To pod or not to pod?

[Woz!]

I've always worn headphones while riding, since I was a kid.
I guess it does limit your hearing, but being as I care for my ears, it's never that loud.
I can hear traffic around me quite happily - cars are noisy.

I've found wearing a helmet actually makes hearing traffic difficult - the wind-rush sound you get at speed is way louder than my music.

 

[kewb]

i pod .

ive podded so long now i think my other senses overcompensate for the lack of audio
around me , im aware of headlights more wary of my road position and i double check visually its not big and its not clever and not for everyone but id compare it to a motorcyclist in hemet whos hearing is as impaired or a car driver with stereo on ,
they rely on visual prompts so why not pedestrians and cyclists ?

 

[Hacienda71]

I never use my ipod when commuting in rush hour but on a leisure ride i quite often use it. Not too loud so you still here what is around you. At the end of the day it is personal choice.

 

[chris667]

There's so much to hear, though!

The wind rustling the leaves. Birdsong. People saying hello.

For me, the best part of cycling is being at one with the environment you're in. In a car, you are always in a little glass and steel box, shut away from the outside world, not having to interact with anyone.

Ever see a driver in a car picking their nose? They'd never do that if they were walking along the same road. But they think they're shut away, so they behave like they would if they were alone in their living room.

Why would you want to make your cycling experience more like driving a car? Can you really not bear the sounds of the outside world, or live without distracting yourself from the thoughts in your head?

But yes, I suppose you've got to make the decision and do what you like.

 

[Arch]

I don't bother with mine about town, none of my rides are long enough to 'need' music. I do sometimes take it out on longer rural solo rides, just for the company. I have both earpods in, but the volume at a level where I'm sure I'm just as aware of other traffic as I would be without it - I glance back a lot anyway. Also, mine are cheapy poundshop earphones, so they don't fit all that snugly.

Sunday I was out, I had it on for a bit to start with, then I did some miles without it, then I bunged it back on when I was getting weary, for a bit of a lift - I was singing along at one point to distract me from my sore bum. I'm quite sure I never missed anything thanks to having it on. I wonder if riding style has anything to do with it. My music is mostly just nice stuff I like. Maybe if you tend to play stuff that needs to be loud, or has a very insistent beat, you tend to get more mesmerised by it?

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Another one here who likes to hear the sounds of wildlife. Guess that doesn't apply in a heavily built up area, though ...

The debate's been had here a few times in the past and views seem to range from "no way" through to "it's totally fine if you do more checks behind and besides you should be checking behind lots anyway and not relying on your ears".

You know yourself: will you be able to keep tabs on what's going on around you well enough for you to feel safe?

All I'll say is two of my nearest misses on the commute have happened with other cyclists: both times I was catching them up, gave a few "tings" on the bell as I approached them and went for the overtake as they seemed to have slowed down a bit and moved left. Both times, they both swerved back right as I passed: one to get a swing to go up the kerb on to the path on the left, the other one to cross to the right hand side of the road and stop by the kerb for some strange reason.

Both times I'd left an escape route and took it, so no harm done. And it was only after the event that I spotted the white wires: they'd not heard my bell and what I'd thought was them moving over for me was them preparing for their surprising manouveurs. I was cross with myself for assuming they knew I was there 'cos with hindsight they'd not looked back - which would be natural for someone hearing a bell behind them. So now I always make sure I get decent eye contact with someone I'm about to overtake: waiting for them to look behind as necessary.

But I was amazed that anyone would do a manouveur such as swinging across quite a busy road for no obvious reason without looking behind. What if I'd been in a car? They might have heard a car but they both seemed pretty oblivious. And the average moton wouldn't take even the rudimentary precautions that I took.

Not saying the iPod was the issue, by the way, more their use of it.

 

[slinky malinky]

After reading this thread I ditched the ipod for my 10 mile ride today, Its mainly country roads so always felt ok using one, thought I would give it ago and I must admit i may not go back, the only noise was from the odd car and the sound the carbon bits of the bike make as I went along, feel I have been missing out on something for the last 3 months. I have to wear a ear peice all day with constant chatter it made a world of diifference just to enjoy the silence, BUT with winter on its way the turbo trainer will be dusted off (work of the devil) and there is NO way i can spend any time on the dam thing without some tunes.

 

[BearPear]

I think, having read all the posts, it confirms what I suspected which is that, for me, I prefer to have all my senses in tune. Particularly as a newbie I need to be alert to stuff happening around me!
Thank you all for the input.

 

[Bman]

Ipod!?

Bah - All it is, is a fashion accessory that plays MP3's (and a few other things)

 

[mr Mag00]

Might be, I don't know.

By the way, google 'Rachel Atherton crash' to see what listening to music whilst riding can lead to.

Matthew ____________

so irrelavant really as she had her head down,

pegging it

not related to music also stupid riding style.

i wear my ear phones but not too loud and i as i have always argued. if something comes up from behind me whether i can hear it or not if they have net seen me there is nothing i can do about it music or not.

 

[chris667]

<snip>

with winter on its way the turbo trainer will be dusted off (work of the devil) and there is NO way i can spend any time on the dam thing without some tunes.

Turbo trainers are different, IMO. Riding in a quiet room is a boring, repetitive activity; if you are just cycling to keep up a level of fitness, doing something else for recreation is OK.

It's just that I really feel sorry for people that can't enjoy something as wonderful as cycling without distracting themselves with noise.

 

[Arch]

It's just that I really feel sorry for people that can't enjoy something as wonderful as cycling without distracting themselves with noise.

I just find that sometimes a little music is nice. I still hear birds, I still see autumn leaves, I still smell flowers etc...

I always have some background noise on at home, usually Radio 4, I don't actively listen, I just like the company, and it's the same on my bike.

That said, last week I didn't have it on, and when I arrived at one junction and stopped, I heard a tiny 'snap' noise, and a single leaf fell from a tree opposite. The official start of autumn I think....

 

[ACS]

No, I like to be able to hear cars creeping up on me so I can attack them with snot rockets.

 

[Banjo]

I ride country lanes a lot and allways hear cars a long time before seeing them. As much as I love the idea of riding with music I dont think its worth it.

 

[2Loose]

I did try riding with music for a couple of days, but in traffic I felt a bit paranoid without having every sense available, so I would never ride with headphones again.
I just wasn't comfortable with it in the end.