Headphones Megathread

07Lapierre

YanisK wrote: »

Most of the traffic around you is moving at a faster speed, therefore approaching form behind. If you have no mirrors on your bike :pac:, eyes on the back of your head :eek:, or a rear view camera , your hearing sense is vital.

Rubbish!

Beasty

check_six wrote: »

It sounds like a bottom bracket problem.

Have you checked the bottom bracket?

It *must* be the bottom bracket.

Bet it's the headset .....

droidus

YanisK wrote: »

Most of the traffic around you is moving at a faster speed, therefore approaching form behind. If you have no mirrors on your bike :pac:, eyes on the back of your head :eek:, or a rear view camera , your hearing sense is vital.

Nonsense. If you cycle in the city there is always traffic behind you.

RE headphones. I have no problems with my ear buds (as opposed to the in-ear/canal phones with the rubber seals), but thinking about switching to bone conduction phones that leave the ears completely free.

Deedsie

RainyDay wrote: »

It's worth remembering that not all cars will have engine noises, given that hybrids and electric cars are becoming more common.



Generally, public policy/law changes require a bit more than personal opinion. Some actual evidence that wearing headphones increase risk would generally be required. Given that cyclists with earphones hear MORE than motorists with their windows up, I guess it is unlikely that such evidence will emerge.

Well I am hopeful that such a study will be found and that such a silly practice of intentionally blocking out one of your senses while travelling on the road will result in legislation banning headphones while cycling. Cars have mirrors, drivers are tested rigorously before being licences to drive on our roads. All a cyclist needs to do is throw on the headphones and climb up on the bike.

Before I am universally attacked, I am a cyclist. >5000km per year.

Deedsie

07Lapierre wrote: »

Rubbish!

A fine argument

tommythecat

Deedsie wrote: »

Well I am hopeful that such a study will be found and that such a silly practice of intentionally blocking out one of your senses while travelling on the road will result in legislation banning headphones while cycling. Cars have mirrors, drivers are tested rigorously before being licences to drive on our roads. All a cyclist needs to die is throw on the headphones and climb up on the bike.

Before I am universally attacked, I am a cyclist. >5000km per year.

So I am assuming you have some proof that using headphones on a bike has ever been shown to be the cause of any accidents or deaths on the road.

RainyDay

Deedsie wrote: »

Cars have mirrors,

Yes, they do, along with great audio systems that completely block out any possibility of hearing what is going on around them. I've been clipped by drivers wing mirrors when they've never noticed it. I've knocked on drivers' windows, just 5cm from their ear, and they've failed to notice it.

Deedsie wrote: »

drivers are tested rigorously before being licences to drive on our roads.

Yes indeed - tested rigorously - once in their lifetime. And as soon as the test is over, we go back to driving 'normally'. That's why motorists kill 200 people each year on the roads.

Deedsie wrote: »

All a cyclist needs to die is throw on the headphones and climb up on the bike.

You missed one bit - they also need the dangerous driver to come along and kill them. Cyclists don't generally kill themselves on road without some involvement from a motor vehicle.

Don't hold your breath waiting for that evidence to emerge...

droidus

Deedsie wrote: »

All a cyclist needs to die is throw on the headphones and climb up on the bike.

Pretty much the definition of an outrageous and hysterical assertion there.

seamus

Deedsie wrote: »

All a cyclist needs to die is throw on the headphones and climb up on the bike.

> 500 trips per year for the last 6 years, 99.99% wearing earphones.

How long does it take to die? Does the death only start to kick in after an hour on the bike or something?

Deedsie

seamus wrote: »

> 500 trips per year for the last 6 years, 99.99% wearing earphones.

How long does it take to die? Does the death only start to kick in after an hour on the bike or something?

I meant to write do not die, predictive text on phone must have changed it.

Deedsie

droidus wrote: »

Pretty much the definition of an outrageous and hysterical assertion there.

Meant to write do, the phone changed it to die. I obviously would not make such an outrageous and hysterical assertion intentionally

07Lapierre

Deedsie wrote: »

Well I am hopeful that such a study will be found and that such a silly practice of intentionally blocking out one of your senses while travelling on the road will result in legislation banning headphones while cycling. Cars have mirrors, drivers are tested rigorously before being licences to drive on our roads. All a cyclist needs to do is throw on the headphones and climb up on the bike.

Before I am universally attacked, I am a cyclist. >5000km per year.

By that logic ALL these should be banned!

http://www.halfords.ie/technology/car-audio/sound-systems?cm_re=Pillar+Pages-_-quicklinks-_-speakers

Deedsie

RainyDay wrote: »

Yes, they do, along with great audio systems that completely block out any possibility of hearing what is going on around them. I've been clipped by drivers wing mirrors when they've never noticed it. I've knocked on drivers' windows, just 5cm from their ear, and they've failed to notice it.


Yes indeed - tested rigorously - once in their lifetime. And as soon as the test is over, we go back to driving 'normally'. That's why motorists kill 200 people each year on the roads.


You missed one bit - they also need the dangerous driver to come along and kill them. Cyclists don't generally kill themselves on road without some involvement from a motor vehicle.

Don't hold your breath waiting for that evidence to emerge...

I remain hopeful, France have banned drivers and cyclists from using headphones. Irish politicians like to copy our European neighbours laws occasionally. Hopefully this law will be added to Irish legislation in the next round of road safety improvements.

Deedsie

07Lapierre wrote: »

By that logic ALL these should be banned!

http://www.halfords.ie/technology/car-audio/sound-systems?cm_re=Pillar+Pages-_-quicklinks-_-speakers

A motorist has mirrors fitted in his car which are tested regularly by the NCT test to make sure their vehicle is safety compliant. Headphones block out all sounds but whatever the headphone is outputting. I am able to hear more than one thing when I am driving. I would never wear headphones driving or cycling as that would be inconsiderate of other road users.

droidus

Deedsie wrote: »

Headphones block out all sounds but whatever the headphone is outputting.

This simply isnt true.

Also, 4 out of 440 cyclists killed in the UK in the last 4 years had headphones on, and this was only considered a factor in 1 case.

So that 0.25% of all fatalities over 4 years where this was a factor.

07Lapierre

Deedsie wrote: »

A motorist has mirrors fitted in his car which are tested regularly by the NCT test to make sure their vehicle is safety compliant. Headphones block out all sounds but whatever the headphone is outputting. I am able to hear more than one thing when I am driving. I would never wear headphones driving or cycling as that would be inconsiderate of other road users.

Your joking right? :eek: How is wearing Headphones inconsiderate?

Chips Lovell

Relying on your ears while cycling is about as sensible as relying on your ears while driving. Your mirrors are there for that very reason.

yannakis

07Lapierre wrote: »

Your joking right? :eek: How is wearing Headphones inconsiderate?

Well.. since the current road system is based on interaction, your senses are expected to be alert. If you choose to limit that, inconsiderate I think is the right word.

Chips Lovell

Listen to Morning Ireland in the car: Unremarkable
Listen to Morning Ireland on the bike: Dicing with death

Deedsie

07Lapierre wrote: »

Your joking right? :eek: How is wearing Headphones inconsiderate?

How is it not? "Oh I'm going to work now, I'll pop in my headphones and sure if I potentially endanger myself or someone else what about it? Oh I didn't hear that bus coming up behind me, he had to swerve out on to the road to avoid hitting me but I'm ok cause at least I have my tunes to listen to. Or not hearing another cyclist trying to over take you as you sway in and out of the cycle lane. Oh it doesn't matter if I endanger them. It's pathetic to be honest. I have the same exact opinion for drivers who don't keep their cars safety compliant. Missing headlights, broken mirrors, balding tyres, faulty brakes. On the spot fine in my opinion if they are caught twice without having it repaired or bring the vehicle to a Garda station to present the repairs within 48 hours.

You gang up on people because you wish to continue wearing headphones. I am advocating a safer approach to using roads by all users.

I honestly can't comprehend how people can defend it. It's black and white for me. Any unnecessary extra distraction is not a good thing.

tommythecat

Deedsie wrote: »

. Headphones block out all sounds but whatever the headphone is outputting. I

This is nonsense. Completely untrue.

radia

Deedsie wrote: »

I honestly can't comprehend how people can defend it. It's black and white for me. Any unnecessary extra distraction is not a good thing.

So should car radios be banned? What about conversation?

Deedsie

radia wrote: »

So should car radios be banned?

No, but drivers wearing headphones should be.

tommythecat

Deedsie wrote: »

How is it not? "Oh I'm going to work now, I'll pop in my headphones and sure if I potentially endanger myself or someone else what about it? Oh I didn't hear that bus coming up behind me, he had to swerve out on to the road to avoid hitting me

So how in this scenario without headphones does this end up any different? Can you magically disappear when you aren't wearing headphones? The bus is coming up behind you and will have to take due care to avoid you, headphones or no headphones. Another nonsensical argument from you

Deedsie

tommythecat wrote: »

This is nonsense. Completely untrue.

I don't buy cheap headphones. What the point in wearing them if you can't hear them?

radia

Deedsie wrote: »

No, but drivers wearing headphones should be.

But surely the radio is an 'unnecessary distraction'?

Deedsie

tommythecat wrote: »

So how in this scenario without headphones does this end up any different? Can you magically disappear when you aren't wearing headphones? The bus is coming up behind you and will have to take due care to avoid you, headphones or no headphones. Another nonsensical argument from you

Eh because you can't hear the bus approach because of the headphones jammed in your ears? Cycle on the N11 between UCD and Dublin Bus, every morning there is a moron

tommythecat

Deedsie wrote: »

I don't buy cheap headphones. What the point in wearing them if you can't hear them?

Headphones block out all sounds.

This is what you said. "All" sounds. I have never encountered a pair of headphones that are able to do that. Any i certainly don't buy cheap ones either.
Even the best ones will let some external sound through

Deedsie

radia wrote: »

But surely the radio is an 'unnecessary distraction'?

It is not blocking out one of your sense completely though? Also a car is fitted with additional safety features to minimise the danger caused by not being able to hear what's happening around you? Horn mirrors etc...

Chips Lovell

Break it down for us here. If you're cycling on a road, say a meter out from the kerb, what are you claiming you're supposed to do if you hear or see a bus coming up behind you?