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.

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Permalink Reply by Marc Mastrodomenico on June 25, 2012 at 12:53

I dont agree with having earphones in while riding as they are a danger, for the reason you are not able to hear what is happening around you.

Your eyes are to see in front, and your ears to your eyes behind and around you. They are key to having a danger/conflict free ride.

Permalink Reply by Edward @bikeadelaide on July 14, 2012 at 12:11

It turns out that even listening to music on an iPod, a cyclists hears about the same outside noise as a car driver listening to no music. Once the car driver turns on the music, they hear less:

http://rideons.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/an-ear-on-the-traffic/

Permalink Reply by Norm on July 20, 2012 at 18:33

It is dangerous - no other way to describe it.  Lets face it we have enough to worry about without increasing the risk unnecessarily further.  Also Copper sees you and you do something silly, opening yourself up to due care charge which is court not a fine.  No different to pedestrians walking down shared path with earphones in stepping in front of you and no amount of bell/yelling snaps them out of it.

Permalink Reply by Paul Inglis on July 20, 2012 at 19:03

No it's not.

Does anyone have an example of a crash caused by a cyclist listening to music while cycling?

Permalink Reply by Mark H on July 20, 2012 at 19:22

Not implicitly caused by headphones, but a quick google search yields articles from 

TheSun

CambridgeNews - Cyclist fined for careless cycling (Caused accident whilst wearing headphones)

YouTube

and closer to home

TheAge

Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on July 20, 2012 at 19:23
Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on July 20, 2012 at 21:35

Whoops..doubled up on the Tram incident in Melbourne.

Permalink Reply by Chris Russell on July 20, 2012 at 21:51

I tend to see lots of articles with officials expressing concerns but actually no proof they were listening/earphones in ears or any evidence that earphones contributed to the accident. To prove a statistical association you would have to compare rates of accidents of non ipod using cyclists divided by the total number of non ipod using cyclists - against the no of ipod using cyclists in accidents divided by the total - all for the same time period.

I think the tram issue is a more significant one that the UK level crossing one. To not stop and look at a level crossing without boom gates is stupid whether with earphones or without.

The latter case I think signifies that risks are dependent on environment. I never ride over railway crossings without boom gates or near trams which are not separated from roadways - and I don't have a volume high enough not to hear traffic. In fact I now use a single ear device with bluetooth so I always have one free ear.

I am still to be convinced earphones add substantially to risks - but for example I never ride in the city centre and suspect I wouldn't use earphones if I did.

Permalink Reply by Mark H on July 20, 2012 at 22:38

The articles are what they are, without the rider explicitly stating "I was listening to music too loud - It was my fault" someone will always have objections.

You mention that you listen to music while riding, but have several conditions regarding volume, environment and only using one ear. It seems like your reducing the risk by doing this - and therefore I think you believe there is a risk. A risk substantial enough for you to not use full headphones too loud.

Each to their own, be safe.

Permalink Reply by Chris Russell on July 22, 2012 at 20:33

Agree.

I tend to look for routes like Mt Lofty or McLaren Vale where most of the riding is on bike paths with no traffic or on early morning routes with minimal traffic. I feel quite safe with music in one or two ears on these routes. As indicated if I ride over a rail line without a boom gate I would stop and look both ways, but fortunately all the crossings I pass have boom gates.

Some correspondents on this site seem to want to impose their views on others. I don't think there is any evidence to justify regulating all.

Each to their own, be safe - a good motto!

Permalink Reply by Tim B on July 21, 2012 at 10:36
If you are sticking plugs in your ears, even without listening to music, surely your hearing ability has to be reduced to some degree, no?
Then add the wind noise that seems to increase with plugs in, and the music on top of it all, not to mention that you may be concentrating more on the music than your surroundings, i just cant see how anyone can hear as well and be as aware of their surroundings in this situation.....
Permalink Reply by Chris Russell on July 22, 2012 at 20:24

So on that basis deaf people would be banned from riding?

If you don't feel its safe, don't do it.

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