Quote Originally Posted by lph View Post

Personally I feel that sight completely trumps hearing when it comes to safety, and the single most important skill a cyclist riding in traffic should have around here is the ability to check their surroundings visually often, without swerving. You wouldn't believe how oblivious some people are, completely earbud-free.
True, although there are some intersections around here where you have to trust your hearing because of the vegetation and road curves involved. They're fine in winter, but...

I thought of this thread during my ride today. I had a few moments where I wished I had my iPod. My mental soundtrack was getting rather annoying. Of course, my mental soundtrack for rides seems to consist of Johnny Cash, selections from The Biochemist's Songbook (I'm a nerd) and Colonel Bogey's March. (Plays in the background of linked Monty Python sketch. May be NSFW.)