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.