Headphones Megathread

emo72

how is this even an "issue"?

as a sometimes motorcyclist, i wear earplugs to keep the windblast out. windblast would drive me mad on a pushbike. even with music playing with in ear monitors the blast is still annoyingly there.

RainyDay

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

What I'm intrigued by is where this sudden obsession among TDs about cyclists with headphones came from.

Could be a simple as one 'Mr Angry' who goes chasing a few Councillors or TDs with their great 'brainwave' - needs to be countered with a bit of common sense, evidence and experience.

07Lapierre

rollingscone wrote: »

But what if the headphones are HiVis?


















Mind. blown.

If headphones were hi-viz, I wouldn't wear them!

tigerboon

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

What I'm intrigued by is where this sudden obsession among TDs about cyclists with headphones came from.

Because all is right with the world and they have nothing else to worry about.

ThisRegard

RainyDay wrote: »

Could be a simple as one 'Mr Angry' who goes chasing a few Councillors or TDs with their great 'brainwave' - needs to be countered with a bit of common sense, evidence and experience.

This is exactly why. Election coming up, politicians pander to every eejit out there.

If any of your local councillors have aspirations it's a great time to get stuff done or fixed locally though.

Deedsie

Well I'd be all for banning cyclists wearing headphones. Silly thing to do. It's dangerous enough out there. As a cyclist who covers at least 5000km per year I find cyclists who wear headphones to be the more irritating rule breakers. Totally oblivious of other road users.

tomasrojo

Is there a spectrum of condemnation, with headphones further into the SomethingMustBeDone Zone than earphones?

I assume headphones cut out more external noise.

seamus

tomasrojo wrote: »

Is there a spectrum of condemnation, with headphones further into the SomethingMustBeDone Zone than earphones?

I assume headphones cut out more external noise.

The more expensive ones are designed to basically cocoon your ears and cut out practically all external noise.
Frankly wearing them while walking is idiotic as far as I'm concerned.

Smaller headphones or in-ear buds generally don't have any noise cancellation and in my experience still allow you to hear better than being inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up.

07Lapierre

Deedsie wrote: »

I find cyclists who wear headphones to be the more irritating rule breakers.

I find Cyclists who break the rules of the road more irritating than those wearing headphones.

tomasrojo

seamus wrote: »

The more expensive ones are designed to basically cocoon your ears and cut out practically all external noise.
Frankly wearing them while walking is idiotic as far as I'm concerned.

Yeah, I wouldn't feel happy wearing them walking around a place buzzing with traffic, but in a pedestrianised zone I'd be happy enough, or on a very quiet road.

I'd agree with the general point, made a few times, that there is a difference between blocking out all external sound, and piping some audio content into one ear, or even both ears. It might be less safe than not wearing them at all, but I don't think it's outrageously unsafe to the self or others (in most cases, I'd be prepared to believe the difference would be close to negligible).

Now I think about it, if Paschal Donohoe's advice were followed to the spirit and letter, it would be fine. The problem is it gets spun or misinterpreted into "FCNs for wearing earphones".

yannakis

seamus wrote: »

The more expensive ones are designed to basically cocoon your ears and cut out practically all external noise.
Frankly wearing them while walking is idiotic as far as I'm concerned.

Smaller headphones or in-ear buds generally don't have any noise cancellation and in my experience still allow you to hear better than being inside a vehicle with the windows rolled up.

I don't think you need your ears as much when driving car as when cycling..

Don't get me wrong, driving with headphones is also absoluterly not right :rolleyes: These ones usually turn their headlights on a few kilometers into their drive

07Lapierre

YanisK wrote: »

I don't think you need your ears as much when driving car as when cycling..

Do you have an example of a situation where hearing is vital when cycling?

PaulieC

I find, predominantly as a runner but also as a cycling commuter, that the most important asset you have to keep you appraised of what's going on around you is your eyes.

tomasrojo

07Lapierre wrote: »

Do you have an example of a situation where hearing is vital when cycling?

I can think of one or two scenarios, but I don't think earphones would compromise awareness enormously in these.

1) Telling how close the vehicle behind is without looking around, and knowing how big it is (engine noise)
2) Knowing that someone has lost their temper and is accelerating to overtake you/left hook you (engine noise again)

I think you'd hear both of these with earphones.

I have to say, from the odd time I've tried it, I can't hear anything coming through the earphones to an enjoyable or even acceptable level when traffic is busy. My phone doesn't go that loud though. Maybe as well, for a few reasons. Cycling to the shop in the evening, I can hear podcasts and music ok. Very quiet road at that hour. I can hear motorised traffic coming too.

tomasrojo

The answer to the safety of headphone use for any activity is very much related to the volume being set to a reasonable rate.

http://www.dublincycling.ie/cycling/cycling-headphones-how-safe-it

RainyDay

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

Deedsie wrote: »

Well I'd be all for banning cyclists wearing headphones. Silly thing to do. It's dangerous enough out there. As a cyclist who covers at least 5000km per year I find cyclists who wear headphones to be the more irritating rule breakers. Totally oblivious of other road users.

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.

tomasrojo

RainyDay wrote: »

Generally, public policy/law changes require a bit more than personal opinion. Some actual evidence that wearing headphones increase risk would generally be required.

Unfortunately, for minorities, laws can be imposed with very little evidence.

I don't see it happening in this case though.

Chips Lovell

Can't see it happening either.

07Lapierre

tomasrojo wrote: »

I can think of one or two scenarios, but I don't think earphones would compromise awareness enormously in these.

1) Telling how close the vehicle behind is without looking around, and knowing how big it is (engine noise)
2) Knowing that someone has lost their temper and is accelerating to overtake you/left hook you (engine noise again)

I think you'd hear both of these with earphones.

I have to say, from the odd time I've tried it, I can't hear anything coming through the earphones to an enjoyable or even acceptable level when traffic is busy. My phone doesn't go that loud though. Maybe as well, for a few reasons. Cycling to the shop in the evening, I can hear podcasts and music ok. Very quiet road at that hour. I can hear motorised traffic coming too.

Agree, not hearing these things is not going to make much difference.

I was looking for examples of situations where hearing is vital (I don't think there are any)

07Lapierre

RainyDay wrote: »

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

But they do have tyres and Tyre "Roar" (especially when the roads are wet) can be quite loud.

check_six

tomasrojo wrote: »

I have to say, from the odd time I've tried it, I can't hear anything coming through the earphones to an enjoyable or even acceptable level when traffic is busy. My phone doesn't go that loud though. Maybe as well, for a few reasons. Cycling to the shop in the evening, I can hear podcasts and music ok. Very quiet road at that hour. I can hear motorised traffic coming too.

I think I must have similar audio equipment. The odd time I'd listen to the radio in one ear on the way home, but most of the sound would be drowned out by the wind and the traffic. Podcasts were a total washout, they seem to be set lower or recorded with lower quality equipment so it's not really possible to listen to them in traffic at all.

As an aside, I was trying to listen to the end of the Second Captains podcast a couple of weeks ago as I was leaving the office. I switched off the podcast, but weirdly I could still hear a familiar voice as I was waiting at the lights outside work. Naturally I thought I was losing my marbles, and was doing this gormless look at the end of my earphones when I noticed that Second Captain Ken Early was chatting into his phone beside me on his bike waiting at the same lights.

I was happy to realise that I had not been tipped over the edge that day!

Maybe another day...

tomasrojo

Priceless!

tomasrojo

Podcasts seem to be a lot quieter than radio.

yannakis

07Lapierre wrote: »

Do you have an example of a situation where hearing is vital when cycling?

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.

Chips Lovell

My ears must not be great so because I can't distinguish between the sound of a car about to sideswipe me and the sound of a car about to pass me.

beauf

In city traffic you hear very little meaningful, there too much noise pollution. You might hear a horn if its near you, but should hear that regardless of earphones.

I dunno on a quiet country road. Perhaps its more significant there.

BTW its not volume you need its IEM's with a good seal. Then you'll hear everything at at 50% than you did previously. But obviously you'll hear nothing of your environment then.

beauf

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.

One of the primary skills on a bike is looking behind you and all around.

IMO. Hearing is next to useless in comparison.

I would assume anyone who flips this priority must have very little or no experience cycling. Most of the time on a bike all you hear is wind noise.

....and that creak from somewhere you can't find....

Chips Lovell

beauf wrote: »

One of the primary skills on a bike is looking behind you and all around.

IMO. Hearing is next to useless in comparison.

Exactly. You should never change your line unless you've looked behind you.

Beasty

I have ear problems that cause dulling of my hearing quite regularly. I also wear a cap under my helmet that, during the winter will usually be pulled over my ears

I've got to say I much prefer cycling when I have my hearing unencumbered in any way. Yes I do find it more comforting to have an idea whether I've a large vehicle approaching from behind. When cycling I prefer to have as much of my senses fully operational as I reasonably can, and would not look to dull my hearing any more than I really feel the need to (which is when it is particularly cold and I pull that cap over the ears)

check_six

beauf wrote: »

....and that creak from somewhere you can't find....

It sounds like a bottom bracket problem.

Have you checked the bottom bracket?

It *must* be the bottom bracket.


Top Tip: It is almost never the bottom bracket. Who even knows what those things are for...!