To pod or not to pod?

[MajorMantra]

so irrelavant really as she had her head down

I was being somewhat facetious. As a general rule not looking where you are going is a much bigger mistake than listening to music.

Matthew

 

[Brahan]

I wore my headphones for a TT once. Loads of loud banging up tempo music, it was brilliant to keep my rhythm but I wouldn't suggest peeps do it. A got a big fright when I checked behind me on approaching a roundabout and there was a huge lorry right on my shoulder! Very scary. It caused a bit of a woble so I won't do it again. Lesson learned.

 

[Woz!]

It's just that I really feel sorry for people that can't enjoy something as wonderful as cycling without distracting themselves with noise.

Sometimes people ride bikes just to get from one place to another.
Part of the problem with the UK is that there's no enough people who view a bike as just another means of transport.
Us cyclists are viewed as a bit weird because many people on bikes are cycling evangelists.

 

[chris667]

Sometimes people ride bikes just to get from one place to another.
Part of the problem with the UK is that there's no enough people who view a bike as just another means of transport.
Us cyclists are viewed as a bit weird because many people on bikes are cycling evangelists.

That's fair enough.

Personally, I would never, ever tell anyone how to ride unless they asked me, though. My views on people listening to Ipods are my own, far be it from me to throw stones.

 

[Norm]

As a general rule not looking where you are going is a much bigger mistake than listening to music.

I wouldn't use earphones on a bike. I want every hint I can get about my environment and I'm all too aware of something like Brahan posted.

Although I guess the increasing presence of electric cars will make traffic quieter, I like to be able to listen before doing a shoulder check to change position in the road.

Turn the question round, though. How would you feel on a bridle path if someone hadn't heard your rattling approach because they had some banging choons in their head.

I think I need every clue I can get but I wouldn't tell others whether to use them any more than I'd tell others to wear helmets or hi vis.

 

[simongrant]

been commuting 10 years with mp3 player,never have it blasting just loud enough to dampen the shouts and screams from boy racer tw*ts most nights.
Besides when its windy you cant hear f all anyway headphones or not.

Simon

 

[Archie_tect]

no [don't have any anyway]... sounds dangerous.

 

[ASC1951]

Can you really not bear the sounds of the outside world, or live without distracting yourself from the thoughts in your head?

Lots of people can't, Chris. Radio/telly/IPod on all day from the moment they get up. It used to annoy the hell out of me, now it just baffles me.

 

[Arch]

Lots of people can't, Chris. Radio/telly/IPod on all day from the moment they get up. It used to annoy the hell out of me, now it just baffles me.

That's me at home. Radio on most of the time (radio 4) and if not, the telly, even if I'm also reading or knitting. It's company. I can put it to one side, mentally, if I need to, but I like to have some noise around. Otherwise, I'd get very lonely and introspective.

When I'm out, as a pedestrian or cycling, I don't need the noise for short trips, but I like to have the option for a longer ride or walk. As I've said, I'm confident that I don't have it loud enough to distract me, or stop me hearing traffic - I've consciously thought about it while I've been out, and checked how soon I hear stuff behind me. I guess the fact that I can zone the music out when I need to means I can snap to attention when necessary.

I wouldn't assume everyone can cope, but I can understand those, like me, who can do it.

 

[Joe24]

Pod it my brother
i love to stick some bob marley on my ipod, or ub40, or some peter tosh and really relax
dont see the problem with it turn it up and relax look with your eyes

 

[aJohnson]

Pod it my brother
i love to stick some bob marley on my ipod, or ub40, or some peter tosh and really relax
dont see the problem with it turn it up and relax look with your eyes

If only with had eyes on the back of the head and the sides of the head.

 

[Joe24]

If only with had eyes on the back of the head and the sides of the head.

well as i remembered with my neck i could turn my head from side to side and look with my eyes helmet often gets in the way with this
sometimes i dont bother wearing a helmet for this i dont go that fast really on my bike nice and steady relaxing with me music

 

[aJohnson]

well as i remembered with my neck i could turn my head from side to side and look with my eyes helmet often gets in the way with this
sometimes i dont bother wearing a helmet for this i dont go that fast really on my bike nice and steady relaxing with me music

I'm not saying that you cannot turn around, I'm just it's best to have all your senses there when you're riding. Well that's what I think.

 

[Joe24]

I'm not saying that you cannot turn around, I'm just it's best to have all your senses there when you're riding. Well that's what I think.

who do you think you are spiderman?

just relax my brother

 

[aJohnson]

who do you think you are spiderman?

just relax my brother

It's a choice of being as safe as possible or not. Music may tone out the sound of a car coming up close, so if you was to do something like reach for a waterbottle and lose balance for a second you could quiet easily be hit.

But it is your choice. Maybe you're as safe with headphones in as you would be without music on.