[Closed] Earphones worn by cyclists.... and others rant....

Is it too early for popcorn?

There's a risk assessment thread knocking about, you should comment on that too.

I've spend a fair bit of the year "startling" walkers and runners as I appraoch behind them, becuase they can't here me yelling, only to be meet with derogatory and sometimes confrontational looks/comments.

It would be nice if folks with earphones in just stuck to the left of the path and not slap bang in the middle of it.

Just a thought. 🙄

He's right though... riding on the road whilst listening to music is just asking for trouble. I know plenty of people do it quite happily, but to me its equivalent riding at night in sunglasses!

It would be nice if folks with earphones in just stuck to the left of the path and not slap bang in the middle of it.

If people are wearing earphones and I startle them I don't give a crap

"[i] a near death cyclist experience as he failed to detect the car in close proximity.[/i]"

was he blind?

I ride on the road with my iPod on. Just the left ear bud in mind, so I can hear cars approaching from behind.

All about the compromise.

OP: Thankyou for your opinion. I shall ignore it and carry on riding in heaphones, if that's OK with you?

EDIT
I also assume that when driving a car you never turn the radio on and drive everywhere with all the windows open so you are also not deprived of one of your senses????

[i]Just plain dangerous and people need to start using some common sense. I've spend a fair bit of the year "startling" walkers and runners as I appraoch behind them, becuase they can't here me yelling[/i]

I use headphones on my commute and have music on for the traffic free parts. Volume is low so I can still hear whats going on around me and I use the buds that came with my phone and they don't block any sound. So common sense applied and not dangerous at all. How do you know they have any music on? I keep my in as I have a tracking app telling my ride stats. Even without headphones in it's difficult to hear a bike approaching, although yelling like an idiot it's no wonder people get the hump with you.

[i]On the flip side, riding about on the road (or for that matter, off road) is depriving you of one of your core senses and IMO is equally dangerous, as unfortunately witnessed by me today - a near death cyclist experience as he failed to detect the car in close proximity.[/i]

Near death? How so? Sounds like the car was driving to close.

I've thought about this as I sometimes ride with the ipod. I reckon it's fine.
Would you moan at a deaf person riding a bike? Probably not!

[img] [/img]

Can a Robot become a troll ?

I ride on the road with earphones, not had any problem as im a pretty 'aware' person, dont often ride through busy towns/citys so dont have too much heavy traffic to negotiate. Never had a situation where ive been close to being hit through fault of my own.

Off road I never listen to music, I like the sound of the ground under my tyres and listening to the trees and other wildlife around. Its intrersting enough to not need music

I happily train solo at day & night with earphones in and don't feel it affects my safety in anyway. Admittedly I wouldn't commute with earphones in but on low traffic country roads I can't see why hearing a car coming up behind you dictates how you ride and if coming to a junction etc. I use my eyes...

I also assume that when driving a car you never turn the radio on and drive everywhere with all the windows open so you are also not deprived of one of your senses????

Riding a bike in traffic and driving a car in traffic are two very, very different things, so this analogy doesn't hold up at all IMO.

personally I wouldn't do it and I think its daft - but its very minor in the great scheme of things and there is hardly an epidemic of cyclist getting killed because of the headphones.

What if you ride a bike and are deaf, like my mate??
Damn, beat me to it!

I've commuted to work regularly by bike (about 10 miles each way), for about 8 or 9 years. I have always listened to music through earphones and not once have I ever found it to be an issue. You can't hear cars coming behind you? You're on a road, cars are going to be coming from behind you, what difference does it make if you can hear them or not?

"[i]Riding a bike in traffic and driving a car in traffic are two very, very different things[/i]"

you can drive like a c0ck in a car and no-one complains that it's because you're listening to music?

Why is it 'daft' tj? Listening to music at a very low volume in traffic is fine, can't see why it would be an issue. What about wind noise, is it daft to ride if wind noise prevents you hearing approaching traffic.

Deaf cyclists - are they fat too?

[i]"Riding a bike in traffic and driving a car in traffic are two very, very different things"[/i]

Apart from the potential injury being greater then this is nonsense. Having loud music on in a car would be just as distracting.

I wear headphones, listen to music and ride on road off road, wherever. I have eyes and can hear traffic just fine over the music anyway.

Give it a try, you might like it - I suggest a playlist starting with "the eye of the tiger" then moving on to "physical"

Gary - because you are reducing your sensory input and have a distraction. But as I said its pretty marginal and if you are OK with it then fine - plenty more important things to worry about.

I have startled cyclists passing them because they didn't hear me pinging my bell / calling out to them because of their headphones. One of them nearly caused a crash

I also assume that when driving a car you never turn the radio on and drive everywhere with all the windows open so you are also not deprived of one of your senses????
Riding a bike in traffic and driving a car in traffic are two very, very different things, so this analogy doesn't hold up at all IMO.

But [b][u]IMO[/u][/b] it does hold up just perfectly, which is why I wrote it, surprisingly.... 🙄

I've thought about this as I sometimes ride with the ipod. I reckon it's fine.
Would you moan at a deaf person riding a bike? Probably not!

While I was happy walking the dog with my 'ear bud' style headhpones (I also use them on the motorbike on long journeys as they act as ear plugs), I didn't like the 'ear-plug' effect for cycling personally.

Isn't it quite dangerous to assume you will be able to hear traffic if you don't have earphones in? A bit of wind noise masks the sound of a car very easily.

I've also known a few deaf cyclists, including one who writes a column for this magazine. Perhaps I should tell her that what she's doing is incredibly dangerous and she should stop it at once?

Just a thought but why is it illegal to drive wearing earphones, why are you not allowed to wear earphones at work yet it is ok to cycle with them?

Only tried it once and that was out on the open road, not in traffic. TBH, I was surprised how little difference it made to my ability to "sense" approaching vehicles, but I guess it's not really any different from the roar of wind noise (this only applies to folk who cycle at a decent speed).

I'm lucky that my local roads are fairly quiet I guess (apart from the distillery trucks flying about and they're pretty easy to hear) but I always mute the music when I approach a junction just to be sure.
I don't think I'd use my earbuds if I commuted into a town, I suppose it depends where you ride.

Those with the "what about deaf people" comments are being a little silly I'd say. Deaf people are used to operating without a sense and modify their actions accordingly - they are much better at instictively looking behind them before they pull out into traffic and using their sight generally to full effect. Those that I see with headphones in that seem to be taking their life in their hands are those that don't take those measures and operate like a deaf person would. Ask any deaf person if they would like to have their hearing back and they would jump at the chance - they don't have that option whilst the rest of us do.

These days I only ride on road on country lanes (due to location) and only choose to use music at night when vehicles coming up behind are visually obvious without constantly turning around. I fell sufficiently vunerable in built up areas that I always would want to have as many senses as possible available to me - a personal choice. Having said that in heavy built up areas when I am unfamiliar where I'm going I always turn the stereo off in the car too so perhaps it also says something about my preferred concentration levels. Off road (biking and running) I do often exercise to music but am aware I need to check my 6 frequently.

see, what you're actually ranting about is not "cyclists wearing earphones" it's "cyclists not paying attention"

it just so happens that you've correlated one with the other without any real real evidence as to causation one way or the other.

(and as a person with only one working ear, who still occasionally uses headphones, and can still hear traffic and what's going on around me I think I am qualified enough to comment...)

Think about my first statement carefully.

If you are runnibg / walking through the woods and deprive yourself of the ability to hear a MTB'r shouting / ringing a bell at you, don't act angry at being startled - you brought that on yourself.

With the car thing - someone's already said/hinted it - sopme riders (not all) act as thjough they still have that fifth sense and forget some extra looking / awareness that they need when riding "deaf" - a la deaf people. I should qualify that I'm in/talking about a busy roundabout in London.

Like I said, do what you like its your choice (PeterPoddy), just use some common sense, and well done if you already are.

Deaf people are used to operating without a sense and modify their actions accordingly

correct, but it's not the wearing of earphones that is the problem, it's the not modifying your actions.

" a near death cyclist experience as he failed to detect the car in close proximity."

was he blind?

+1

they are much better at instictively looking behind them before they pull out into traffic

Anyone who pulls into traffic without looking, irrespective of their hearing deserves to get run over, Darwin award candidate!

I find riding without earphones (which I don't when riding in London) makes hearing traffic no easier at all, the wind noise often makes me think there's a car behind when there isn't, and now it's dark the lights are a far better indication than any sound. I find I'm no less aware with headphones, but I can't chat to people as easily!

why is it illegal to drive wearing earphones

Citation? I can't find one.

why are you not allowed to wear earphones at work

I am allowed. In fact, I am wearing them now.

I take my mp3 with on the road about half the time and what i have noticed is that i hear a little better with it. Particularly at mid to higher speeds. This is probably down to my ear shape(pat. applied for.) and helmet/glass's but the buds cut out a lot of the wind noise.
Also when i'm out with mates i find if very difficult at times to hear them talking (over the sound of my heart beeting through my chest:-) But thats just me.
Last summer driving back from N/wales down the A5, we had been behind a caravan for a while, knowing a straight was coming up i set my self up to over take. As we started the straight the Caravan give me a left hand signal, i stepped out and started to over take. But there stood in the middle of the road (on the white lines) is a guy looking up at the hills. So i held station for a moment. Its a long straight, he'll move any time now......won't he...... he won't just stand in the middle of the road will he......... Then the caravan is on the horn.. and another chap comes out of the hedge and pulls our hero to the side of the road. As i said its a long straight. As we pass him.........you guessed it. Ipod plugged in. So yes a little common sense is required as with most things in life.

correct, but it's not the wearing of earphones that is the problem, it's the not modifying your actions.

True. I would argue that those that are deaf have this behaviour hardwired through 24hr a day operating like this. Cyclists that are only "deaf" through choice for minutes every day need to make this modification consciously rather than subconsciously and that is not as easy to do (even when you think you are) as some may think. You said earlier that you are partially deaf and that makes you qualified to answer the question - I'd argue that is makes you uniquely unqualified as you have to some extent at least learnt instinctive visual observational behaviour through your condition whilst the rest of us don’t have that “benefit”.

Think about my first statement carefully.

You first

I for one would never ever put my full trust in my hearing. I worry that other people put too much trust in their own! Eyes are somewhat more useful for cycling.

njee20 - Member
I for one would never ever put my full trust in my hearing. I worry that other people put too much trust in their own! Eyes are somewhat more useful for cycling.

It has been stated, its [b]one of 5[/b] important senses.

I for one would never ever put my full trust in my hearing.

Well said amedias.

The OP seems to be assuming that everyone who rides/walks with headphones in has them at a volume that prevents them hearing anything else.

If you're stupid enough to pull out without looking behind you then wearing headphonew won't make any difference.

I def. would'nt do it. Tried it once off road and did'nt enjoy it. I nearly pooped myself when a land rover appeared on my shoulder that i did'nt hear coming.

Surprised so many here are keen on it.

I'd argue that is makes you uniquely unqualified as you have to some extent at least learnt instinctive visual observational behaviour through your condition whilst the rest of us don’t have that “benefit”.

fair point there convert...

Maybe I'm being unreasonable to expect other people to be able to so easily adapt their behaviour if they are not used to it.

i'm a headphone wearer, not just that but have them on full volume.

Ride road and mtb with them and use my EYES alot, low n behold coming to junctions i LOOK behind me before doing any manouevre, even on long straights i look behind me every now and again.

You also train yourself when riding road alot to use a heap of other stuff to give you information to whats happening, from how certain traffic signals work ( i.e. when there about to go green using other signals, not red, red amber, green scenario). to how other cars react to what the roads are like. A bit like using hedgelines, telephone poles to gauge how a road further head turns