One Headphone...
Comments
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Bozman wrote:I personally never really wore earplugs on a motorbike, trackdays being the exception.
On a motorbike or pushbike I have no interest what so ever on what's going on behind me, if you start worrying about an approaching vehicle you're getting distracted.
When you do a trackday on a motorbike you have to tape up or remove your mirrors, why? because if you start worrying about what's happening behind you you're not concentrating on where you're going.
My race bike never had mirrors and had a "daytime" mot so no lights and no mirrors. Took it on the road less times than I have fingers on one hand. Too dangerous without mirrors so far too many life savers, too fast for the roads, too many thieves looking to follow you home and more practical to use the car.
What do I expect to hear when cycling? If I can hear an engine screaming from behind or a blast from a horn, I know there's a potential dickhead behind and to be on my guard. I can also hear if another cyclist is about to come by who has been holding my wheel. Wearing headphones deprives you of one of your senses but as long as your happy to take the risk and a reduced payout in a claim, fill your boots or ears as it were.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0 -
One ear phone club here. If it had ever caused me an issue I'd reconsider but doing 10,000 miles a year can get a bit tedious. Yet to have a vehicle ever sneak up on me, that includes other cyclists.
Purely anecdotal but without music in the morning I find I do less life savers and tend to phase out.0 -
philthy3 wrote:Bozman wrote:I personally never really wore earplugs on a motorbike, trackdays being the exception.
On a motorbike or pushbike I have no interest what so ever on what's going on behind me, if you start worrying about an approaching vehicle you're getting distracted.
When you do a trackday on a motorbike you have to tape up or remove your mirrors, why? because if you start worrying about what's happening behind you you're not concentrating on where you're going.
My race bike never had mirrors and had a "daytime" mot so no lights and no mirrors. Took it on the road less times than I have fingers on one hand. Too dangerous without mirrors so far too many life savers, too fast for the roads, too many thieves looking to follow you home and more practical to use the car.
What do I expect to hear when cycling? If I can hear an engine screaming from behind or a blast from a horn, I know there's a potential dickhead behind and to be on my guard. I can also hear if another cyclist is about to come by who has been holding my wheel. Wearing headphones deprives you of one of your senses but as long as your happy to take the risk and a reduced payout in a claim, fill your boots or ears as it were.
I had a track bike with a daytime mot and that 11 mile ride to Donington was uncomfortable, but that's because you're changing road position and carrying more speed than a pushbike.
I don't wear earphones but it'll still make me jump when someone pops up along side me, but I generally ride in the countryside where there isn't much traffic. If I rode in central London with all of that traffic I can't really see what difference it would make with the noise already being created.0 -
Tried it once - I found it distracting and cars crept up on me more than without it in.
I've done 1000s of miles without an earphone so its really not something I need. Whats wrong with making your own entertainment whilst you're out ?0 -
I think anything that impairs your hearing is a seriously bad idea.
People keep bringing up the fact that we listen to the radio on motorbikes or in cars. There's a big difference and it's this: Cyclists usually travel slower than the majority of traffic. This means most danger comes from behind, not in front. Therefore we rely pretty heavily on hearing what's happening behind us (at least I do). Cars and motorbikes usually travel at the same pace as the traffic around them except on multi-lane roads and are afforded ownership of their lane. Most risks are in front of them and they have effective mirrors for seeing behind them.
I'm going to give you an 8 for sillyness based on using one non-noise cancelling earpiece. It would be 10 if you wore 2 or they were noise cancelling.
I do some running too and it's infuriating when you run in a mass participation event and some people wear headphones. They're massively less aware of what's happening around them than the rest of the runners both because of hearing loss and distraction and will regularly cut across you or spit on your feet or the like often without even realising they did it.0 -
Wirral_Paul wrote:I've never ridden a motorbike but for someone who has - would you say you can hear more with iphone type bud headphones, or a full face helmet and the noise of a motorbike??
I get the "distraction" point - but would be interested to hear genuine opinions on the above
I use ear plugs on the motorbike, and do use intercom from time to time(which allows music), and find the music can only be a distraction if I am doing the moves to gangham style....0 -
Carbonator wrote:GiantMike wrote:Interesting, when I drive I have the radio on and I don't find it distracting, unless I'm shouting at the idiots who phone into the Jeremy Vine show. Why is it more distracting to have a headphone in (quite rare) compared to having a car radio on (almost every car)?
1/ Having earphones in/on is very different to having speakers in a car (I would never drive with earphones in).
2/ You are in a car with a safety cell around you and probably unlikely to die in a crash (especially on London commuter roads).
3/ People are more aware of you being there so you have more time to react if you are distracted.
4/ You are in your own lane so you have more time to react if you are distracted.
5/ You get used to the music/chat being on in a car in a way you probably never will on a bike.
6/ You simply do not need to concentrate as much driving a car so you can afford the distraction of the music/chat.
1. depends what volume and type of headphones
2. true
3. doubtful - if everyone is distracted it makes little difference - if you're distracted whilst overtaking a cyclist then the cyclist can't do much to get out of your way
4. No - you're not in your own lane - you are in a lane that you share with all the other road users. If you want your own lane then best travel up and down your own private drive.
5. You can be distracted by anything - minds can wander when you're doing something repetitive.
6. I dispute that - you need to concentrate as much as anyone else when on the road.0 -
philthy3 wrote:If I can hear an engine screaming from behind or a blast from a horn, I know there's a potential dickhead behind and to be on my guard.
This is the part I don't buy. Unless you dive into a hedge every time you perceive a risk, you are going to be just as dead whether you're wearing headphones or not. Being aware of a car 1 or 2 seconds earlier (if that) doesn't alter the chances of it hitting you if that's its mission.
I do a life-saver even if I'm only moving 1 foot to the right to avoid a pothole. Wearing headphones simply doesn't affect my chances of being hit.0 -
Omar Little wrote:If out cycling and i approach a cyclist from behind who is wearing earphones they are typically away in a world of their own and not fully aware of what is happening around them. Those that wear them will likely disagree and say its just as safe as riding without but then they dont see themselves riding so are not best placed to judge.
Plenty of cyclists not wearing headphones are in a world of their own - cycling is a great time to think ... if that's what you want to do...
Unless you've not oiled your chain in the last year then the sound of you approaching is going to be drowned out by their own bike and wind noise so they won't notice you approach anyway - unless they have a mirror or do frequent shoulder checks.
Being able to hear what's going on around you is important whilst riding - but that doesn't preclude you from being in your own little world for much of the time.0 -
Ai_1 wrote:I think anything that impairs your hearing is a seriously bad idea.
People keep bringing up the fact that we listen to the radio on motorbikes or in cars. There's a big difference and it's this: Cyclists usually travel slower than the majority of traffic. This means most danger comes from behind, not in front. Therefore we rely pretty heavily on hearing what's happening behind us (at least I do). Cars and motorbikes have effective mirrors for seeing behind them.
So if we fitted mirrors to our cycles we could ride with headphones in?0 -
I'm also someone who cycles regularly with earbuds in both ears and listening to music, it's just my choice of background noise, this is supplied via my iPhone so i often turn the music off and on depending on how i'm feeling or where i am, and i don't notice any difference between it being on or off as far as my attention levels go.
I'm also a firm believer in what a couple of other posters have said, in that if you're going to get hit from behind it makes no difference in what you can hear that is still going to happen, i make sure to check behind if i'm making any sort of manoeuvre and pay full attention to everything in my line of vision, i really don't see how not having earbuds in would make that much difference.
I would guess that most accidents involving cyclists happen due to the inattention of the driver of the motor vehicle, who probably isn't speeding or sounding their horn just another vehicle approaching from behind, unless you are constantly looking behind you then the car that hits you wouldn't sound any different from any other car approaching from behind you, and all the stuff in front of me and to the sides is down to me to look out for.
As has also been said about other cyclists coming up and passing from behind, if your on a quiet road and get passed from behind, you don't hear them even without music until they are passing you, i know from experience as something like this has happened to me a couple of times, funnily enough normally when i'm not listening to anything, and due to wind noise or whatever there is nothing to give away their approach.0 -
When I'm on my MTB I use in-ear headphones, but have them turned down low (level 14 out of 30 on my mp3 player) so I can just hear the music. I can hear car engines over the music and even the wind sometimes drowns out the music. I do ride on roads on my MTB, but only quiet back roads and the majority of my rides are off-road away from traffic. This time of year I can see the light from cars behind me before I can hear them anyway.
When I'm on my road bike and therefore only riding on roads, and riding on busier roads and in urban areas, I don't wear headphones at all.
If you feel it doesn't affect your safety, I wouldn't worry about it too much, I have no intention of ditching the headphones on my MTB rides. And I don't buy the 'distraction' issue - my concentration when I'm on the bike is on cycling and staying safe - the music is a secondary thought."I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"0 -
Carbonator wrote:GiantMike wrote:Interesting, when I drive I have the radio on and I don't find it distracting, unless I'm shouting at the idiots who phone into the Jeremy Vine show. Why is it more distracting to have a headphone in (quite rare) compared to having a car radio on (almost every car)?
1/ Having earphones in/on is very different to having speakers in a car (I would never drive with earphones in).
2/ You are in a car with a safety cell around you and probably unlikely to die in a crash (especially on London commuter roads).
3/ People are more aware of you being there so you have more time to react if you are distracted.
4/ You are in your own lane so you have more time to react if you are distracted.
5/ You get used to the music/chat being on in a car in a way you probably never will on a bike.
6/ You simply do not need to concentrate as much driving a car so you can afford the distraction of the music/chat.
I would never wear ear or headphones when on my bike, just my preference. I love music but am old school enough to prefer to listen either in a comfy armchair with the lights down low or in some cramped sweaty venue.
I have to disagree with your point 6 though, the problem on the roads is a lack of concentration, and people don't think enough about their driving. Since the use of mobiles in cars has been restricted to hands-free (theoretically...) there have been debates about not smoking in cars, not eating sandwiches etc. We all need to approach driving as a serious thing to be doing, it isn't just a way of getting to the shops and back without getting rained on, or whatever.0 -
madasahattersley wrote:Training approx 16 hours/week at the moment, and using earphones for most of that. As in 2 earphones of the 'in ear' variety, which don't let much sound in.
I find it helps me focus, stops me getting bored when I'm holding a steady wattage for 5 hours in the flatlands, and I just like listening to music. I don't feel it affects my safety one bit, as long as you ride with maximum awareness then I think it's fine.
How you you ride with 'maximum awareness' when you have shut off one of your main senses?0 -
I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet and it's a very good point. If you're cycling into a moderate or strong headwind, it's much more difficult to hear noise of vehicles (or anything else) off to the side or behind you than at other times. In my experience a headwind interferes with your ability to hear far more than a single earphone does, so much so I can often barely hear the music I'm listening to. Unless all of you saying it's massively risky to use an earphone don't ride your bike at all when it's windy then you're being a little inconsistent.Slowbike wrote:Plenty of cyclists not wearing headphones are in a world of their own - cycling is a great time to think ... if that's what you want to do...
Unless you've not oiled your chain in the last year then the sound of you approaching is going to be drowned out by their own bike and wind noise so they won't notice you approach anyway0 -
GiantMike wrote:
What kind of distraction am I likely to suffer from (as detailed in your points 2-4 above)? As I sometimes cycle with headphones in and I can't tell the difference between my distraction levels in either case, what am I missing?Carbonator wrote:GiantMike wrote:Interesting, when I drive I have the radio on and I don't find it distracting, unless I'm shouting at the idiots who phone into the Jeremy Vine show. Why is it more distracting to have a headphone in (quite rare) compared to having a car radio on (almost every car)?
1/ Having earphones in/on is very different to having speakers in a car (I would never drive with earphones in).
2/ You are in a car with a safety cell around you and probably unlikely to die in a crash (especially on London commuter roads).
3/ People are more aware of you being there so you have more time to react if you are distracted.
4/ You are in your own lane so you have more time to react if you are distracted.
5/ You get used to the music/chat being on in a car in a way you probably never will on a bike.
6/ You simply do not need to concentrate as much driving a car so you can afford the distraction of the music/chat.
If I were to have an accident, could I blame it on the boogie?
Well you may have been blinded by the glare of the sun, or even on clear nights the glare from the moon, or you just may have been distracted by the amount of sheer fun you were having, but I would say...
Don't blame it on the sunshine,
don't blame it on the moonlight,
don't blame it on the good times.
Definitely blame it on the boogie.0 -
Im a silly cyclist at times but even I would never ride with earphones.Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
Specialized Hardrock MTB for Lumps
Specialized Langster SS for Ease
Cinelli Mash Bolt Fixed for Pain
n+1 is well and truly on track
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Dorset Boy wrote:madasahattersley wrote:Training approx 16 hours/week at the moment, and using earphones for most of that. As in 2 earphones of the 'in ear' variety, which don't let much sound in.
I find it helps me focus, stops me getting bored when I'm holding a steady wattage for 5 hours in the flatlands, and I just like listening to music. I don't feel it affects my safety one bit, as long as you ride with maximum awareness then I think it's fine.
How you you ride with 'maximum awareness' when you have shut off one of your main senses?
You'll get no where trying the logical and rational argument with these guys. They are all superhuman and have spidey's sixth sense.
The best approach is tell him how stupid his statement has been and that he is putting himself are a much higher risk of breaking his bike.
(did you see what I did there?)0 -
I think you'll find that they have a different opinion, based on their experiences. Personally, I accept that I'll not be able to hear everything going on around me, but I don't care. I also accept that when I wear glasses, my peripheral vision is slightly degraded and that riding at night with a torch isn't as good as riding in broad daylight. It's also more likely that I'll encounter traffic on the road than on the pavement and it's probably safer to hire a big van, wrap myself in lots of duvets and pay him to drive me wherever I want to go. But, despite all of this, I choose to cycle, at night, on the roads, usually wearing glasses, and regularly wearing headphones. All entirely beyond reason and logic.Navrig wrote:You'll get no where trying the logical and rational argument with these guys. They are all superhuman and have spidey's sixth sense.0 -
GiantMike wrote:
I think you'll find that they have a different opinion, based on their experiences. Personally, I accept that I'll not be able to hear everything going on around me, but I don't care. I also accept that when I wear glasses, my peripheral vision is slightly degraded and that riding at night with a torch isn't as good as riding in broad daylight. It's also more likely that I'll encounter traffic on the road than on the pavement and it's probably safer to hire a big van, wrap myself in lots of duvets and pay him to drive me wherever I want to go. But, despite all of this, I choose to cycle, at night, on the roads, usually wearing glasses, and regularly wearing headphones. All entirely beyond reason and logic.Navrig wrote:You'll get no where trying the logical and rational argument with these guys. They are all superhuman and have spidey's sixth sense.
But, it seems, you wouldn't say this:I don't feel it affects my safety one bit, as long as you ride with maximum awareness then I think it's fine.0 -
You are pointing out that somebody has a different opinion to me? I wouldn't agree with what he has said because I think it will degrade his safety slightly, but not to the extent that he'll automatically fall off or get hit by a bus just because he has some music in his ears. I haven't seen any evidence to suggest that cyclists are more likely to get injured or killed because they are wearing headphones so I, like most riders, base my actions on experience rather than people I don't know on the internet who may not even ride a bike or ever go outside.Navrig wrote:GiantMike wrote:
I think you'll find that they have a different opinion, based on their experiences. Personally, I accept that I'll not be able to hear everything going on around me, but I don't care. I also accept that when I wear glasses, my peripheral vision is slightly degraded and that riding at night with a torch isn't as good as riding in broad daylight. It's also more likely that I'll encounter traffic on the road than on the pavement and it's probably safer to hire a big van, wrap myself in lots of duvets and pay him to drive me wherever I want to go. But, despite all of this, I choose to cycle, at night, on the roads, usually wearing glasses, and regularly wearing headphones. All entirely beyond reason and logic.Navrig wrote:You'll get no where trying the logical and rational argument with these guys. They are all superhuman and have spidey's sixth sense.
But, it seems, you wouldn't say this:I don't feel it affects my safety one bit, as long as you ride with maximum awareness then I think it's fine.0 -
Threads such as this come up fairly frequently on BR and always result in the same tiresome arguments. Most of my riding is done on quiet country lanes in east cornwall near the A30 dual carriageway. When I'm riding I have the noise of my bike, the noise of my breathing, wind noise, the noise from wind in overhanging trees and the noise from traffic from the motorway. Every other road user is potentially going to kill me so I want to know where they are and what they are doing at all times. So I DO NOT wear headphones or do anything else that is going to distract from my primary purpose of enjoying my ride and staying alive.
I can't really be fretting about what other cyclists are doing unless it gets in my way. If you choose to ride with a 42 inch tv strapped to your handlebars that's fine with me also...0 -
Your problem will come when someone hits you and you want to sue them.MajorMantra wrote:When riding solo I use two headphones. They let in a lot of background noise, I always ride predictably, and I am very careful to do life-saver checks over my shoulder when making any kind of maneuver. Sue me.0 -
I've already commented on this but it got me thinking(dangerous), in twenty odd years of cycling I've never seen anyone wearing headphones while I'm out on the bike, in fact if I think that I'd be quite shocked if I did, not for the safety issue but why on earth would you want to wear them.0
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How much safer/less safe would we be if we were/were not wearing a helmet?0
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Tom Dean wrote:
Your problem will come when someone hits you and you want to sue them.MajorMantra wrote:When riding solo I use two headphones. They let in a lot of background noise, I always ride predictably, and I am very careful to do life-saver checks over my shoulder when making any kind of maneuver. Sue me.
As someone previously commented, show me some precedence for this, otherwise it's idle speculation. If I get run over whilst cycling in a straight line my wearing or not wearing of headphones is immaterial.0 -
Carbonator wrote:6/ You simply do not need to concentrate as much driving a car so you can afford the distraction of the music/chat.
Wait, what?0 -
Lucky you only ride in straight lines then. If something does happen, just tell the lawyers that headphones make no difference and they will just accept it :roll: oh, and that you're always careful.MajorMantra wrote:Tom Dean wrote:
Your problem will come when someone hits you and you want to sue them.MajorMantra wrote:When riding solo I use two headphones. They let in a lot of background noise, I always ride predictably, and I am very careful to do life-saver checks over my shoulder when making any kind of maneuver. Sue me.
As someone previously commented, show me some precedence for this, otherwise it's idle speculation. If I get run over whilst cycling in a straight line my wearing or not wearing of headphones is immaterial.0
