Biking and Music

[Savra]

I listen to music in the car but my car is also bigger, enclosed and safer than a bike. If I don't hear a car that might hit me while in a car the odds I will survive an accident are exponentially bigger than if I don't hear a car I need to get out of the way of on a bike.
I don't listen to music and won't let my 13-year old do it either because it's impossible to hear that car behind you or the cars coming up in an intersection. I find it even more important when I need to make a left turn.

[malkin]

Not worth the risk of harm to myself and others.

[jyyanks]

I don't listen to music when I ride because I find it very distracting. The other day, I was on the paved bike trail and there was a couple in front of me riding with headphones on. I called out "on your left", rang my bike bell, and attempted to pass. The woman didn't even hear me. She was singing and leisurely riding and almost crashed into me as she weaved left just as I was passing. She was shocked that she almost caused an accident.

Sometimes when I'm on the trail and I don't have headphones, it's hard for me to hear approaching cyclists. I can't imagine what it must be like if I had them on or even worse, I can't imagine what it would be like on a busy road, since I ride mainly on a not-so-busy bike trail.

My opinion is that riding with headphones isn't worth the risk. You can seriously injure yourself or another person because you're not as focused on what's around you.

Being in a car is a bit different because, unless your music is blaring, you can clearly hear and see what's around you and you're not exerting any energy to physically move so all your concentration is on your surroundings. When I ride, I'm focused on my pedaling, looking for rocks/bumps on the road, correct hand position (I'm a beginner) and posture, music would just be another distraction.

[goldfinch]

I would love to have the music, I think it would help me. But I am with those who say it is a safety issue. Certainly never do it on a multi-use trail. I can't think of how many times I approach a jogger who has earphones and they can't hear me when I say that I am passing. Frustrating and dangerous for both of us.

I know some people use them on the open road but I feel like I really have to hear what might be coming up behind me. I often don't catch them in my mirror.

[Breella]

I listen to "music", but not on the road. (I actually listen to audio books) I listen only when I'm on the nature trail or in the big state park. I'm afraid of doing it on the road.

[Catrin]

I listen to the world around me on the bike - even if there weren't a safety concern, listening to music on the bike removes one of the reasons I love riding - to connect me to the world around me.

[bluebug32]

I tend to zone out on the bike a bit anyway and miss the occasional turn, etc. So I think music would be a bad idea for me. Plus I would feel like a real idiot if I didn't hear a car because I had headphones on. Great for the trainer in the winter, but I prefer the soundtrack of birds and nature in the summer.

[Eden]

Ah one of the age old controversies...

It is my personal opinion that wearing headphones while riding a bike is dangerous and inadvisable. I firmly believe that simply plugging your ears (even if you keep the volume pretty low) takes your mind to a different place. It's not just the music.... its the earphones. In this state using headphones in a car is illegal - while certainly listening to the radio is not.

Some people will argue that headphones actually help them concentrate - so they like to use them to study etc. and that is why they feel safe riding with them. Actually, I totally believe that - and IMHO it backs up why I feel the totally opposite way. The headphones *do* help them in that manner. They allow the person to block out their surroundings and focus of the task of studying. Cycling, on the other hand, you need to have an acute awareness of all of your surroundings and be monitoring many things all of the time. Having good focus is not what you want. You need to be able to hear and process a great amount and I think headphones cut down on a person's ability to do both of those things.

[carolp]

If I'm listening to music or the radio in the car I am NOT wearing headphones, so I think the comparison is a bad one. More than once I have almost had crashes with cyclists who are wearing headphones. It is just a bad idea.

[grey]

Most times I do not listen to music while riding. I prefer to hear nature. But - once in a while I'm alone and on a really boring stretch of road, I plug in the right ear so the left is still listening for traffic. It does help.

[deeannef]

I know in California, if you have earphones on while riding a cycle, you are automatically at fault regardless of what the other person did. Not worth it. I need to hear what is going on around me and what my bike is doing.

[malkin]

I listen to the world around me on the bike - even if there weren't a safety concern, listening to music on the bike removes one of the reasons I love riding - to connect me to the world around me.

This too.
This world of ours is a pretty interesting place, isn't it?

[Maye]

Just think about this scenario: You are riding at the left side of the road and got a little bit distracted by the music and indadvertedly drifted to the right and didn't hear the approaching super fast cyclist behind you screaming "at your left" but you didn't hear him/her since you were listening to music on your headphones. The upcoming cyclist may be able to maneuver the bike and don't crash into you. If the cyclist is a newbie like myself still learning how to handle the bike in emergency situations, chances are that I'm going to crash either into you or other approaching objects/people. In my case, music makes me nervous instead of relaxing me because it deprives me of my hearing sense. Headwind also makes me nervous that's why I used a small rearview mirror to be sure that nobody is approaching me when I'm going to pass other cyclists or people. I still look back no matter what. I think this is a matter of safety (first) and education. Some states offer classes about road cycling and safety. In Florida the FL bike association offers clinics about cycling savvy which includes, safety, bike handling in emergencies and a 3 hour classroom session were other important topics are discussed as well. Check the internet to see if you can take advantage of courses offered in your area.

[pll]

I listen to music in the car but my car is also bigger, enclosed and safer than a bike. If I don't hear a car that might hit me while in a car the odds I will survive an accident are exponentially bigger than if I don't hear a car I need to get out of the way of on a bike.
I don't listen to music and won't let my 13-year old do it either because it's impossible to hear that car behind you or the cars coming up in an intersection. I find it even more important when I need to make a left turn.

I see what Veronica means though: you might not hear the screams of a cyclist/pedestrian you have not seen and are about to hit. Yes, that is a risk and one must make the decision whether it is worth it.

Personally, the only occasion I use headphones is as a passenger in an airplane. Running or cycling, I like to be aware of every sound around me. In the car, I am not big into music except when on a highway.