Decisions. Best headphones for accident protection.

MrChuck

Dmak wrote:

Deaf people ride around London every day, without any issues whatsoever.

There's something about this argument that really bugs me. I don't see what bearing deaf people getting by without hearing has on the wisdom of people who do have their hearing choosing to give it up. Are you seriously saying there's no advantage?

Simonhi

meanredspider wrote:

TBH, from my POV it's not to do with H&S just a bit of consideration. I'm pi55ed off with peds on shared paths or cyclists on paths & roads where I ring my bell or yell "morning" and they're oblivious to my presence because they're listening to some "bangin' tunes". Then they jump out of their skins when I pass.

You might be the most considerate person in the world because I don't think I've met you - but I kinda doubt it.

Let me get this right. Do you expect pedestrians to stop listening to music because of you using the same path as them ?

My point is that every person is different, there are those that consider others, are conscious of their own safety and understand their right to behave responsibly, then there are the rest, which quite frankly, good luck with those. You have to be able to adapt and not expect everyone to conform to what you want.

I am the most considerate person you have never met, although I could have bumped into you on my way to Torridon in February when I flew to Inverness, you don't happen to drive a taxi do you ? Cos if you do there is a chance we met. Or maybe you serve coffe in the Eden Court theatre ?

You doubt my consideration ? Very narrow minded I must say but there you go, I can hardly be offended by the words of a no-mark.

neeb

I'm not going to get involved in the pros and cons debate (basically I think that in most UK cycling circumstances it's definitely not a good idea to compromise your hearing, but there are some circumstances where the risks are acceptable), but if you are going to do it have a look at the Oakley Thump Pro. You have no wires and you can pull the buds in and out of your ears at a moment's notice (or leave them half in to control the mix of music and external sound) without having anything dangling. There are little buttons on the stems to control volume etc that are very intuitive to use and so don't require fiddling in a pocket or whatever.

notlongnow

Pokerface wrote:

Wear them in just one ear if you truly want music but still be able to hear what's going on around you. Otherwise, wear them in both ears and learn to ride like a normal person and use your other senses.

Agreed

meanredspider

Simonhi wrote:

Let me get this right. Do you expect pedestrians to stop listening to music because of you using the same path as them ?

I just expect them to be considerate as they are sharing the path with other people. For sure, we can all take a "Fork you, I'm doing what I want to do" attitude - let's see how far that gets us.

MrChuck

meanredspider wrote:

Simonhi wrote:

Let me get this right. Do you expect pedestrians to stop listening to music because of you using the same path as them ?

I just expect them to be considerate as they are sharing the path with other people. For sure, we can all take a "Fork you, I'm doing what I want to do" attitude - let's see how far that gets us.

+1
Sharing doesn't mean doing what you want regardless of everyone else. I don't go charging down the middle of shared paths as if I was the only person in the world because it's selfish and inconsiderate, and IMO exactly the same goes for people wandering down the middle of them with their headphones in.

meanredspider

Simonhi wrote:

although I could have bumped into you on my way to Torridon in February when I flew to Inverness, you don't happen to drive a taxi do you ? Cos if you do there is a chance we met. Or maybe you serve coffe in the Eden Court theatre ?

Yeah - cos I've never been out of the Highlands...

...no, wait! I think I started a factory in China. Ah, yes, and come to think of it my kids were born in Brussels. Didn't I go to Newcastle once? Oh yeah, I did my degree there. And California looks familiar....

Simonhi wrote:

Very narrow minded I must say

Yup - some people are :roll:

navrig

Simonhi wrote:

I work in a very H&S conscious industry and I'm sick and tired of people who don't know any better constantly brandishing the H&S card, just look at the threads on this forum, helmet threads running to ten pages. Wear one or don't, I really don't care, it's none of my buisness, who am I to judge ?

In that case you will know and appreciate that H&S is not just about me, myself, I but considers the impact that you have to others in your vicinity.

If you happen to work in the construction industry try wearing your headphones whilst on site and see how long you last before you are either spoken to or banned from that site forever.

You may think you can adequately look after yourself when riding and listening to music but do you FULLY appreciate the risks you represent to others by not paying attention to other road users?

In this case I am not talking about just physically hurting someone but giving some thought to the driver behind you, who injures you because you fail to hear something and take the appropriate action. That driver's mental health is just as important.

JD_76

The new Siri app on the iPhone 4S is great, I can text, answer calls and surf the net now whilst riding allong all with the click of a button.

Nice one Apple.

jim453

Simonhi wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

TBH, from my POV it's not to do with H&S just a bit of consideration. I'm pi55ed off with peds on shared paths or cyclists on paths & roads where I ring my bell or yell "morning" and they're oblivious to my presence because they're listening to some "bangin' tunes". Then they jump out of their skins when I pass.

You might be the most considerate person in the world because I don't think I've met you - but I kinda doubt it.

Let me get this right. Do you expect pedestrians to stop listening to music because of you using the same path as them ?

My point is that every person is different, there are those that consider others, are conscious of their own safety and understand their right to behave responsibly, then there are the rest, which quite frankly, good luck with those. You have to be able to adapt and not expect everyone to conform to what you want.

I am the most considerate person you have never met, although I could have bumped into you on my way to Torridon in February when I flew to Inverness, you don't happen to drive a taxi do you ? Cos if you do there is a chance we met. Or maybe you serve coffe in the Eden Court theatre ?

You doubt my consideration ? Very narrow minded I must say but there you go, I can hardly be offended by the words of a no-mark.

Now, now Simon. There you go again, arguing with people on the internet.

I must say, however, I think I agree with you and our resident World Champion on this one, which is unusual.

Let people listen to their music if they like. I honestly don't think it makes a great deal of difference to safety. I find I can still hear cars approaching behind me because they make a sound of a different frequency or something. I'm never surprised when a car comes past. And that's with Led Zep or Metallica os similar at full volume.

Having said that, those cans look pretty serious Simon, I'm only using the pitiful buds that the phone came with.

But let's not forget, the whole thread was started as a joke anyway so why are we arguing?

Simonhi

Navrig wrote:

In that case you will know and appreciate that H&S is not just about me, myself, I but considers the impact that you have to others in your vicinity.

Stating the obvious but thanks, I'm quite aware of my actions with regards to others H&S, where did I say that I did'nt consider others ??? Nope I can't see it either.

Navrig wrote:

If you happen to work in the construction industry try wearing your headphones whilst on site and see how long you last before you are either spoken to or banned from that site forever.

I do work in construction and the use of ear defenders when operating machinery is poitively encouraged as part of PPE to safeguard ones hearing. What do you suppose that person can hear when they are operating machinery deemed unsafe to be working without adequate protection ? How do you get them to stop when they can't hear you ? You signal to them, or in other words expect them to use their eyes.

Navrig wrote:

You may think you can adequately look after yourself

Yes I do thanks

Navrig wrote:

when riding and listening to music

Yes

Navrig wrote:

but do you FULLY appreciate the risks

Again, yes I do thanks, FULLY

Navrig wrote:

you represent to others by not paying attention to other road users?

Can't remember having an accident whilst riding and listening to music, ever.

Navrig wrote:

In this case I am not talking about just physically hurting someone but giving some thought to the driver behind you, who injures you because you fail to hear something and take the appropriate action. That driver's mental health is just as important.

See, this is just the sort of drivel I'm on about. What could I possibly fail to hear that I would not be able to see and how could I prevent being part of that accident / incident ?

If a driver was to hit me and knock me off my bike how could that have been prevented if I was not wearing headphones ?

What possible outcome of a driver colliding with me, i.e. running up the back of me, which is the only thing I won't be able to see, would be prevented by me not wearing headphones ???

Would I ride differently ? I don't think so.

Would I be able to hear the approaching vehicle, any differently from any normal vehilce about to overtake me ? Not that my ears can detect, no.

What could I do about it ? Nothing that i can think of.

How else would it happen ?

The one common mistake being made is that you assume just because your hearing may be impaired due to the headphones that you are unable to make rational decisions to be able to ride safely with just your eyes.

If you ride on your ears good luck to you mate, I mostly use my eyes :-)

sloppyschleckonds

jesus wept

lostboysaint

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

jesus wept

Yep, 'cos he got the thread!

Scotxr

lostboysaint wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

jesus wept

Yep, 'cos he got the thread!

I'm new to this forum. Is it common for soooooooooo many people to miss the point of the thread and go off on wild tangents??!!

lostboysaint

Scotxr wrote:

lostboysaint wrote:

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

jesus wept

Yep, 'cos he got the thread!

I'm new to this forum. Is it common for soooooooooo many people to miss the point of the thread and go off on wild tangents??!!

Oh yes. There's a LOT of VERY serious people on here.

Bordersroadie

Simonhi wrote:

you assume just because your hearing may be impaired due to the headphones that you are unable to make rational decisions to be able to ride safely with just your eyes.

If you ride on your ears good luck to you mate, I mostly use my eyes :-)

"Mostly your eyes" you say, so you do use your ears then, now we're getting somewhere.

I just hope that when that car pulls out of a side road, in your blind spot, it manages to miss you.

BIG CLUE: without headphones, you could hear the car approaching and take avoiding action.

How many other examples of "ways that hearing is useful to a cyclist" do you need to be told?

I'm not quite sure why you can't just admit that having hearing riding a bike is better than being deaf? Is it because your fragile ego has been broken by the feeling that someone is telling you that you're wrong and you just can't admit it? Or are you just indulging in a big wind-up?

EIther way, please keep it up, this is getting very amusing!

lostboysaint

Bordersroadie wrote:

EIther way, please keep it up, this is getting very amusing!

No it isn't. The original post was very amusing. The first person missing the point of the OP was very amusing. The rest is just shit that needs relegating to the myriad of threads that already exist about the subject whilst the rest of us delight in the OP's humour.

Bordersroadie

I take it you prefer the safer option of riding without being able to hear your surroundings, then?

navrig

Bordersroadie wrote:

Simonhi wrote:

you assume just because your hearing may be impaired due to the headphones that you are unable to make rational decisions to be able to ride safely with just your eyes.

If you ride on your ears good luck to you mate, I mostly use my eyes :-)

"Mostly your eyes" you say, so you do use your ears then, now we're getting somewhere.

I just hope that when that car pulls out of a side road, in your blind spot, it manages to miss you.

BIG CLUE: without headphones, you could hear the car approaching and take avoiding action.

How many other examples of "ways that hearing is useful to a cyclist" do you need to be told?

I'm not quite sure why you can't just admit that having hearing riding a bike is better than being deaf? Is it because your fragile ego has been broken by the feeling that someone is telling you that you're wrong and you just can't admit it? Or are you just indulging in a big wind-up?

EIther way, please keep it up, this is getting very amusing!

+1

Thanks

You saved me replying.

navrig

Simonhi wrote:

I do work in construction and the use of ear defenders when operating machinery is poitively encouraged as part of PPE to safeguard ones hearing. What do you suppose that person can hear when they are operating machinery deemed unsafe to be working without adequate protection ? How do you get them to stop when they can't hear you ? You signal to them, or in other words expect them to use their eyes.

You will also apprciate then that the guidance is not just for ear defenders to be worn but for the machinery to be muffled thus reducing the need, in some cases, for ear defenders because ear defenders cause "isolation". Isolation is, in itself, a safety risk.

HSE wrote:

How can hearing protection be used effectively?
Do:
make sure the protectors give enough protection - aim at least to get below 85 dB at the ear;
target the use of protectors to the noisy tasks and jobs in a working day;
select protectors which are suitable for the working environment - consider how comfortable and hygienic they are;
think about how they will be worn with other protective equipment (eg hard hats, dust masks and eye protection);
provide a range of protectors so that employees can choose ones which suit them.
Don't:

provide protectors which cut out too much noise - this can cause isolation, or lead to an unwillingness to wear them;
make the use of hearing protectors compulsory where the law doesn't require it;
have a 'blanket' approach to hearing protection - better to target its use and only encourage people to wear it when they need to.

jim453

This is getting out of hand.