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 greg looyestyn on
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Thats a long time to sell a car!
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on -
Most people that ride up hills with me think I'm having a wheeze of a time.
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Permalink Reply by peter sampson on -
I am dead set against it -you need all your senses out there -there was that Japanese touring cycling cyclist killed by a road train -did not hear it coming as was listening to a cd -got sucked in by the vortex -horrible outcome.I have come across a cyclist adjusting a radio on his helmet-(so riding no hands )and a stick flicked up into his front wheel -did the ride over the bars at over 20kph-again ,not a good outcome-so just enjoy the ride I reckon -in the words of the castle -just enjoy the serenity-anyone else notice the sunrise today ,pedro
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Permalink Reply by Michael Bland on -
I noticed the red sky this morning out of the Post office window .
Red Sky in the morning ,is the sailors warning ..
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Permalink Reply by GlenM on -
I fail to see what either of those 2 examples have to do with wearing headphones. If the truck had passed further away from the cyclist he wouldn't have been sucked under the wheels. I've had the unpleasant experience of being pulled out of the cycle lane on Lower NE Rd by a truck passing too close AND I wasn't wearing headphones.
Also if a stick gets into your front wheel it doesn't matter where your hands are or what you are listening to you will go over the handlebars.
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Permalink Reply by David B.o.R. on -
The day I got hit, as I've said before, was the day I decided to put the high power flashing light on, the day I decided to ride without music, fat lot of good it did. Having said this, my hyper-vigilant phase after the crash had me learn to love the lack of music and now I find it weird. I do sing a lot, Joy Division and Blur songs mainly.
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Permalink Reply by Blake on -
But surely you would have heard how close the truck was going to be and then pulled over to get out of the way? Same as you would have heard the stick saying "it's all over I am going to jump, the next set of spokes and it it done!" I mean those sticks do speak loudly when they are going to jump.
I always get out of the way when I hear that car coming from behind that is going to be too close to me. Same as how I shut my eyes and listen for the hazards in front so I can hear them coming.
Now where is that sarcasm icon.....
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
Blake, I was surprised one day when cycling on Main North Road not to hear the truck which was threatening to run over me. Fortunately I had just fitted a mirror, saw the truck, and dodged to the left between two parked vehicles. It is recognised that this can occur when a new quiet car approaching, background noise, raining, windy and/or older person with hearing impairment.
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Permalink Reply by Blake on
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I understand Heather, imagine if you were wearing headphones and still could not have heard the truck but still looked in your mirror and got out of the way.
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Permalink Reply by Lucas Pittaway on -
I almost always ride with music in my ears, loud music.
They say that when you lose one of your senses the others become sharper.
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Permalink Reply by MarkK on -
Agreed! i often get cut off by cyclists who "listen around corners" and evenually they get lazy and they stop looking as they turn. I actually got caught out a couple of nights ago when i turned right at a T junction i could hear one car coming so i slowed, the car passed and i went, but there was a bike behind the car and i nearly hit him. I short story is ALWAYS LOOK dont use your ears to ride a bike.
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Permalink Reply by Martin Turner on -
This is true but your other senses can never adjust to fully compensate for the lost sense.
Riding with loud music in your ears tends to make you do crazy things....like tear off most of your clothes while riding the home straight of this years RLC :)
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