Do people think headphones are okay when cycling?

singlespeedexplosif

Desperately bad idea. I use my ears SO much when I'm cycling (though not to the detriment of looking round etc.) and would feel utterly vulnerable without them.

I use mine so much too, and I'd feel utterly vulnerable without them. But I'm not without them (or the use of them, before any smartass comments )whether I'm riding with music or not.

always_tyred

moonio wrote:

Not if you are the girl cycling over Blackfriars bridge this evening, she had her ipod phones on a cigarrette in one hand and was swerving her handle bars in time to the music with the other hand.

Was she sending a text as well?

Bugly

reading about the latest hits and fatalities on this forum - surely the answer has to be a resounding NO dont use em on the road. Its dangerous enough on the roads without masking and limiting one of your main senses.

KitsuneAndy

Bugly wrote:

reading about the latest hits and fatalities on this forum - surely the answer has to be a resounding NO dont use em on the road. Its dangerous enough on the roads without masking and limiting one of your main senses.

Were all of the fatalities caused by the wearing of headphones?

Bugly

[quote="KitsuneAndy
Were all of the fatalities caused by the wearing of headphones?[/quote]
Umm no idea and that was not the intent of the post :shock:

Just suggesting that we need all our wits on the road - anything that reduces awareness of the enviroment you are in increases your risk.

:roll:

moonio

Always Tyred wrote:

moonio wrote:

Not if you are the girl cycling over Blackfriars bridge this evening, she had her ipod phones on a cigarrette in one hand and was swerving her handle bars in time to the music with the other hand.

Was she sending a text as well?

As I pulled alongside her I thought I could see a mobile phone in her hand, but I might have been mistaken...

KitsuneAndy

Bugly wrote:

[quote="KitsuneAndy
Were all of the fatalities caused by the wearing of headphones?

Umm no idea and that was not the intent of the post :shock:

Just suggesting that we need all our wits on the road - anything that reduces awareness of the enviroment you are in increases your risk.

:roll:[/quote]

I choose to wear headphones when cycling, but I always ensure they are at a volume where I can still hear the traffic. I always make sure I am aware of my surroundings, on particularly busy junctions I'll often take one of the earphones out.

A lot of the recent fatalities appear to have been riders on the left hand side of traffic. Whether the accidents were the fault of the cyclist filtering alongside large vehicles or the vehicles overtaking and immediately turning makes no difference, not wearing headphones wouldn't prevent either of these situations.

It's always going to be a personal decision and if you do choose to listen to music when cycling you have to be sensible about it when it comes to volume. But just because someone is wearing headphones doesn't automatically mean they aren't aware of their surroundings.

NGale

only listen to mine when I am on the off road cycle paths, never on the roads themselves

cycleNoodle

all depends on your route, if your not in heavy traffic then I dont see the problem with them, plus if you dont have the music on too loud, but then if you are in dangerous traffic then its best to get them off!