headphones in while cycling, lets get some opinions!

[dangerousjules]

hello everyone,
it's been such along time since i have felt the urge to post, if i'm honest i've been lurking and enjoyed the many threads you guys have posted.
my reason for coming out of retirement is to ask what the general feeling is on the subject of riding while listening to music, my girlfriend and i had a heated debate last night, she is of the opinion that it is foolish to put yourself in a situation where you may not hear somebody coming up behind you or beeping to warn you of impending doom, i agree to an extent that hearing is an important function to maintaing a level of awareness of one's surroundings when pedalling on the roads however i wish to see what you all do and think, i always pedal listening to talk radio or low level music partly because the commute can become abit boring as can long rides on your own and the other reason is i prefer not to be spooked by vehicles(all sizes) whizzing by me.
i guess if i was going to be knocked down from behind at speed would my hearing really give me enough of a warning to get out of the way, after nearly 14 years of central london commuting i have yet to find the benefit of my hearing as a very important sense for cycling, not to say that i have been without accidents in those years as i have surgical scars and metal bolts to prove my war wounds but the ultimate question is much like the helmet debate is it purely down to choice and what you are comfortable with? i am willing to be told what a fool i am for cycling with headphones but the purpose of this thread is to gauge opinions and to have a healthy debate.

 

[gavintc]

Helmets,hi viz, headphones; issues guaranteed to bring diverse opinions and comments. Check out the 5 topics below for previous diatribe (aka considered argument).

 

[Rob S]

Oh dear not this old chesnut again......just do it.

 

[ianrauk]

yep, been discussed/argued before, see below

 

[purplepolly]

you may not hear somebody coming up behind you or beeping to warn you of impending doom,.

While never having cycled with headphones in, I can't see how they could possibly drown out the sound of a horn - anyone who needs the music up that high would have to be a bit deaf anyway.

I can see the advantages though of drowning out the sudden cry of "w*nker" from a passing vehicle as having someone suddenly shout down your earhole is probably just as dangerous, if not more so than not being able to hear a passing vehicle. After all, I mostly cycle in an urban area, so passing vehicles aren't exactly rare, in fact there often seems to be a constant stream of them so I tend to expect them.

If your girlfriend has doubts about the benefits of not being able to hear, you could wait until she's driving along a wide empty stretch of road and suddenly scream at her.

 

[marinyork]

People don't tend to beep to warn you, they tend to beep to be aggressive morons.

Wear headphones if you like, don't if you want. I like my bat radar, you might want to listen to music .

 

[Dan B]

I cannot comprehend how any activity could ever be made more pleasant by listening to talk radio while doing it, with the possible exception of gouging ones own eyes out

 

[girofan]

If you don't wear headphones you can hear the exhaust roar of a boy-racer approaching and be prepared to be passed closely at speed, or, shouted at by his equally cerebraly challenged passengers!

 

[Globalti]

Dunno about cycling but I once went skiing with headphones in and scared myself to death, so I'll never do that again.

 

[John Ponting]

I have an iPod but only use 1 ear piece. I ride my motorbike with made to fit ear plugs and a full face helmet. I drive my car with the radio on.

Personal choice. Just don't wear earphones and then criticise motons for having their radio on.

 

[Joe24]

LOCK THIS THREAD QUICK!!!!!!!


Search for this and you will see why

 

[hackbike 666]

Been using (concealed) headphones since 1985.Not too much of a problem.

 

[beanzontoast]

Used to years back. Don't any more. Important to hear and concentrate fully on the traffic.

 

[Black Sheep]

there's a few junctions on my regular routes that i almost have to turn from without being able to see anything of the road due to parked cars (long terraced streets) and have to rely on my hearing (its not let me down yet) I also use Coventry's network of pedestrian (shared use) subways and so need to hear the very quiet sounds of people walking in the bike lane or another bike in the bike lane to avoid an incident.

 

[Wigsie]

i always pedal listening to talk radio or low level music partly because the commute can become abit boring as can long rides on your own and the other reason is i prefer not to be spooked by vehicles(all sizes) whizzing by me.

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