To pod or not to pod?

[Joe24]

just relax man if your that worried then why not ride on the pavement

 

[aJohnson]

just relax man if your that worried then why not ride on the pavement

:S

Are you trollin?

I'm not worried, I don't listen to music when I'm riding so I don't need to worry, frankly I'd find music to ruin my riding experience. The only time I'd like to listen to music when riding is on a steep hill or hill climb.

 

[Joe24]

dont like riding along in the sun on a nice fine day with some relaxing music on not going fast no worry in the world. only worry ive ever had is if i can get my pod to last me to work now thats fine
not so nice when its raining though but i put my ipod in a waterproof case thing which is very good

 

[trustysteed]

there's no way i'd ride without it on one of my long 4-5 hours rides, i'd be bored without it! plus it's brilliant for those intervalhill sessions.

i love my ipod when riding.

 

[cyberknight]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaay to dangerous , to busy looking/listening for traffic and watching the road for dangers .

Nearly every day some one posts a report of a collision and you are going to reduce your senses and increase your reaction times by bopping along to music?

just my opinion but good luck to you if you do.................

 

[zacklaws]

Twice now I have have been nearly brought down by a cyclist who was wearing ear phones on a cycle track, both times coming from behind them, I have shouted and rung the bell to warn him I'm going to pass with no responce, and both times just as I'm starting to pass they have veered right into me almost forcing me into the traffic on the road and at which point they notice me and all I get is a "sorry mate".

Both times it was the same cyclist, don't they ever learn.

One day it might be something more larger and faster thats passing him when he veers out without a care in the world.

 

[Glow worm]

Music/radio on all the time while riding- low(ish) volume- never a problem.

 

[simongrant]

Twice now I have have been nearly brought down by a cyclist who was wearing ear phones on a cycle track, both times coming from behind them, I have shouted and rung the bell to warn him I'm going to pass with no responce, and both times just as I'm starting to pass they have veered right into me almost forcing me into the traffic on the road and at which point they notice me and all I get is a "sorry mate".

Both times it was the same cyclist, don't they ever learn.

One day it might be something more larger and faster thats passing him when he veers out without a care in the world.

I would say your partly to blame here as your post suggests your are overtaking with traffic close by.Accept my apologies if this is not the case but your post does suggest this

 

[gaz]

Twice now I have have been nearly brought down by a cyclist who was wearing ear phones on a cycle track, both times coming from behind them, I have shouted and rung the bell to warn him I'm going to pass with no responce, and both times just as I'm starting to pass they have veered right into me almost forcing me into the traffic on the road and at which point they notice me and all I get is a "sorry mate".

Both times it was the same cyclist, don't they ever learn.

One day it might be something more larger and faster thats passing him when he veers out without a care in the world.

don't ride on the cycle track then, thats where all the numptys ride.

my 2p

 

[marzjennings]

Never heard of common sense?

Yes, but common sense says your eyes are your greatest asset in safety and that in general ears are not reliable.

 

[simongrant]

don't ride on the cycle track then, thats where all the numptys ride.

my 2p

+1

 

[cyberknight]

some times though the cycle track is safer , take for example part of my commute along the A38 with cars doing at least 60 + and probably a lot more.Feel like cycling up that in the dark with lorries and 1/2 asleep drivers?.

Luckily the cycle path is segregated.

And for those who still thinks its cool to ride while your senses are degraded, i have a wife and kid to think of i take every precaution to be safe if you want to risk it go have fun.Me? i have to think of whos is going to support them and console them if i have a collision.

 

[zacklaws]

The cycle track is the far safer option on my commute due to the volume of traffic on the main road as it is a notoriously dangerous bit of road, otherwise it is the main road for me. The cycle track also has advantages for me too, its little used but more importantly, the tarmac is in far better condition than the main road and is faster and smoother. It was a godsend when they made the footpath which I used into a proper cycle track. Untill the speed limit was lowered to 50 from 60 on this stretch, we would be always attending accidents on a regular basis to see if staff where involved, with at least one a day on occasions in the past.

On this stretch of road, when I have had to use it due to work being carried out on the path, I have been almost trapped between lorries and their trailers when they have overtaken and pulled in early forcing me off the road, cars pulling wide trailers skimming past my handlebars, whipped on the hands by vegetation on trailers as they are been taken to the tip and with the largest driving school in Europe based nearby with a vast fleet of HGV's on the road with inexperienced drivers a wise man on this stretch of road will take the cycle path.

So before you start calling people "Numpties" find out the facts, younger riders with little riding experience who read comments like yours may think its "uncool" to use cycle paths and use the main roads regardless of the dangers involved. Appreciate the situation and use the safest option.

 

[ufkacbln]

I have always been against this, but nevertried it.

When this thread started I thought I would try.... I felt cut off and unsafe. Many of the warning signals such as engine noise, stereos and such were denied to me and within a few hundered yards on the main road the headphones were off and back in my bag.

 

[Arch]

Twice now I have have been nearly brought down by a cyclist who was wearing ear phones on a cycle track, both times coming from behind them, I have shouted and rung the bell to warn him I'm going to pass with no responce, and both times just as I'm starting to pass they have veered right into me almost forcing me into the traffic on the road and at which point they notice me and all I get is a "sorry mate".

Both times it was the same cyclist, don't they ever learn.

One day it might be something more larger and faster thats passing him when he veers out without a care in the world.

Ah, you're confusing the effect of the ipod with the fact that you're obviously dealing with a numpty in the first place. He'd still be a numpty without an ipod.

It seems to me, it's ok for some, and not for others. Some people seem to just be more able to cut out the music when they need to, or keep the volume to a sensible level, and some people seem to only be able to concentrate on the one thing - which is pretty much normal for any cross section of society, isn't it?

I guess my advice to a newbie would be: don't use one until you are confident and tuned into road noise and what you need to hear. Then, try it out, and see if you can still hear what you need to. If not, don't use one. If yes, than use it, but remember to self monitor and keep checking you haven't got it too loud, and you can still hear what you need to.

of course this is a sensible middle way, so everyone will continue to insist it's a yes/no question....