Listening to music while riding - harmless or hazardous?
I have always wondered with this. Is it legal to wear your ipod while riding? What hazards does it place on other road users/peds etc.
I am a bit against it personally, as the ear phones with loud music can impede ones ability to listen and concentrate on traffic etc. especially if you are riding in a group scenario. Someone with ear phones rides off while people at the rear may have had a fall etc.
What are the legalities of this, pro's & con's? For or against? Please keep the discussion civil.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by MARK FERGUSON (SPARTACUS) on -
I wouldn't do it, my hearing isn't great at the best of times.
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Permalink Reply by Blake on -
Curious about comparing a phone conversation with listening to music, seems like a long bow to draw to me? Does that mean I should not listen to music in my car?
Should I turn the music off and put the windows down so I can hear things as I drive?
(I am always able to hear emergency sirens horns etc on the bike and in my car regardless)
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Permalink Reply by Frank on
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You are cocooned in a car, on a bike or on foot we are vulnerable!
Having all senses fully alert is a must not an option!
Bit like comparing playing cards at home with working on scaffolding 10 storeys in the air!
It's not the sirens you won't hear, it's the quiet cars or bikes that will get you!
iPod ur ears later and trash your ears than but on the road especially near others it's a no-go zone!
Simple really, oh and also hearing can never or will never restore itself, once you push those little hairs over, that's it, the loss occurred so putting badly sounding mpeg sound waves into ur ear canal should be savoured for wellness destruction time at home!
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Permalink Reply by Sean Carnie on -
I think we have got your message now Frank, or did I not hear it due to poor hearing from my Ipod...
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Permalink Reply by Derek Hasel on -
What !
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Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on -
Frank makes a very valid point about long term hearing damage due to portable music devices. Our current younger generation will eventually become a generation with severely impaired hearing. I didnt take care of my hearing in my younger years while working on noisy desert oil rigs. Im paying for it now (at 54) with impaired hearing and tinitus.
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Pay me out all you like, speak to a ENT specialist and you won't be laughing!
Next gen of iPod crazy earplug wearing kids will have some sort of deafness due to that fad!
I own a club, done so for ten years and I have partially lost my hearing, Sean! I am not picking on you or others but take it from me, treasure the use of your senses! Put bells and reflectors or god knows mirrors on your bike but look after your ears, eyes and health!
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Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on
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A phone conversation involves a two way conversation. Listening to music is a passive one way activity....far less distractive than talking on a mobile phone.
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Permalink Reply by GlenM on -
There have been a number of articles written by motoring organisations that put forward the point that there are too many things in a car that provide too much distraction to a driver. Changing CD's, GPS systems, DVD players all of the information provided by the car itself. They make to point that to be safe in a car then all of this should be turned off so there is nothing that provides a distraction to the driver.
I hope all of these people that are so adamant about not wearing earphones also don't use any of the accessories in their cars because you may not hear that B-Double coming up behind you and the comfortable steel cocoon you are in won't save you.
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