"Avoid using headsets to listen to music"

[Eden]

I'm in the absolutely no headphones camp. People who say they are fine and can hear everthing since they don't turn their headphones up very loud or wear one earbud belong in the same camp as those who drink and then say they are just fine to drive in my eyes. They don't understand how dangerous they are being.

Being on a trail is no excuse - its almost worse than being on the road - sure there is no car traffic, but trail use (at least to me) almost seems inherently more dangerous than road riding even without tons of folks off in their own little worlds. I don't even think that joggers/ skaters etc. who are on multi use trails should be allowed to use headphones.

[DeniseGoldberg]

I'm in the no headphones camp. And I also won't ride with anyone who insists on wearing them.

--- Denise

[SadieKate]

You should see the students on the univ campus riding through traffic circles, no hands, an iPod bud in one ear and a cell phone in the other. Wouldn't this qualify as illegal in California where two earphones are illegal? Neither the state law nor the campus rules state anything about the headphones being attached to the same source.

University at rush hour is a death trap.

Pooks, I know that you say you're riding in only your own neighborhood, but I find that people tend to run stop signs and rush willy-hilly through neighborhoods more than other places. It's like they take for granted that the low traffic volume means that all bets are off.

[farrellcollie]

I also use my ipod to listen to books on tape (love those popcorn mysteries from audible.com) when I am alone and not around traffic or lots of other types of traffic or doing manuevering that takes concentration (like going up or down a mountain). I find a big difference between BOT and music - I could not listen to music and bike but I wouldn't say that no one could.

[chickwhorips]

if i lived in a more populated area i wouldn't wear earbuds or listen to music. i'm way to worried about someone else doing something they shouldn't if its a car or a person walking. people and/or animals are so unpredictable.

[mimitabby]

if i lived in a more populated area i wouldn't wear earbuds or listen to music. i'm way to worried about someone else doing something they shouldn't if its a car or a person walking. people and/or animals are so unpredictable.

what about mama bears???!!!

[Bike Goddess]

I'm with Velogirl on this one. I've never used any kind of headphones, ipods, or what have you when I'm out cycling.

I too think this is a dangerous activity regardless of where you live, cycle, run, etc. I get distracted enough with my own "self" conversations without adding mechanical devices to the mix.

[Tater]

Another one here in the absolutely no headphones camp. It is bad enough that I am a lone female out biking/running as it is. I don't need an mp3 player on to make me look more of a victim to any potential assclown who thinks he can try something because he thinks I am distracted by my music.

I ride/run to listen to my body and to get outdoors. I need to hear my breathing, the rhythmic thump of my feet on the ground, the ratcheting of a freewheel, the wind in my face, the burn in my quads. Music plays a large part in my life, I love it. But not when it could put me in a potentially dangerous situation.

[chickwhorips]

what about mama bears???!!!

if i'm around an area that seems high risk (lots of hiding places) for running into a bear, i take off my headphones, but then again if there is a bear in the area you can usually smell them before seeing them if the wind is right.

[Aggie_Ama]

I listen to them when I am running. And I admit slightly louder than I should. I should heed the warning and not think my trail is safe.

NEVER on a bike. I have enough trouble hearing cars over the wind!

[Susie]

I have to admit, I occasionally use my iPod when riding alone, but only on long rides (50+ miles) to try to keep my cadence up. I keep the volume low and I've found that I actually hear cars better than without the pods in my hears. Without the pods, the wind in my ears generally drowns out most noises, including cars until they're basically right on top of me. With the pods, the wind is blocked and I can hear things better. But again, I keep the volume low so that the music is more of a background noise and I never use it when I'm riding with others.

Susie

[Pascale]

I'm in the absolutely no headphones camp. People who say they are fine and can hear everthing since they don't turn their headphones up very loud or wear one earbud belong in the same camp as those who drink and then say they are just fine to drive in my eyes. They don't understand how dangerous they are being.

It IS possible to rely on your eyes for safety - deaf people do it all the time. People without earbuds in can be riding and not paying any attention either - spacing out in their own little world, worrying about whatever is going on in their lives.

When I was a zookeeper and was always running heavy equipment or loud hoses, you just learned to be alert with your other senses.

You know, it seems that many here aren't even tolerant of those who might ride for leisure - even those who are respectful of others, move over when faster traffic comes, even pulls off the trail or road. I suppose that just opens a whole other can of worms though.

I don't know where you come up with thinking that trail riding is inherently more dangerous than road riding either, that one just totally baffles me.

[mimitabby]

I don't know where you come up with thinking that trail riding is inherently more dangerous than road riding either, that one just totally baffles me.

I don't think trail riding is more dangerous than road riding, but the recent murder of a fellow woman biker kind of spooks me on this subject. Was she
wearing an earbud, listening to music? we'll never know but something tipped the scales against her.. I'm going to protect myself as best as I can.

[Nanci]

Which zoo did you work at?

I was a docent at Como for most of my teenage years. Still think of the Minnesota Zoo as the "New Zoo."

[Pascale]

Which zoo did you work at?

I was a docent at Como for most of my teenage years. Still think of the Minnesota Zoo as the "New Zoo."

Nanci, I worked at the Minnesota Zoo for 14 years

I don't think trail riding is more dangerous than road riding, but the recent murder of a fellow woman biker kind of spooks me on this subject

I was responding to Eden's comment, and I'm not sure that's what she was referring to.

I find my own internal dialogue much more distracting - I can focus better with music because I really don't have to pay attention to music, but I don't find myself trying to figure out the world's problems in my head, either.