I'm guessing a lot more people listen to music/wear headphones while cycling than would admit. I have done it, though not so much on the road anymore. If riding by myself off road, I almost always listen to my iPod.

Are you suggesting deaf people shouldn't ride?

*gets popcorn*

It does seem that way. I especially hate to see it with people on group rides. It seems more people are simply unplugging themselves from life and listening to music more and more throughout the day as well. For me, I get plenty listening at work and in the car. For the former, it helps me focus on the task at hand by shutting out everything and everyone else around me and for the latter, it keeps me from going insane from listening to nothing but the road noises my car makes. Outside of dancing at a club, I don't really need music for anything else.

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-Bryan Journey
Travel Blog | Training Blog | Facebook Page

What are you gonna do when those damn sneaky Prius' take over the world?

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"I can eat 21 plus a deep-fried turkey!"

i can quit any time i want ;)

seriously though, why do you care? If the rider were wearing both headphones and have the volume cranked up, then that would be a safety issue. Otherwise, it just helps a 4-hour ride go by faster.

I even think running with headphones is crazy but it's a choice.

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Running is a gift.

I do it. Riding along solo at 18-25mph I don't find hearing to be a very effective in providing notice of vehicles approaching me from behind. I look around and behind me a LOT to be aware of danger. What parts to you find to be unsafe?

This.

Even when not wearing mine, motorists seem to think it's cool to damn near hit my elbow or ass with the mirror anyways. I don't know what hearing them actually does.

Motorcycles also have radios. Should they not use them? Does having a radio on in the car make you a better or worse driver? Less attentive??

IMO if some a-hole is going to hit me on my bike there is a 99% + chance that there is nothing I could have done about it. I've had people staring directly at me almost run right into me. Not much you can do in those cases.

I take it upon myself to keep my head on a swivel and ride defensively. It's the best I can do.

I personally think it is unsafe to ride listening to music, have to be aware of what's around me and incoming vehicles all the time.
However, I sometimes put my headphones on but not listening to music. My headphone is connected to my phone and just have it there in case my wife calls. I don't do it on every ride but probably should especially when I am out on 2-4 hours rides.

Why is running with headphones safer than biking with them? And I suggest that if people are going to bike or run with headphones to only use one ear bud, but it seems most people are not smart enough to be able to engineer a working solution to do just that. Also do you ride with lights on your bike during the day?

Agreed. For me headphones/earbuds are reserved for the treadmill and trainer. Outside I would like all the warning I can get. Even a second of extra reaction time could mean the difference between a fatal and non-fatal injury. Plus if you do get hit, it would be easy to blame the headphones.

i do ride with headphones 1/3 of the time usually. usually take them off when i ride in more congested areas if i have em with me.

i only consider them when riding alone, which is most of the time. but i would argue that riding in a group without headphones is possibly more dangerous since youre chatting and usually taking up more of the bike lane being side by side and such. not saying either is great but the way it is. cycling isnt the safest activity

Yes. Every day. Front and rear and I set them to flash on and off. Gives the drivers something specific to fixate on and aim their car at.

I actually had a cop stop me a couple of days ago while I was riding from the pool to work to ask me where I bought the lights on my bike. I'm pretty sure that he already knew where to get lights like that. He just wanted to stop me because I was half way up a hill and it was a good way to f@% with me!

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"I eased off a bit. It never feels like you are easing off. More like you just stake out your place in the pain cave and sit there rather than venturing deeper inside..." -- Rappstar

It's the same people who wear headphones while they're at Walmart.

While people wearing headphones while they bike think they're no worse off when it comes to getting hit by a vehicle (even though they're wrong), the biggest problem I have with them is when I pass some of them while I'm on my bike. A lot of the time, they seem startled and they'll swerve left and/or right when I pass them on the left. It's especially bad if we're in traffic and there is next to no room to go past them. (Good luck having them hear you call "on your left" while they're getting their groove on with Justin Bieber or Britney Spears.)

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

+3......

Does a car sound different that is passing 5 ft away, compared to a car that will hit you from behind? I think not. I dont' need to hear the vehicle that is approaching from the front or even the side.......I"m LOOKING at him.

Besides, the earphones don't cut off your hearing anymore then the car radio you listen to when in your car. In fact its alot less.

I've been doing this for years and years, avoided all kinds of accidents. In fact one just the other day when I locked them up sliding sideways when some old man entered a traffic circle without even seeing me coming. Hearing him did nothing for me. I was PAYING ATTENTION!!!! Saved my bike from a smash into the side of his car.

There's a big unproven phobia about wearing earphones will riding.

BTW...........In some states..........you ARE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE RIDING YOUR BIKE........thus making wearing earphones illegal while on your bike on a state highway. Some states say you can wear none, others state you can wear one and others states don't care either way!! Better look up your state law before you go wearing them : )

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Paul

Only alone and only on long rides. The wind noise in my ears is way louder than the music when I'm listening. So overall, it's no different..

Headphones or not, most of the safety issues are caused by cars not riders not being alert.

I commute 10 or so miles a day and always wear headphones. With the volume at a reasonable level I can still hear much better than any driver can with the windows rolled up and the radio on.

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Oh yeah!

Good point. You will drive (your car) or ride (your bike) toward what ever you are looking at. As a mtn instructor this is very evident. Your bike WILL go in the direction of your eyes. Want to avoid the glass on the road as you weave through it.....don't look at each piece, look only at the clear spaces and you'll miss each one. Look at the glass....hit the glass!!! Try it!

Why is it that a drunk driver hits pedestrians and cyclists alot? Is it because that they just happened to weave at that particular second out of thier entire day.....or is it because they WILL hit whatever they are looking at?

When you look out the window of your car.......bet ya $1,000 mosst people WILL weave in that direction.

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Paul

I don't know, who said that they have their headphones turned up so loud that they can't hear anything? Maybe they just like a little bit of music in the background and still hear almost everything else around them.

I don't usually use headphones when I train because I don't use them when I race. But at work I use headphones a lot and just have them turned down where I can still hear things being said to me or things going on around me.

Either way, who cares what other people do?

Are you suggesting deaf people shouldn't ride?

Not with headphones.

Ive noticed its mostly the recreational riders on the MUT that do this, with summer coming up it has made me basically avoid those trails at all costs.

Its safer for me to ride with 2 ton tanks on the road than it is for me to try to share a small lane with some jackwad unaware that he/she is supposed to stay to the damn right and listening to Britney spears full blast. Ive had more close calls with idiots on bikes than I have with cars lately.

Like a lot of others have said, I think it's situationally OK to wear headphones. I've only ridden with headphones once, and honestly didn't really like it, but mostly because I actually enjoy the peace and quiet of riding. I would say it's ok if you're riding solo and not primarily in a highly congested area (I'm talking more about other bike/pedestrian traffic here, not necessarily cars).

No.

When riding down the road do you swerve into the ditch everytime a car passes you? If not, what is different then? Do you cycle in the middle of the roadway unless you hear a car coming?

I listen to music when on solo rides and I stay in my space at all times, if a car is going to hit me, it is going to hit me regardless of me wearing headphones. If someone wants to blame me for the wreck because of my headphones that is fine, but i carry a $2,000,000 underinsured motorist limit on myself so that if it does happen, well, you know.

threadtrack - Everyone should increase this coverage for themselves if possible... cheap life/accident insurance - /threadjack

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