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This is what I do when I am riding alone, I have downloaded music onto my cell phone......I have one of those little "pouches" on my front tube...I set my phone to play, pop it in the pouch, and am able to listen to music AND hear traffic and all surrounding noises! And it's not so loud that it would disturb anyone else!:)
I put one ear in the right side. My ipod gets clipped on my shorts and the other ear gets looped around my bra strap. I keep it low, can even hear my cell phone in my bike bag.
I (and dh and friends) often ride with one bud in the right ear only, so we can hear traffic on the left and other riders we're I'm riding with a group. And if I'm with a group, I don't turn on my iPod unless I am climbing (really helps get me up the hills!) ... or if I'm with a group that is riding fast together in a paceline and there's no socializing going on. Yet, I can still hear if someone yells out something is in the road or whatever.
I was on a club ride recently where a new guy was in his own world with both buds in. He was oblivious when people were calling out "car back" twice and held up those cars making our whole group look bad. Someone told me they had tried to get his attention to tell him his water bottle was about to fall out, but he never heard them.
On the next club ride, at a red light, I finally got a chance to mention to this fellow that he really needs to only where one bud in the right ear. I found it interesting that when he saw that I was talking to him he had to take out his headphones to hear me. Case in point.
One of my favorite things to do is ride up behind a rider or runner wearing burds on a dirt trail who thinks it's safe because they're away from traffic. It's so fun to scare the sh!t out of them.
At first, when I started commuting, in the city, I needed my full and entire attention. And could have never imagined a day when I would use my ipod on the bike. When I commute at rush hours, I don't. But there are less dangerous times, a Sunday ride for example, where I can. Because the noise level on the street is also lower, and in all cases, the music in my ears does NOT prevent me from hearing the noises on the street. I would not listen to a show, follow a conversation, talk radio, that kind of thing. I still need my full attention on the road. But music is different. It is a pace. And it does take the boredom out of a commute that is always the same.