Headphones Megathread

Chips Lovell

Seriously, you don't do it because you don't think you can turn your head back quickly enough?

No offence, but it sounds like you've decided that wearing headphones is dangerous and, rather than reconsider that position, you're trying to come up with a post-hoc justification of it.

RayCun

tomasrojo wrote: »

I think you know the obvious riposte here! How frequently do you think motorists check wing mirrors? Every ten seconds? Really?

It's a lot easier to check your wing mirrors and rear view mirror when driving than to look over your shoulder - you don't even have to move your head.

How many drivers do? I don't know. But a lot more drivers check their mirrors every ten seconds than cyclists do a shoulder check every ten seconds.

Beasty

At least six days since I had...

RayCun

Baron de Charlus wrote: »

Seriously, you don't do it because you don't think you can turn your head back quickly enough?

No.

As I said I do a shoulder check before changing road position - there's no substitute. I honestly have no idea how often I do it otherwise. Sometimes, more when I expect I'll have to change road position soon, but not several times a minute.

Do you? Seriously?

seamus

RayCun wrote: »

Do you? Seriously?

Dunno about you, but I do.

Especially when riding solo in light traffic or on quiet roads, I'll probably check over my shoulder 2/3 times a minute to assess the situation.

In heavy traffic or in a group, I'll do things differently.

tomasrojo

I do a shoulder check all the time because I have to check for cyclists trying to pass me on both the inside and outside (bakfiets again: not so many opportunities to pass, and it's slow). I check every time I come to a side road, in case I have to do an emergency swerve-out. It's probably a few times a minute alright.

Chips Lovell

Yeah, I'd look over my shoulder as much as I'd check my mirrors. As you say, there's no substitute.

07Lapierre

C3PO wrote: »

This is just not true! Traffic approaching from behind can be clearly heard from a significant distance!

Agreed I can hear cars even with headphones.... i was replying to a comment about a cyclist approaching another cyclist from behind?

PokeHerKing

I wear headphones on my daily commute. Would perform over the shoulder check for all movement.

I could care less what other people do or think with regard this but I'm curious as to what benefit non-earphone wearers think there is to being able to "hear" approaching traffic when they are intending to hold their position anyway?

RayCun

PokeHerKing wrote: »

I'm curious as to what benefit non-earphone wearers think there is to being able to "hear" approaching traffic when they are intending to hold their position anyway?

Same benefit drivers have from checking mirrors even when they intend to keep driving in a straight line - sometimes your plans change very quickly, and you need to be aware of your surroundings.

It looks like we've cleared it all up though
- some cyclists are constantly checking over their shoulders, so don't need to be able to hear anything
- other cyclists aren't checking as often, and fill in with hearing

I'm afraid you're still doing it wrong though, because you're not listening and you're only checking before moving. The good news is you have a choice of ways to be re-educated!

Tombo2001

RayCun wrote: »

I thought drivers weren't allowed wear headphones, thought I remembered that from when I got my licence, but can't see any reference to it now.

Pedestrians should be safe as long as they are on a path, it's everyone else's responsibility to stay off the path. If I was walking on a country road with no paths, I wouldn't want headphones in. (And if it was dark I'd wear high-vis and/or carry a light, not that I think these things should be compulsory)

But they have the radio on.

C3PO

PokeHerKing wrote: »

I wear headphones on my daily commute. Would perform over the shoulder check for all movement.

I could care less what other people do or think with regard this but I'm curious as to what benefit non-earphone wearers think there is to being able to "hear" approaching traffic when they are intending to hold their position anyway?

For me, if I am aware of a vehicle approaching from behind, particularly if it sounds like it is moving fast or is a HGV/Bus, then I will check my distance from the curb and also check the road ahead to ensure that there are no potholes or obstructions that may require a manoeuvre. This is particularly the case on the Rock Road where the cycle/bus lane is in bits in places!

RayCun

Tombo2001 wrote: »

But they have the radio on.

Wearing headphones blocks out more sound.

But irrelevant anyway, as far as I can see there is no such rule.

07Lapierre

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, that was my point, that my ears were useless in that scenario.

They're not useless, my sunglasses would fall off without them! :P

yannakis

Baron de Charlus wrote: »

Relying on your ears rather than your eyes is progressively getting more dangerous. There's a lot of electric vehicles on the road now that are very quiet.

Using all senses is probably the way to go :pac:

tomasrojo

I sometimes can hear a truck speeding up the road behind me going up the Goatstown Road, and I pull over and stop to make sure there's plenty of clearance. But I can hear a truck speeding over earphones. The noise is incredible.

(I don't really wear earphones much. Sometimes when traffic isn't busy, and I only use one bud.)

tomasrojo

Coincidentally, Bike Snob NYC writing about this very subject todaytwo days ago:
https://www.outsideonline.com/2263576/go-stick-it-your-ear

Then there are bone-conduction headphones, which are supposedly okay because they don’t go directly directly into your ear, evoking the kind of odd workarounds and mental (and physical) gymnastics that religious people engage in so that they can technically remain virgins.

magicbastarder

was briefly touched on at the start of the latest GCN show too.
there was mention of a magazine called ride (a motorbike one, from a quick google?) which did a piece seemingly showing that a cyclist wearing headphones has their hearing impaired to the same extent as a motorist does with windows up. not much more detail given than that.

rubadub

Recently I have twice come across an asshole on the N11 with dirty big DJ headphones who inisists on cycling with his hands in his pockets, wavering all over the place as he is so unskilled at cycling hand free, never saw him look back. Can't overtake the prick as you never know where he is going to go next.

Weepsie

I once saw someone reading a book while they were cycling up the navan road. That I deemed a bit dangerous

magicbastarder

Weepsie wrote: »

I once saw someone reading a book while they were cycling

hmm; the main drawback for me, having returned to commuting to work on the bike rather than using PT, is that my reading time has plummeted. maybe i should talk to this guy..

RayCun

Weepsie wrote: »

I once saw someone reading a book while they were cycling up the navan road. That I deemed a bit dangerous

if it fell the pages would be ruined :eek:

Dr. Mantis Toboggan

Weepsie wrote: »

I once saw someone reading a book while they were cycling up the navan road. That I deemed a bit dangerous

Nothing like reading 50 Shades of Grey whilst out for a spin.

droidus

Weepsie wrote: »

I once saw someone reading a book while they were cycling up the navan road. That I deemed a bit dangerous

I occasionally ate my cereal when cycling to school, but that was in the halcyon days of the pre-boom 90's.

marvin80

rubadub wrote: »

Recently I have twice come across an asshole on the N11 with dirty big DJ headphones who inisists on cycling with his hands in his pockets, wavering all over the place as he is so unskilled at cycling hand free, never saw him look back. Can't overtake the prick as you never know where he is going to go next.

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2016/01/26/guy-cycling-without-hands-not-looking-for-any-attention/

Annie get your Run

Dr. Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Nothing like reading 50 Shades of Grey whilst out for a ride.

Fixed your post

yannakis

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Fixed your post

*FTFY

Interested Observer

I wear headphones when cycling. I listen to a podcast or audiobook rather than music, volume not too high, and I'm happy enough that I can hear cars on the road.

tomasrojo

droidus wrote: »

I occasionally ate my cereal when cycling to school, but that was in the halcyon days of the pre-boom 90's.

That's panache!

PokeHerKing

RayCun wrote:

Same benefit drivers have from checking mirrors even when they intend to keep driving in a straight line - sometimes your plans change very quickly, and you need to be aware of your surroundings.

RayCun wrote:

It looks like we've cleared it all up though - some cyclists are constantly checking over their shoulders, so don't need to be able to hear anything - other cyclists aren't checking as often, and fill in with hearing

RayCun wrote:

I'm afraid you're still doing it wrong though, because you're not listening and you're only checking before moving. The good news is you have a choice of ways to be re-educated!

So if I put wing mirrors on my bike can I wear earphones?