Cyclists wearing earphones!

Torq

Hi Guys,
Is wearing headphones whilst cycling one of the most thoughtless/dangerous things on the road? Last night I pulled up to a red light in a left turning lane with a cyclist just ahead of the lights waiting to go straight on. My filter light went green but I couldn't go anywhere as the cyclist was right in front of me in his own world of music oblivious to what was going on around him. Blowing the horn a foot away from his back wheel had no effect, neither did the line of traffic behind me doing the same. In the end I had to get out of the van walk up to him and roar "Get out of the f***ing way!" He gave me a look like it was my fault and begrudgingly moved out of the way.

Should wearing earphones while cycling be illegal?

Keep well,
Torq

ballooba

It's not the cyclists I worry about. It's the drivers going around with earphones in. They are literally in their own little world.

crosstownk

This topic has been done quite a few times on the cycling forum.

The way I see it is that plenty of people drive with stereos pumping and plenty of cyclists ride with earphones in. I don't have a problem with either. I cycle and drive and I do use headphones on the bike and I do tend to have the stereo up loud in the car when appropriate. If the driver/cyclist has enough awareness then it should be no problem.

Additionally, and while it's not quite the same thing, people who are unfortunate enough to have no hearing whatsoever are granted driving licences.

ballooba

I would imagine it is more difficult to hear sirens with earphones in than with the stereo turned up. Especially with the newer 'in-ear' type ear buds.

ian_m

Its very bad to get out of a car and curse at a cyclist. But in comparison to wearing headphones whilst cycling... wearing headphones is worse

crosstownk

ballooba wrote:

I would imagine it is more difficult to hear sirens with earphones in than with the stereo turned up.

I can hear on the bike with in ear headphones a lot easier than I can with my 1,000 watt car stereo at almost full volume

Seriously.

Traumadoc

Torq you need to relax a bit- getting out of your car to shout abuse a someone, rather than "get out of the F****ing way" try "would you mind moving a bit so I can pass"

copacetic

Torq wrote:

Hi Guys,
Is wearing headphones whilst cycling one of the most thoughtless/dangerous things on the road?

what was 'dangerous' about this? that he might get attacked by some pyscho and not hear it coming?
thoughtless fair enough, but in this incident not dangerous at all..

GBX

I agree ... being rash, rude and obnoxious wont help you. And the last thing id do if somebody used that attiude, would be move.
As it is most drivers are the ones who disrupt cyclists with the bad driving and ignorance towards cyclists ... so if you missed your filter ... too bad.

leninbenjamin

i never wear headphones as a matter of principle on the bike, but that's more because some motorists are immensely ignorant of cyclists and i have often relied on my ears to keep myself alive at certain dangerous junctions (i've had quite a few close calls).

that cyclist though you describe was just plain retarded. i hate cyclists who are ignorant of the rules of the road as much as i hate bad drivers.

NUTLEY BOY

I see from page 162 of the new version of the Rules of the Road that they recommend cyclists not to use personal entertainment systems when cycling.

I suppose that a cyclist who uses one of those systems and is involved in an accident could be theoretically guilty of contributory negligence if it caused him to fail to watch what he was doing whilst cycling.

Torq

copacetic wrote:

what was 'dangerous' about this? that he might get attacked by some pyscho and not hear it coming?
thoughtless fair enough, but in this incident not dangerous at all..

Do you not think having one of your primary senses disabled whilst on the road is dangerous? If you re read my original post I didn't say that I thought this incident was dangerous but that "wearing headphones whilst cycling " is.
Keep well,
Torq

Torq

GBX wrote:

I agree ... being rash, rude and obnoxious wont help you. And the last thing id do if somebody used that attiude, would be move.
As it is most drivers are the ones who disrupt cyclists with the bad driving and ignorance towards cyclists ... so if you missed your filter ... too bad.

I don't think waiting 10 seconds before blowing the horn first time is rash or waiting another 20 before getting out of the van is either. Rude and obnoxious, maybe, but the cyclist wouldn't know that as he wasn't able to hear me. I should have written him a note?
Keep well,
Torq

_Kaiser_

The attitude and ignorance of some people to motorists on this forum is unbelievable!

The cyclist in question was causing an obstruction and oblivious to what was going on around him. What if it'd been an ambulance behind him, rather than the OP? Would you be all so quick to defend him then?

GBX wrote:

so if you missed your filter ... too bad.

Somehow I suspect if you were on your bike and there was a car blocking your cycle lane you'd be fast enough to complain... oh wait:

GBX wrote:

As it is most drivers are the ones who disrupt cyclists with the bad driving and ignorance towards cyclists