listening to music whilst cycling???

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kaiser

Active Member
hi everybody..

anybody use an i pod whilst out on the road? personally listening to music really helps me during my workout.

haven't tried cycling on the road whilst using my ipod, would it be dangerous as you wont hear cars approaching? or how about if i just use 1 ear piece instead of 2??

just curious if anybody else uses an i pod whilst out on the road...

ps.. other mp3 players are available.. :smile:

thanks
 

Benthedoon

Well-Known Member
Location
Colchester
I use my ipod when I'm out on a 15+ and I use both earphones I just have it turned down quite low that way I can hear both music and traffic. When you need to cross traffic you tend to look anyway and if a car's going to hit me, it's going to hit me, whether I can hear it or not.
I'm sure a lot of people will say it's dangerous but I tend to ride alone and, like you, it helps me keep my head down and work harder (it also helps the time tick away).
Personal preference on this one I think, if you feel safe listening to music and you ride consistantly I can't see that it's an issue.
 

pablo666

Über Member
For me the issue is that should I be involved in an RTC, the opposition in any claim/blame will point out the Ipod and try to say it was all my fault for not paying attention. Best not to give ammunition or to reduce attention from the ride.
 

Rebel Ian

Well-Known Member
Location
Berkshire
a big no from me on this one, but each to their own.

When out on my bike i want as much sensory awareness as possible and to shut one out - IMO - just isn't safe.


Yep, that sums it up for me too. A massive no from me! Wouldn't even contemplate cutting off one of the two senses that's hopefully going to keep me safe.
 
For me the issue is that should I be involved in an RTC, the opposition in any claim/blame will point out the Ipod and try to say it was all my fault for not paying attention. Best not to give ammunition or to reduce attention from the ride.

+1 on the no earphones. I like all my senses giving me traffic/road feedback!
And to above - wasn't there a newspaper article referenced on here a couple of months back where a rider died and the blame was put at least equally on him as he had a set of earphones in and therefore wasn't fully concentrating on the road/traffic?!?!
 

Bluebell72

New Member
For me the issue is that should I be involved in an RTC, the opposition in any claim/blame will point out the Ipod and try to say it was all my fault for not paying attention. Best not to give ammunition or to reduce attention from the ride.


Don't you have the radio/ CD player on in the car?

I listen to radio through earphones when I'm cycling - it helps me focus on longer rides and gees me up when I'm tired and a good song comes on.

I've been run over twice now - both times needed to be in hospital for a while - and both times the drivers were distracted, I couldn't have done anything, and knew nothing about it til I was surfing on their cars - one an old lady who was rooting in her handbag and got the strap stuck on her gearstick, the other a van driver on his phone who was trying to write down directions.
 

Paul_L

Über Member
Don't you have the radio/ CD player on in the car?

I listen to radio through earphones when I'm cycling - it helps me focus on longer rides and gees me up when I'm tired and a good song comes on.

I've been run over twice now - both times needed to be in hospital for a while - and both times the drivers were distracted, I couldn't have done anything, and knew nothing about it til I was surfing on their cars - one an old lady who was rooting in her handbag and got the strap stuck on her gearstick, the other a van driver on his phone who was trying to write down directions.

You really think cycling has the same hazard levels as driving a car?
 

Andrew_P

In between here and there
Nearly as bad as a helmet thread!

I have an earphone in my left ear, don't why I don't do two really the only reason I could give is that at least on the country lane part of the commute the cars do not make me jump anymore..
 

Jezston

Über Member
Location
London
Oh good grief not this again.

I'm sure that wearing large expensive noise-cancelling headphones or super deep in-ear earbuds may be a bad idea when riding a bike, but the idea that wearing regular headphones or earbuds when riding cuts out an important sense is erroneous.

I wear open backed bluetooth headphones when out riding, and the soft foam cuts out a lot of wind noise.

I would say wearing headphones and listening to music on a ride is to your hearing what wearing sunglasses is to your eyesight.


Anyway, it's been said and done countless times on the forum:
https://www.cyclechat.net/
https://www.cyclechat.net/
https://www.cyclechat.net/
 

Ibbots

Active Member
Location
Bolton
I'm sure that wearing large expensive noise-cancelling headphones or super deep in-ear earbuds may be a bad idea when riding a bike, but the idea that wearing regular headphones or earbuds when riding cuts out an important sense is erroneous.


Yep, I had to stop wearing closed in ear buds as I noticed was affecting my hearing. Before that wore them all the time, commuting and weekend rides, and think that it's safer to look rather than rely on hearing. There is one benefit though, I don't jump as much when passed by something going fast on a quiet road.
 
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