"Avoid using headsets to listen to music"

[Eden]

I'm in the absolutely no headphones camp. People who say they are fine and can hear everthing since they don't turn their headphones up very loud or wear one earbud belong in the same camp as those who drink and then say they are just fine to drive in my eyes. They don't understand how dangerous they are being.

Being on a trail is no excuse - its almost worse than being on the road - sure there is no car traffic, but trail use (at least to me) almost seems inherently more dangerous than road riding even without tons of folks off in their own little worlds. I don't even think that joggers/ skaters etc. who are on multi use trails should be allowed to use headphones.

[DeniseGoldberg]

I'm in the no headphones camp. And I also won't ride with anyone who insists on wearing them.

--- Denise

[SadieKate]

You should see the students on the univ campus riding through traffic circles, no hands, an iPod bud in one ear and a cell phone in the other. Wouldn't this qualify as illegal in California where two earphones are illegal? Neither the state law nor the campus rules state anything about the headphones being attached to the same source.

University at rush hour is a death trap.

Pooks, I know that you say you're riding in only your own neighborhood, but I find that people tend to run stop signs and rush willy-hilly through neighborhoods more than other places. It's like they take for granted that the low traffic volume means that all bets are off.

[farrellcollie]

I also use my ipod to listen to books on tape (love those popcorn mysteries from audible.com) when I am alone and not around traffic or lots of other types of traffic or doing manuevering that takes concentration (like going up or down a mountain). I find a big difference between BOT and music - I could not listen to music and bike but I wouldn't say that no one could.

[chickwhorips]

if i lived in a more populated area i wouldn't wear earbuds or listen to music. i'm way to worried about someone else doing something they shouldn't if its a car or a person walking. people and/or animals are so unpredictable.

[Pascale]

I'm in the absolutely no headphones camp. People who say they are fine and can hear everthing since they don't turn their headphones up very loud or wear one earbud belong in the same camp as those who drink and then say they are just fine to drive in my eyes. They don't understand how dangerous they are being.

It IS possible to rely on your eyes for safety - deaf people do it all the time. People without earbuds in can be riding and not paying any attention either - spacing out in their own little world, worrying about whatever is going on in their lives.

When I was a zookeeper and was always running heavy equipment or loud hoses, you just learned to be alert with your other senses.

You know, it seems that many here aren't even tolerant of those who might ride for leisure - even those who are respectful of others, move over when faster traffic comes, even pulls off the trail or road. I suppose that just opens a whole other can of worms though.

I don't know where you come up with thinking that trail riding is inherently more dangerous than road riding either, that one just totally baffles me.

[mimitabby]

I don't know where you come up with thinking that trail riding is inherently more dangerous than road riding either, that one just totally baffles me.

I don't think trail riding is more dangerous than road riding, but the recent murder of a fellow woman biker kind of spooks me on this subject. Was she
wearing an earbud, listening to music? we'll never know but something tipped the scales against her.. I'm going to protect myself as best as I can.

[Eden]

It IS possible to rely on your eyes for safety - deaf people do it all the time. People without earbuds in can be riding and not paying any attention either - spacing out in their own little world, worrying about whatever is going on in their lives.

I don't know where you come up with thinking that trail riding is inherently more dangerous than road riding either, that one just totally baffles me.

I've hear the deaf arguement before and I find this to be a bad argument with bad logic for thinking that anyone is safe when using earbuds. A person who is not deaf does not spend 100% of their life accomodating to not hearing. Sure people without earbuds can be spacing out, but people who are not drunk can be bad drivers too - you still should not drink and drive. I feel the same way about the use of headphones - its an additional distraction that you just don't need and you are only fooling yourself if you think you are just as alert with them on. Do you talk on your cell phone and drive too...

As far as trail riding goes - In my experience I find that because of the crowding that one finds on trails with so many people with differing uses and differing abilities you have to be very very alert when you ride on trails. Kids, dogs, joggers, strollers, people who are going too fast on bicycles or riding erratically, street crossings - all of these things mean you have to be extra careful . An accident you might have on the road with a car may be more devestating and dangerous - but the trail poses more of a constant hazard. I know of just as many if not more people (several TE'ers even) who have had accidents resulting in broken bones and other injuries because of colliding with other trail users as I know people who have had incidents with cars.

[crazycanuck]

I don't use an ipod or walkman or whatever else is out there while riding/walking etc mainly becuase i'm deaf in my left ear. It's better that i not use them as i'd feel a danger to myself *& would hate to cause an accident. I

I have a hard enough time distinguishing car sounds & other sounds when biking/walking-esp when it's windy or even just a bit of wind. I just memorize songs...

(this is one reason i'm a mtn biker-don't have to worry about cars...)

c

[Dogmama]

Seems like last time we had this thread, we had more people arguing for riding with headphones than against it.

I agree with Velogirl way back there - not only do I NEVER ride with headphones, but I go WAY out of my way to avoid those who are riding with headphones.

(Don't ask me about the time I road with my cervical collar on after my neck surgery though -- that was truly stooopid....)