Headphones while riding?

hippy said:

Is it illegal? Is it dangerous? Who does it? One or both ears? Is
traffic volume (number of cars not db) an issue for you?
As cfsmtb would say... Discuss.
hippy <singing> going to the track worlds today, i'm going to the track
worlds today, the aussies will make other nations pay, i'm going to the
track worlds today, even if skys are gray, some time at the end of May,
i'm going to the track worlds today..

Ah, 2Gb of pics awaits from todays proceedings....

In response to your question, no sir, I don't like it. Not sure on
legalities, but in the city/suburbs, nope, wouldn't use
earphones/buds whatever.

Sorry, but everytime I see a cyclist with earphones, it [censored] me as much
as if they had stubbed out a ciggie and left the butt on the
ground.🙄

--

In aus.bicycle on Sun, 30 May 2004 07:44:58 GMT

cfsmtb said:

Sorry, but everytime I see a cyclist with earphones, it [censored] me as much
as if they had stubbed out a ciggie and left the butt on the
ground.🙄

Not sure why.

I've used headphones on the pushbike and the motorbike, and the problem
is hearing the music over the traffic, not the other way round.

Yes, you can get so absorbed in the music/audiobook that you stop paying
attention. This isn't mandatory....

One interesting thing I discovered... on the motorcycle ride to work,
I take McCarr's Ck road, a nice few km of twisties, with rather bumpy
tarmac and quite a few blind corners. I find I'm smoother and more
controlled with the Mp3s playing than without. I *think* it's because
the bit of my mind that over controls and over worries and generally
interferes is occupied just enough that I can relax and get into it.

It is a balancing act, and there have been times when I've been slower
and more ragged because I was paying too much attention. I've caught
myself and rebalanced and all is fine again.

I advise easy-to-reach volume control - the busy roads make hearing the
music/book very difficult, the quiet areas hurt your ears if you have
the volume up for the noisy bits. I use a volume control from Jaycar
that goes between the MP3 player and the headphones.

Zebee

On long rides I wear the Uncle Arthur ear plug/phone, in the left ear
of course!

I tend to think it would be dangerous to wear headphones and not hear
wotz goin on around you. But I don't get annoyed if I see others wearing
them, it's their life.

powinc

--

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I used to ride in country Vic all the time with a Walkman but stopped
totally in Melbourne.

This morning, for some unknown reason, I decided to use them again and
it wasn't too bad at all. Something different. It _was_ 6am Sunday
morning though and not weekday peak hour so traffic volume (not db :P)
was very low.

Is it illegal? Is it dangerous? Who does it? One or both ears? Is
traffic volume (number of cars not db) an issue for you?

As cfsmtb would say... Discuss.

hippy <singing> going to the track worlds today, i'm going to the track
worlds today, the aussies will make other nations pay, i'm going to the
track worlds today, even if skys are gray, some time at the end of May,
i'm going to the track worlds today..

yep i use a little usb 128mb mp3 player. i decided to get one after last
years around the bay (it got kinda boring riding by myself between geelong
and werribee).

i havent found it to be any more dangerous than when i dont use them and i
use both headphones.

ps, i find slayer, exodus, metallica, angry [censored] music good
hillclimbing music🙂

Yeah I use earphones. If some stupid motorist is going to mow me down
from behind, it'll be done regardless of whether I hear him properly or
not. I find I can still hear most traffic anyway.

Yesterday I went on a long ride listening to the Hawthorn carnage all
the way - except when mercifully, reception was poor.

If it's good enough for a car driver to be couped up in a sound proof
cabin with the radio, stereo or mobile going then why not for a
humble cyclist.

--

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by cfsmtb Ah, 2Gb of pics awaits from todays
proceedings....

hehe yeah I actually went through them pretty fast (for me). Mostly
because a lot were [censored]! 🙂

I've got a new web host and I will try and locate them there along with
all the other www.thehippy.net [censored]. I will need to reassign that domain
to the new server.. there will be issues I'm sure..

Quoted message said:

Sorry, but everytime I see a cyclist with earphones, it [censored] me
as much as if they had stubbed out a ciggie and left the butt on
the ground.

Ahh.. well then you will be please to know that as I listen to music on
the bike I chain smoke and prefer not to stub out the ciggies as there
is no chance of causing a bushfire this way. If I run out of smokes and
get bored I always carry a 6-pack of everyone's favourite beer - VB -
just for smashing onto the road...

BIG ;-)

I'm still not convinced it's an entirely 'bad' thing though. I mean, I
can ride in a straight line and still hear cars behind me, etc. If one
was going to run me down from behind, they'd do it anyway, even if I was
'bud-less'. I guess there's an argument there if I DO crash, in that, I
might find it harder to argue my case because a driver will claim it was
the headphones that caused me to do <insert bad thing here>.

Will ponder in dreamland...

hippy

--

"Spider1977" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yeah I use earphones. If some stupid motorist is going to mow me down
from behind, it'll be done regardless of whether I hear him properly or
not. I find I can still hear most traffic anyway.

Yesterday I went on a long ride listening to the Hawthorn carnage all
the way - except when mercifully, reception was poor.

If it's good enough for a car driver to be couped up in a sound proof
cabin with the radio, stereo or mobile going then why not for a
humble cyclist.

I don't get very good radio recption in my part of the country so I rely on
a an MPG player to keep me company. It's one of the best things I ever
bought. I listened to one track of the Kraftwork "Tour de France" album. I
might try a few more.

Marty

"Spider1977" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

[...]

Quoted message said:

If it's good enough for a car driver to be couped up in a sound proof
cabin with the radio, stereo or mobile going then why not for a
humble cyclist.

Their cabins are not soundproof. It's as illegal for a cyclist to put
themselves in a position where they cannot hear what's going on around them
as it is for anybody else on the roads.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 31 May 2004 04:15:55 +1000

DRS said:

"Spider1977" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]

[...]

Quoted message said:

If it's good enough for a car driver to be couped up in a sound proof
cabin with the radio, stereo or mobile going then why not for a
humble cyclist.

Their cabins are not soundproof. It's as illegal for a cyclist to put
themselves in a position where they cannot hear what's going on around them
as it is for anybody else on the roads.

Good thing that complete silence is so hard to achieve then, isn't it.,

If course it's quite legal to ride or drive even if you are deaf
so I've no idea where you got that factoid from.

Zebee
--
Zebee Johnstone ([email hidden]), proud holder of
aus.motorcycles Poser Permit #1.
"Motorcycles are like peanuts... who can stop at just one?"

Dej said:

Quoted message said:

<snip>

ps, i find slayer, exodus, metallica, angry [censored] music good
hillclimbing music🙂

That sounds like some classic mid 80's heavy metal. Reminds
me of high school 🙂 (and vinyl records 🙂

--
Nick

Drs said:

Their cabins are not soundproof. It's as illegal for a cyclist to put
themselves in a position where they cannot hear what's going on around
them as it is for anybody else on the roads.

Actually, legally speaking its not illegal, per se!

However a cop can pull you over and say you did/didnt do something
within the law bcos you werent aware that car was beside you/turning/etc

Got pulled over by one a Sunday morning last year, and as I had a white
plug in my ear (ear infection as it turned out!) they thought i had
earphones in. "Didnt you see those pedestrian lights back there mate?"
"Yes. but they were green, as i recall officer" "How could you be aware
of anything with dem headphones on???" i pulls out earplug/banfdage
thingy... "Oh, this? Its for an infection. I can hear perfectly well. I
heard the green light VERY well, officer😄 " Funnily enough he was
really [censored] at that!!! You know its illegal to wear headphones and
that's what we thought you were doing? "Oh, i thought you were accusing
me of running a green light?" He was going visibly red now and tried
standing just a few inches from my face. "Can you show me the law that
states that the wearing of headphones on a bike is illegal? "Stay
there, smartarse". He walks back to the divvi... After much fumbling
thru pages with fat thumbs he starts trying to change the subject "Well
just be careful next time mate". "So, i can wear headphones on my bike
then?" "Just get on your bike" i turn to the female officer, "So' i'll
take that as a 'No' then. She looks nervously towards fat plod and
discreetly nods.

Having shared all that i couldnt agree more with cfsmtb... "Sorry, but
everytime I see a cyclist with earphones, it [censored] me as much as if they
had stubbed out a ciggie and left the butt on the ground."

--

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Drs Their cabins are not soundproof. It's as
illegal for a cyclist to put themselves in a position where they
cannot hear what's going on around them as it is for anybody else on
the roads.

The thing is, I CAN hear what's going on around me. It's almost like
someone is driving past with their stereo on - there's no obvious 'lack
of awareness' on my part... I'm guessing then that it's not illegal..
<homer> mmm guess </homer>

hippy

--

hippy said:

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Drs Their cabins are not soundproof. It's as
illegal for a cyclist to put themselves in a position where they
cannot hear what's going on around them as it is for anybody else on
the roads.

The thing is, I CAN hear what's going on around me. It's almost like
someone is driving past with their stereo on - there's no obvious 'lack
of awareness' on my part... I'm guessing then that it's not illegal..
<homer> mmm guess </homer>
hippy

I can see your point. The problem is the moderation where people have
different perceptions on what would be quiet (safe) enough. I myself
used to listen to radio, and then moved to using a diskman. I, too,
tried to keep it low enough so it would not interfer with safety and
adrenalin pumping. Last year when my family went on a trip to Europe, my
kids borrowed both the radio and diskman. Funnily, I still haven'y gone
back to using earphones. I guess it's a habit whichever way you go.

Lately, I use my stereo earphones from my mobile phone only if I should
take an important call which I wouldn't want to miss. Yeah, yeah, I stop
as soon as mobile rings so no riding while mobiling! During these
occasions which are rare, I listen to radio through the phone.

So if this is a bad practice, I'm afraid I commit it from time to time.
Good thing is I'm not in Melbourne, so there's no chance to offend
cfsmtb. 😄

--

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Nickzx6r

Quoted message said:

ps, i find slayer, exodus, metallica, angry [censored] music good
hillclimbing music🙂

Quoted message said:

That sounds like some classic mid 80's heavy metal. Reminds me of high
school 🙂 (and vinyl records 🙂

Hey, I still buy vinyl! All the latest techno comes out on vinyl. I just
wish I could get my 'phones louder so that everyone can hear me 'doof
doof doofing' along.. 🙂

I still listen to 'old' Metallica, not a lot of Slayer nowadays. The
only _modern_ 'guitar bands' I've got into have been Tool and System
of a Down...

psycho groupie cocaine crazy psycho groupie coke makes you high makes
you high makes you really want to go, STOP!

hippy

--

I used to ride in country Vic all the time with a Walkman but stopped
totally in Melbourne.

This morning, for some unknown reason, I decided to use them again and
it wasn't too bad at all. Something different. It _was_ 6am Sunday
morning though and not weekday peak hour so traffic volume (not db :P)
was very low.

Hmm, lots of views here. I also succumbed to my headphones this morning
for the first time in ages. I can hear all things on the road as i dont
listen to music full blast. The only thing that i cant / dont hear are
other cyclists when they are behind you and are about to pass. Thats not
because of music, its because NO ONE EVER rings bell/ says "passing" or
some other warning. Just to remind you folks, cyclists do not ride in a
dead straight line. We regularily move around to avoid things on the
road, car doors etc so it pays to let a cyclist know that you are
passing them to avoid the situation where you move out to the left as
someone is passing you. Its not fun for either cyclist or the car in the
left lane that freaks out when the cyclist moves into their lane. Enough
of that rant.

Headphones. hmmm. I only really wear them on the bike paths and tracks
where there are no cars. The roads are dangerous enough without adding
to the risk.

--

Spider1977 said:

If it's good enough for a car driver to be couped up in a sound proof
cabin with the radio, stereo or mobile going then why not for a
humble cyclist.

Good point. When my air conditioning broke I started driving with the
windows down all the time. It's a habit that's been hard to break now, I
love the fact that I can hear what's going on around me so even in the
middle of winter I leave it open a crack.

I think headphones are more of a problem on (e.g.) cycle paths and
shared paths. I've had a couple of incidents where people riding at dusk
with no lights and with headphones on have appeared in front of me and
as I call out a friendly "on your right" they just keep veering wherever
they please because they haven't heard me. Not a regular occurrence
though.

Downside of wearing headphones is that you miss out on all the
intelligent information/witticisms thrown out the window by crazy/stupid
drivers. Damn shame that.

Tam

"coowoowoo" wrote

Quoted message said:

Hmm, lots of views here. I also succumbed to my headphones this morning
for the first time in ages. I can hear all things on the road as i dont
listen to music full blast.

Quoted message said:

Headphones. hmmm. I only really wear them on the bike paths and tracks
where there are no cars. The roads are dangerous enough without adding
to the risk.

I always used a radio, with two earpieces, riding to and from the city for
12 years. They don't make you deaf, you can still hear what's going on
around you, probably better than you can in a car. I had it loud enough to
listen to the music, news, jokes. No, it's not illegal. As Zebee pointed
out, deaf people can drive too. And, as Dutchy said, you can still hear the
green lights, stop signs. It does take the edge of the shock of some yobbo
in a car yelling at you from the passenger window as they go by.

Motorcycle helmets also shield you from a lot of noise, maybe they should be
illegal.

Theo

hippy said:

psycho groupie cocaine crazy psycho groupie coke makes you high makes
you high makes you really want to go, STOP! hippy

Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, Marijuana, Ectasy and Alcohol....C-c-c-c-c-
cocaine. A blast of QOTSA first thing (pre-bike) in the morning, or Bert
Kaemfert 's, A Swingin' Safari, from the 60's. Top stuff. Don't start
talking dodgy 80's toons, I remember most of it...

Want would be really cool. Cycling down (or up) Swanston, all of a
sudden, a disruption in the space-time continuum occurs and AC/DC appear
on a flatbed truck near the Manchester Unity Building.😄

--

In aus.bicycle on Mon, 31 May 2004 07:56:03 +0800

Theo Bekkers said:

Motorcycle helmets also shield you from a lot of noise, maybe they should be
illegal.

Is the windrush noise louder or quieter with a lid?

Me, I can't hear much over the sound of my happy tappets!

Zebee