Biking and Music

[Catrin]

I've given up on the whole "ONYERLEFT" thing as even those without buds don't seem to hear me, talking about pedestrians here. Instead I've taken to using my bell - several times - and saying "excuse me...EXCUSE ME", or "passing...CANIPASSYOU"

For me at least those seem to get attention much more quickly, though sometimes I am still forced to come to a screeching stop because someone is paying so much attention to the conversation they are in that they are oblivious to all else around them.

Music is one of those things that will always be debated about I think. I do have to struggle to not be irritated to those who ride with music blaring from their bikes (obviously not using buds) - inevitably it is someone who rides about my speed and I just..can't...get...away from them. I don't want to listen to their music. That is only because they have it much too loud though, I am sure they could set it at a lower volume so they could still hear it without disturbing those who don't want to hear it.

Thankfully this has only happened a couple of times to me, and I am quite sure that an iPod without buds isn't capable of getting near that loud!

[limewave]

I like to say "When you get a chance . . . "

Anywho, throwing my hat in: I choose to not ride with others if they wear earbuds/listen to music. Its a big reason I have stopped going on group rides. These young guys show up, thinking they're the s**t and wear earbuds--on a group road ride! I watched one of them nearly get blasted by a car as he finished his pull, sat up and moved out to the middle of the road. He was completely oblivious to everyone else in the group and the cars on the road.
I just don't believe their is a place for listening to music when you are riding with others.

However, I do occasionally listen to music when I do gravel road grinders or long bike path rides.

[Irulan]

There's always something like this:

Sleek Speak

[Irulan]

or,

[Maye]

Ha ha!! Love the boom box one! I was imagining all sort of songs that I can play in the boom box while riding.

[Irulan]

Ha ha!! Love the boom box one! I was imagining all sort of songs that I can play in the boom box while riding.

google "boom box on bike" images...... some of the get ups are pretty crazy.

[Maye]

Might as well cook while listening to music.

[owlice]

Are bicycles legitimate traffic? I hear so often that bikes have the right to ride on the road -- cue the hew and cry -- but then I see cyclists who don't adhere to the responsibilities of the road. I don't know whether headphone use while cycling is illegal here, but I do know that headphone use while driving a car is. Strikes me as irresponsible (and also stupid) to use headphones while driving; I'm glad it's illegal. How is it any better when someone is on a bike? I just do not understand how anyone could possibly justify the use of headphones while on a bike.

I see people do it; clearly a good number of my TE sisters use headphones. I still don't understand how anyone can justify it, aside from "I want to." Well, sometimes I'd like to use headphones when I drive if only to drown out the obnoxious music coming from the cars around me, but I don't because I need to be able to hear the cars around me, obnoxious music (~~ sigh ~~) and all, and that goes at least as much for when I'm on my bike as in my car.

[lph]

I watched one of them nearly get blasted by a car as he finished his pull, sat up and moved out to the middle of the road. He was completely oblivious to everyone else in the group and the cars on the road.

that is appalling. I ride alone almost all the time, most of the time with music, but the few times I ride along with someone else I obviously take the buds out. Otherwise there would be no point in riding with other people

I have to admit that I'm a lot more tuned out of my surroundings and approaching cyclists from behind when I'm riding chatting with someone than when I'm listening to music... much less practice, and I'll be telling long, convoluted stories and going slower too.