It still amazes me that we do this....

[runner]

I came out to our cycle rack at work on Friday to start my commute home and a colleague was in front..Hi John I said...no response...Hi John I said..no response...I went closer and said..louder Hi John ( I bet you can't guess his name )...no response. Then I noticed that he had earphones on and was playing loud music!! I think this is so suicidal, and I am sure there have been numerous discussions on this topic on this forum over many years...but I still think it is bloody stupid...enough said I've had my rant...what do you say John........

 

[steveinnorthants]

Agree if the commute involves roads and traffic, but admit I do use headphones on occasion as my commute is a mix of cycle paths, towpaths and I remove the headphones when I reach the only part where I have to cross a junction.
Depends too on the type of phones as many allow sounds through.

 

[musa]

Tried it don't work for me too busy giving peds and vehicles a kicking. What should be the distraction gets distracted.

 

[rusky]

I used to when my commute was worth it. I had the volume at a reasonable level but found that wind noise from my helmet drowned out the music most of the time so I don't wear a helmet now.

 

[snorri]

A cycling friend of mine couldn't overtake a jogger the other day, she was running in the middle of the joint user path and not responding to bell warnings. Then when my friend got very close and shouted she got a fright.....you can't win.

 

[marafi]

what i do to my friends when i see them and they have the headphones in. Poke poke.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I always have TBH. I suppose as it's never contributed to an accident I don't think about it. I have had plenty of accidents, but never because my hearing was impaired.

This is a classic opinion splitter in my view. Those that do, those that don't, those that might, and those that won't.

FWIW I wear a helmet too

 

[numbnuts]

Deaf people ride bikes, more drive cars

 

[fossala]

Deaf people ride bikes, more drive cars

Because they are born/develop the dissadvantage, it doesn't give us the right to be stupid!

 

[StuartG]

Deaf people ride bikes, more drive cars

For the umpteenth time - deaf people do ride bikes, live and breathe. They have to get about somehow. However they are welll aware of the danger. They do make use of their enhanced visual/spatial awareness but it is not a choice.

Headphones are a choice. Trying to justify them on someone else's disability is sick as well as dangerous. I trust that wasn't what you were trying to do?

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Just another form of Darwinism if you ask me.

 

[MrJamie]

I wouldnt feel safe wearing earphones and not being able to hear traffic. I get really irritated by the extra wind noise I get from my bike helmet, as my hearings good and i used to be able to hear traffic at a big distance on country lanes.

 

[lordloveaduck]

I need my tunes (drowns out the voices in my head).

 

[defy-one]

I wouldnt feel safe wearing earphones and not being able to hear traffic. I get really irritated by the extra wind noise I get from my bike helmet, as my hearings good and i used to be able to hear traffic at a big distance on country lanes.

Does everyone experience this with helmets?
Listening to traffic is key for cycling safety imo
That would stop me from buying a lid (about to at insistance of wifey)

 

[rusky]

I get it with mine.