Nearly did a SMIDSY

[hackbike 666]

To be fair the thread was about someone with no lights and dressed in dark clothing.Headphones on or off wouldn't have made him any more visible would it?
As long as you are constantly looking around and have a modicum of road sense you should be perfectly safe with music on. all IMHO.

I have been using headphones since 1985 but I can see where thegrumpybiker is coming from.

 

[Browser]

IMHO there is no point trying to educate ninjas, they usually just give you a mouthful of abuse, as they are way too cool to wear hi vis or use lights. If, however, you gave them a revolver with one round loaded in one chamber and told them to go and play russian roulette (tanamount to what they do every time they cycle at night) they'd look at you gone out!
I do seem to be seeing more of them though, which is what worries me should the 'a motorist will always be deemed liable in a car vs bicycle accident' idea becomes law, as there are too many idiots for it to be even slightly practical.
Oh, and I always have my Walkman on when cycling, relieves the boredom

 

[GrasB]

I had not actually moved so I dont think he had any idea how close he came to getting a car pulling out in front of him, I tend to be quite cautious and I am not saying "look what a superb driver I am" because I am just not but a lot would be sat there, radio blaring, windows opaque, on the phone and just pulled out and hit the cretin riding in low visibility conditions, dressed in black and unlit.

You've just used a technique or 2 taught to me as part of my RoSPA training to help you get more information. Regardless of how you view your self as a driver you're certainly thinking & far more aware of your situation than most so credit where credit is due.

And yet seeing is the primary sense when you're cycling/driving/etc. It's no good being able to hear and not bother to look, which is what so many cyclists out there do. There's your red herring. You don't need hearing to ride - if you think you do, then you're not looking properly.

For that matter, the same argument you present goes for headphones - it's not an either listen to music or listen to the traffic.

Headphones do however impede your hearing to a greater or lesser degree depending on headphone choice; I've got some in-ear -95dB noise attenuating headphones, if I wear those I effectively have no hearing & I've also got some open backed headphones which are virtually acoustically transparent. While you're not totally isolated you have reduced a sensory input, even with open backed headphones, & while certainly your hearing is no substitute for proper visual checking it can be a very important source of information, especially for a cyclist, in changing your assessment of risk scanning priorities. It's not so much of headphones being a no-no but rather having to be aware of your aural limitations with them in. Personally I've not found appropriate headphones that are transparent enough for me to feel comfortable wearing them while riding or walking.

I think part of the problem is that until the recent explosion in mp3 players most people, not all, on bikes with headphones in were generally reckless cyclists anyway so people perceive their recklessness as part of wearing headphones. That was incorrect, with or without music they weren't going to act any differently.

 

[BentMikey]

That was incorrect, with or without music they weren't going to act any differently.

Exactly. The same goes for responsible cyclists.

 

[BentMikey]

I do seem to be seeing more of them though, which is what worries me should the 'a motorist will always be deemed liable in a car vs bicycle accident' idea becomes law, as there are too many idiots for it to be even slightly practical.

Let's not be starting this debate again. So many on here seem to have swallowed the daily wail's manic hyperbole it's just not true.

 

[hackbike 666]

I don't read The Daily Mail unless I find a copy which has been left in the toilet of a train.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I don't read The Daily Mail unless I find a copy which has been left in the toilet of a train.

Safer than thumbing through a copy of the Sport that has been left in a toilet.....

On the topic, lights would always be the first thing carried. Helmet second (my choice). Don't feel happy with music whilst riding (plus never can find any comfortable earphones for my lugs that don't fall out or restrict head movement in any way) so I don't. Personally couldn't give a monkeys whether anyone else chooses to or not.

 

[Crankarm]

I don't read The Daily Mail unless I find a copy which has been left in the toilet of a train.

Would never use a toilet on a train or any public toilet unless it was absolutely unavoidable on the basis of self preservation. Once inside I avoid touching anything again unless it was absolutely necessary which would definitely include avoiding contact with a discarded newspaper whether DM or other. Such an item could be so unhygienic .... And I wash my hands as so many do not and I don't touch door handles ......... ughhh!

 

[Crankarm]

I don't read The Daily Mail unless I find a copy which has been left in the toilet of a train.

Would never use a toilet on a train or any public toilet unless it was absolutely unavoidable on the basis of self preservation. Once inside I avoid touching anything again unless it was absolutely necessary which would definitely include avoiding contact with a discarded newspaper whether DM or other. Such an item could be so unhygienic .... And I wash my hands as so many do not and I don't touch door handles ......... ughhh!

 

[Crankarm]

I have been using headphones since 1985 but I can see where thegrumpybiker is coming from.

See him yes, hear him .... no .

 

[Crankarm]

I have been using headphones since 1985 but I can see where thegrumpybiker is coming from.

See him yes, hear him .... no .

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I didn't use headphones.

I bought a 23" Raleigh SA 5-speed from a police auction, painted it black and purple, and gave it "Iron Maiden" lettering on the top tube and "Beast 666" on the down tube in good old red humbrol enamel.

I used to strap a "10xD-size battery muncher" ghetto blaster to the rear rack with bungee straps and blast out Maiden, WASP and Megadeth from that. Well, since I was enjoying it, I felt obliged to share! (I was 14/15)

Well, idiots did it in cars blasting out that "Acieeeeeed" crap with their windows down so why not?

Sadly I don't think I could ever regain the hair for it now...

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I didn't use headphones.

I bought a 23" Raleigh SA 5-speed from a police auction, painted it black and purple, and gave it "Iron Maiden" lettering on the top tube and "Beast 666" on the down tube in good old red humbrol enamel.

I used to strap a "10xD-size battery muncher" ghetto blaster to the rear rack with bungee straps and blast out Maiden, WASP and Megadeth from that. Well, since I was enjoying it, I felt obliged to share! (I was 14/15)

Well, idiots did it in cars blasting out that "Acieeeeeed" crap with their windows down so why not?

Sadly I don't think I could ever regain the hair for it now...

 

[hackbike 666]

Would never use a toilet on a train or any public toilet unless it was absolutely unavoidable on the basis of self preservation. Once inside I avoid touching anything again unless it was absolutely necessary which would definitely include avoiding contact with a discarded newspaper whether DM or other. Such an item could be so unhygienic .... And I wash my hands as so many do not and I don't touch door handles ......... ughhh!

Did you miss the "joke"?;-)

 

[hackbike 666]

Would never use a toilet on a train or any public toilet unless it was absolutely unavoidable on the basis of self preservation. Once inside I avoid touching anything again unless it was absolutely necessary which would definitely include avoiding contact with a discarded newspaper whether DM or other. Such an item could be so unhygienic .... And I wash my hands as so many do not and I don't touch door handles ......... ughhh!

Did you miss the "joke"?;-)