Listen to Music or not?

[jdtate101]

Is it really that important to answer your phone?

It can be ........ when your wife is expecting !!!!!!!

 

[helston90]

I used to use mine religiously, my route though was 4 miles along 40-60mph road, therefore there was always a car approaching or going past- I didn't need hearing or looking to know this. Now adays the route is country lanes where hearing around the corner is vital so I think it depends what route you're doing and what you're used to.

 

[redcard]

Once I get my bike, I think my only reaction to seeing a fellow cyclist wearing earphones is: "You're a bit of an idiot, mate."

 

[Aiden_23]

You found your answer by yourself

Strange how that happened but Im mighty glad it did just lucky I was on my 17kg MTB struggling than a nice speedy Roadie or I would have been under the tyres!!!

 

[Dan_h]

The Velominati have this to say, and I am not going to argue with them!

Rule #​

62​

// You shall not ride with earphones.​

​

Cycling is about getting outside and into the elements and you don’t need to be listening to Queen or Slayer in order to experience that. Immerse yourself in the rhythm and pain, not in whatever 80′s hair band you call “music”. See Rule #5 and ride your bike.8
​

 

[Nantmor]

Is speech radio more acceptable? It seems always to be Gardeners Question Time when I find myself grovelling into a Fen headwind on a road ruler straight and table flat for two or three miles. Is this sufficiently boring? The comedy shows on Radio 4 are pretty soporific too. Is this a good or bad thing?

 

[smutchin]

I sometimes listen to music while cycling, sometimes I like to listen to the sounds of nature - I love hearing the owls at night on a country lane.

Riding in London, I never trust my hearing anyway - there are so many competing noises and city acoustics mean it's impossible to tell exactly where specific sounds are coming from. I'm not a bat, my hearing is at best a crude instrument for evaluating my surroundings. But not being a bat, I make up for the deficiencies in my hearing with excellent eyesight and superior intelligence.

Inattentive road users tend to be inattentive whether they have earphones in or not.

d.

 

[Passion For Pedalling]

Put it on loud speaker. That way u hear traffic but have some nice background beats! Works for me, even in central London

 

[smutchin]

Is speech radio more acceptable?

I'm not sure. For me, music works as background noise, but radio needs to be listened to properly, so (for me at least) is therefore more likely to be an unhelpful distraction when cycling. Of course, you may be the kind of person who has the radio on for background noise, in which case you'll probably be fine.

d.

 

[LarryDuff]

Just doesn't seem sensible to me. You need your ears to help your eyes.

Why do people have to live life to a soundtrack?

 

[smutchin]

Just doesn't seem sensible to me.

...which, with all due respect, is not exactly sound scientific reasoning.

I once read a piece by a sound engineer that made a pretty good case for the sense of hearing being about as useful when cycling as the sense of smell. I'll look for a link and post it if I can find it.

But I don't want to be dogmatic about it. If anyone can make a strong counter-argument based on genuine evidence, I'd be happy to consider it.

Why do people have to live life to a soundtrack?

Because we're all different and all have different needs and desires.

d.

 

[Nantmor]

[QUOTE 1725089, member: 45"]Again, don't take this personally but that's nonsense.[/quote]
All due respect but you are talking drivel.

 

[Noodley]

I quite like listening to a tune as I cycle along, which has reminded me I must start doing it again.

 

[smutchin]

[QUOTE 1725082, member: 45"]Physics. If there's a barrier between you and your surroundings then there's an unarguable impairment. [/quote]

I really must find the article I mentioned above - it refutes this argument quite convincingly. Of course, it may well be that I found it convincing because I wanted to agree with its conclusions but until I've found it, I'm afraid you won't have the opportunity to counter its claims. Sorry!

d.

 

[lukesdad]

I quite like listening to a tune as I cycle along, which has reminded me I must start doing it again.

Tina's "Simply the best" Noods ?