Tunes while riding

[Jen12]

Years ago I did a training run with a friend...we were both training for the same half-marathon. She had a bad habit of running every run at race pace. So she puts on her iPod and after about 2 miles pulls way ahead of me and I'm running solo for the rest of the 12.5 mile run.

About 8 miles in I come upon her standing on the side of the path looking like death warmed-over. She totally bonked and had to walk the remaining way. I didn't stop for her, just told her I'd wait for her at the car.

(We are no longer friends. This was just the first in a line of very self-centered moves, on her part. The last straw was when she and her hubby bailed on a 6 person trail race team <2 weeks before race day, leaving the rest of us scrambling to find replacements. The weird part about that is that it was SHE who would openly ignore/avoid me at later races, not the other way around...and I had good reason to give her the cold shoulder.)

I know someone just like this. She used to call me constantly to run with her and then one day she just stopped. Evidently she'd found another running buddy and I was completely dumpable. Selfish people are better off avoided.

[ctdancer]

Guilty of riding with my Ipod (when I'm solo), as long as I'm riding in an area where I know the route really well, and not many cars. Fortunately where I live I have lots of "safe" places to ride, and the music really helps my cadence, especially up hills !
I keep the volume low, and I would never use them with company...

[Owlie]

It scares me when I see cyclists with earbuds in, even on the trail. There are are a few road crossings that force you to rely on hearing because of curves in the road and vegetation. And this group of people often overlap with the "don't even slow down to check for traffic" group!

[lph]

To answer the original question - I ride with earbuds all the time. It helps mightily for my motivation on long rides. It's not something I recommend to new riders because it takes practice and you may have to change your riding style somewhat. It's quite possible to ride safely and responsibly with earbuds, however.

And as a gentle reminder - putting earbuds in doesn't automatically turn an otherwise attentive rider into a self-absorbed zombie weaving all over the place and paying no attention...

[ctdancer]

LPH - Agree ! In some ways, I think they actually make me pay more attention to my surroundings, and be more cautious rather than oblivious !

[amb]

I frequently ride with my iPod, right earbud only, music at a reasonable level. I too can hear traffic, birds, people, other riders....everything. There's a lot of people on their soapbox here assuming we're unsafe/can't hear a thing. Whatever, do what works for you and I will as well. I think more often than not, it's not an iPod that makes anyone unsafe, it's their lack of following the rules of the road!!

[roo4]

I think riders/runners with earbuds in are less aware of their surroundings. Period. For those of you insisting that you can hear cars and birds and crickets and whatnot while wearing earbuds, well goody for you. That is not the question. We are not comparing your super-sensory abilities with average riders. The comparison should be your ability with earbuds as compared with your ability without musical distractions.

[KateNTx]

I saw a young woman (college age) texting on her bike while riding down a 4 lane road at rush hour the other day. All I could think as I drove past was..."Are you kidding me?!" I ride/walk to escape my life...the last thing I want is my iPhone in my ears forcing me to be "reachable" (I carry a pre-paid for emergencies). a for music...when I was (much) younger I had a little transistor hooked up to a dynamo on the bike I kept at my grandad's place...dirt road, no traffic, usually rode down to the creek to fish. that was enjoyable, so I don't totally oppose music in a safe environment, but here in Town...fughettaboutit, too many other risks on the road for me to deliberately seek one out (and yes, I AM an organ donor).

[hulagirl]

Seriously! It's not about YOUR perception of what you can or can't hear. It's about YOU (earphone rider) placing more responsibility on US (riders overtaking you) because we see headphone and we don't know how loud the music is or is not. You now force us to be over cautious, hyper-aware and way more concerned about you hearing us or jumping into our line because you don't hear us.

THAT'S what pisses me off. I personally don't care what your issues are. (the need for music as motivation or whatever) But when it affects my safety, I do care. And I think using headphones on a ride is rude and places even more responsibility onto the folks that approach you.

[Crankin]

I feel the same way, Hula Girl. It's plain unsafe and is actually against the law here in MA.
But DH wears one earbud when he commutes and it pisses me off no end. I can't stop him, but I wish I could.

[mixie]

Seriously! It's not about YOUR perception of what you can or can't hear. It's about YOU (earphone rider) placing more responsibility on US (riders overtaking you) because we see headphone and we don't know how loud the music is or is not. You now force us to be over cautious, hyper-aware and way more concerned about you hearing us or jumping into our line because you don't hear us.

THAT'S what pisses me off. I personally don't care what your issues are. (the need for music as motivation or whatever) But when it affects my safety, I do care. And I think using headphones on a ride is rude and places even more responsibility onto the folks that approach you.

not just you, but others with this attitude. You should be careful passing other riders regardless if they have ear buds on or not. Plenty of sketchy riders out there without ear buds. Besides for all you know you can't see them and they have them in anyway. You should always be "on guard" when riding and what other people are or are not doing shouldn't dictate how you ride.

What if you think "oh great, I'll just pass this person" and as soon as you go to pass, they reach back in their jersey pocket to get a gel or go to grab their bottle or any of a million other things and they swerve and take you out. See, should have been paying better attention.

you're fooling yourself if you think passing anyone regardless of music or not should be handled any different.

[blue_angel]

To answer the original question - I ride with earbuds all the time. It helps mightily for my motivation on long rides. It's not something I recommend to new riders because it takes practice and you may have to change your riding style somewhat. It's quite possible to ride safely and responsibly with earbuds, however.

And as a gentle reminder - putting earbuds in doesn't automatically turn an otherwise attentive rider into a self-absorbed zombie weaving all over the place and paying no attention...

Thank you!

[roo4]

People that use earbuds while riding are kidding themselves. People are posting that they only use one earbud. Why only one? If it doesn't affect your hearing, then use two. The truth is that you know it adversely affects your ability to hear, and you are trying to find a compromise that allows you to plug in and ride at the same time. Can you really not ride without being plugged in? C'mon, folks.

[pll]

Peace! No number of arguments will convince one side or the other.

[Eden]

lph - I think that differing attitudes about driving between countries are also in play. I'm thinking that where you are the drivers are much more careful and courteous of you all on bikes.

It might be perfectly safe to be a bit tuned out on your bike in, say, Amsterdam - where biking is as common as walking about, most people do it pretty slowly, bikes are often separated from traffic, the auto traffic is also moving relatively slowly and the drivers are quite aware of all of the foot and bike traffic.

Here in the US, its the opposite. If you walk around or ride around the least bit distracted you are taking your life in your hands. Traffic generally moves fast and is aggressive and you really do have to assume that drivers have little to no regard for your life... There are even places in the US that are thinking about making crossing the street wearing headphones illegal...

Is it necessarily fair that we should allow drivers to run our lives the way they do - no, but it is the reality of things the way they are.

I do find it annoying when walkers, runners, bladers, cyclists are budded(or on the phone...), clueless and weaving/wandering around - but that's not why I discourage people from wearing ear buds....If I'm on a trail where I'm likely to encounter those type of folks, it's my responsibility to not run them down.... I discourage earbud wearing because I really don't think it is safe to do here. If you are going to interact with traffic in the US, you need all of your wits about you and earbuds, even low, really do tend to tune a person's brain out - whether or not they even realize it.

In the end it is not my decision - if it is legal in your jurisdiction you can do it, and in most places it still is. You still won't ever find me doing it, nor do I have to agree with anyone that it is a good decision. I think is also likely that slowly, like seatbelt wearing (went from encouraged, to mandatory over many years), places in the US will start to outlaw earphones on bikes and maybe even for peds.