Earphones whilst riding - yes or no - ?

[Steady]

Personally no.

I have done in the past and found it safe with music on low and I've found I can still hear the things I want to, but there's an extra traffic awareness that's missing when plugged in.

Such as the ever so quiet sound of an engine starting that's parked up in a drive way, and yes we all know the onus is on the car driver to reverse out with safely with the consideration of all vehicles on the road but I'd rather not be pointing that out from the ground with an exhaust poking into my face.

That's my personal choice, I don't instinctively see a cyclist with ear phones in and think they're a wally, that conclusion will be made by the way they cycle.

So on road I cycle with no music, off-road small rides occasionally music.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

One only, in the nearside ear, when riding on the road, and then only occasionally.

 

[Mrs M]

Not usually on the road.
Only on holiday off road and when I'm alone and getting tired
The music gees me on and gives me something to focus on other than my tired wee leggies

 

[threebikesmcginty]

No, because helmets are useless.

 

[JoshM]

I've found that I don't hear much when moving anyway, too much wind noise which couples with my hearing loss anyway. To me the wind makes it difficult to distinguish it from the other noises so I'm quite happy to listen to an audio book on the ride.

Besides I'd listen to music in car so refuse to be bullied into not listening to my audio book just because drivers think that I shouldn't.

Like others have said, wearing head phones doesn't mean you're not being aware of what is going on around you, and nor does not wearing head phones mean that you are being aware of what's around you.

 

[Dayvo]

What about Vienna?

I didn't realise she had recorded that

whoooosh - obviously it means nothing to you.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DuCIGvsbMA

 

[jefmcg]

Yup. One ear piece, podcasts not music, which I find too distracting. I can still hear traffic. I find if the road requires my attention, I stop listening entirely, so I have concentration. Cars generally require quicker reaction time, but no one would ever mention if a car radio was on in a newspaper article about a RTC.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I often wear em. It's not like car drivers 'listen out' for cyclists passing em is it.

And we have plenty of bad driver posts on here, maybe if drivers weren't so cocooned and lost in their own little worlds of radio or mobile chat or music players"???

To answer the question: No I don't, I like to be part of the world and enjoy the sounds of the city or countryside as much as any prosaic safety concerns I have about self imposed distraction or plugging my ears up.

 

[PBB]

I do, to listen to talk podcasts rather than music. I'm not saying that's any better than music, we could argue worse due to concentration on the subject being talked about.

I only do this on cycle paths because I find the traffic noise too much otherwise, that would result in me having to increase the volume - that probably would be unsafe.

What I do find useful is the remote on the earphone cable on the iPhone that lets me answer a call whilst cycling along. I can answer it then stop to deal with the call which is much quicker than stopping first and trying to find the phone before it rings out!

 

[DaveReading]

I can never get them to stay in my ear when I'm still, let alone on a bike.

 

[jefmcg]

I can never get them to stay in my ear when I'm still, let alone on a bike.

You need ones that suit your ears. Ears come in a variety of shapes. The old apple ones were awful for me, balancing until i moved my head, or coughed.

 

[mickle]

Yes. And loud.

 

[Andrew_P]

 

[jefmcg]

View attachment 132290

Is that @mickle? I thought this was him.

 

[Lakesideride]

Without. Au naturel for me.

I like to hear the birds, wind, trees rustling and time go by without the sound of music.

Totally agree with you