones is, if you had gone ape s*** with me for not wearing a helmet I'm afraid my response would not have been polite.

 

[ufkacbln]

There was research last year that showed the reduction in hearing using an MP3 player on medium volume was the same as the difference between opening and closing a car window.

If this reduction in hearing is dangerous then we should be campaigning for vehicles to travel with the windows open at all times!

 

[[Philip]]

Not wearing a helmet is not dangerous IMO, cycling with headphones is, if you had gone ape s*** with me for not wearing a helmet I'm afraid my response would not have been polite.

Whether your response would be polite, or not, would be of very little interest to me in similar circumstances.