Do you listen to music whilst cycling? If so this is for you ...........

[ComedyPilot]

Scenario you are riding a piece of road, it's windy, and you can't hear traffic coming up behind.

Is that the cyclist's fault?

 

[ComedyPilot]

A cyclist rides along a path then bunny hops onto the road and is hit by a car - they're wearing headphones, and didn't look/wait for a gap?

I take your point then, but I would say the not looking was a greater contributory factor.

 

[Norm]

Is that the cyclist's fault?

No, but my point was wearing headphones is choosing to remove your sense of hearing rather than having it imposed on you because of environmental / medical conditions.

If you have an accident and the other vehicle was at fault, then wearing headphones will not be relevant. It is possible to think of scenarios in which headphones could contribute to the cyclist being less aware, just as it is possible to imagine scenarios in which headphones have no effect.

 

[ComedyPilot]

A cyclistis riding along a singletrack road listening to the latest Cheryl Cole album () and a cyclist coming up behind sounds their bell., then shouts coming through on the right. The sudden appearance scares the Cheryl Cole ( fan and they fall off.

Yes, contributory. Warnings were given.

Also their own daft fault for listening to such tosh.

 

[Crankarm]

I see what you mean by contributory negligence when the cyclist is at fault.

How can it be contributory, if a car/vehicle is at fault?

Yes, it may lessen the cyclists senses (if they haven't got the brains to use a mirror), but I take it you are talking about collisions happening where the cyclist is struck from a direction out of the immediate line of sight? - ie from behind?

Well I s'pose legally yes. But give any court an inch to impune a cyclist's behaviour and they will use anything as prima facie evidence contributing to their injuries/death even if the cyclist is merely the injured party not at fault, to let a driver off the hook. I can also envisage a scenario where a cyclist not at fault, who was wearing headphones listening to music, would be viewed negatively by the f**kwits at the CPS to avoid prosecuting serious cases of dangerous or reckless driving by drivers.

On the survival front I think Norm and a few others are saying that wearing them decreases one's chances of survival.

 

[Norm]

Also their own daft fault for listening to such tosh.

Just desserts is the phrase on my fingertips.

(And yes, I am allowed an opinion, I bought that album! )

 

[ComedyPilot]

The environmental or medical conditions will be something the driver of tons of metal will NEVER take into consideration.

It's all about common sense. Play heavy metal in headphones at vol 11, don't look around and never use a mirror, and yes, you only have yourself to blame for putting yourself an a slightly increased level of risk. You are NOT to blame for a myopic twunt not looking at where they are going whilst moving tons of metal at high speed.

Play music at a more ambient level, use mirrors and frequent glances around and IMO you will be ok, because you will already have seen any vehicles approaching before you would ever hear them, headphones or no headphones.

 

[ComedyPilot]

And for anyone that feels I am doing wrong, and that I aren't aware of my suroundings, I challenge you to try and creep up on me when on the bike without me noticing.

You WON'T .

I refer the honourable gentlemen to my previous comments.

 

[ComedyPilot]

But give any court an inch to impune a cyclist's behaviour and they will use anything as prima facie evidence contributing to their injuries/death even if the cyclist is merely the injured party not at fault, to let a driver off the hook.

And we already have historic cases of women being partially blamed for being raped due to 'wearing short skirts'

It's not justice when those responsible can abdicate their responsibility onto a victim, is it?

 

[Crankarm]

I have noticed that when it is very windy and the wind is in my face or blowing across me I find it very hard to hear cars approaching from behind. Sometimes I don't even hear them which scares the crap out of me as they on ocassion close pass. I do frequently look rearwards and always when there is a vehicle approaching from the front as a life saver or at pinch points to mention a few situations. But the wind really does play havoc with hearing what's coming up behind IME. I wouldn't wear headphones for this reason. There, I said it .

 

[Crankarm]

And we already have historic cases of women being partially blamed for being raped due to 'wearing short skirts'

It's not justice when those responsible can abdicate their responsibility onto a victim, is it?

All very pertinent CP, but is it really safe?

 

[thomas]

I haven't read everything, but thought I'd give my 10 pence worth anyway

If you want to listen to music while cycling...then this is for you! Get a bike speaker! I have a DIY version, which was great for my commute. Not only can you still hear the road...you can share your fantastic taste in music with other people!

On the 'deaf people can cycle' argument. I believe that when you loose a sense, your other senses become more heightened? As the person is used to not being able to hear anything, they will be more aware in other ways. From experience, if I listen to music while walking I don't make as good judgements, or at least can't judge things that well (in a very similar way to how I felt while using a mobile phone while driving - did it once to see if it was distracting, hated it...I couldn't even work out if it was safe to pull out at a junction, so hung up after about 10 seconds).

Now, iPod earphones are so rubbish that you can probably still hear a lot. Probably a lot more than you could hear in my Dad's Jag, with the radio on a sensible volume.

I have also seen car drivers and bus drivers with earphones in, so this is far from a cycle only issue.

I bet a lot of the injuries are caused by cyclists who would have caused when anyway, due to their lack of road sense...they just happened to have music in at the time.

 

[ComedyPilot]

When riding a moving bike, a glance over the shoulder only gives a brief picture of what is happening, then you need to return your gaze to the front (the direction your bike is rolling).

A strategically placed mirror enables you to complement the glances with a more comprehensive view of what's behind.

I wear earphones. There I've said it. [edit: not all the time, but on longer rides I do for entertainment]

But I also use a mirror, and have never been caught unawares from behind, be it windy, rainy, sunny, or Ipody.

 

[Norm]

I wear earphones. There I've said it.

I've used music a couple of times on the motorbike, although there isn't usually any issue with anything travelling faster and coming up behind me on that. Wind speed and helmet mean you can't hear much other traffic anyway.

What mirrors do you use? I'm in the considering stage.

 

[ComedyPilot]

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