radio and biking.

jon said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette. For example, when riding on a trail, is it
improper to use a headset? Wondering what the general consensus is. Thanks!

This is a rather contentious subject. If I'm solo, I'll almost always listen to a radio (often just
sports talk or a game with a single earpiece). However, on group rides I generally don't, in order
to be "sociable" (and, to a lesser degree, just to hear).

Road riding is different, IMO, and I'll usually listen to something (radio or cassettes -- old
school, I know!). Still, I often leave the left ear clear, to better hear traffic and riding
partners (like they'd ever be behind me!)...

Bill "packed two tapes for tomorrow's semi-epic roadie" S.

On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 04:17:58 GMT, jon <[email hidden]> from Comcast Online

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette. For example, when riding on a trail, is it
improper to use a headset? Wondering what the general consensus is. Thanks!

Let's define rude in this instance as being inconsiderate to other people.

If you think that wearing headphones would somehow not let you hear cues to alert you to othre
people so you can safely cycle near them, then yes, the headphones would be a bit rude. Perhaps on
the order of belching at dinner.

I prefer not to wear headphones while riding in the city or on paths. I rely on auditory clues for
what is happening out of my sight. On rural roads, I often dig listening to tunes.

--
[email hidden]
Distorting time.
75

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

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette. For example, when riding on a trail, is it
improper to use a headset? Wondering what the general consensus is. Thanks!

I wouldn't consider it rude, but I would think it raises the chances for a collision since as has
been mentioned you may not hear clues about another trail users or if you're on the road other road
users. I never wear headphones, but I don't make a big deal about other people wearing them. I think
its makes conditions a little more dangerous, but cyclist aren't the only one to use the trail or
the road while listening to potentially distracting noise. Car drivers can have loud radios and
runners walkers on the trail seem to use headphones more than cyclist. On the trail runners or
cyclist wearing headphones can't hear a passing warning given in a normal voice. I choose not to
attempt to shout over their headphones and I pass in safe manner hoping they don't make any
unexpected movements.

I do most of my riding on rail trails and all of the ones I use are mostly rural, running through
forests. I enjoy the natural sounds of the forest, including the wildlife, which tends to rustle in
the bushes along the side of the trail, staying just out of harm's way and usually out of sight.

It's not an etiquette thing, nor safety, but just a part of the enjoyment of the peaceful, though
active, countryside.

YMMV

Bill, riding bent in Florida (hence the screen name) To e-mail, remove undies

jon said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette. For example, when riding on a trail, is it
improper to use a headset? Wondering what the general consensus is. Thanks!

I used to wear headphones on the bike trail, and never had a problem and could easily hear ambient
noises. The nice thing about it, is it gives you motivation when a fav. tune comes up. A fav albumn
was .38 Special.

Nowdays, I listen to a tune before I go out, and that tune sticks with me when I ride, so I don't
need headphones; it's playing in my head.

I might start wearing one again, as I have a nice very small MP3 player, and pretty good earbuds,
but it can be a hassle getting all the gear together, shoes, hat, sunglasses, bike shirt and
shorts, jacket...ad infinitum, not to mention spare parts, emergency CO2 gadget, water, horn, dog
spray, haha. ;-p

Soon it will be spring, and it'll just be me and the bike...mostly.

-B

I consider radios as being car-related. When I ride a bike, I leave behind car-related things
behind, like gasoline, traffic jams, pollution, and radios. There is plenty of time during the day
for me to listen to a radio when I'm off the bike. To me a radio is a symbol of the world of
power/gasoline/electronics that I can ignore when I'm on a bike riding under my own power. The
sounds of birds and other natural sounds are what I listen to on my bike. Also, some people can't go
anywhere without a cigarette, others without coffee, and others without radios/headphones. Are you
one of them - are you addicted to your radio?

jon said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette. For example, when riding on a trail, is it
improper to use a headset? Wondering what the general consensus is. Thanks!

On 17 Jan 2004 14:58:41 GMT, [email hidden] (FloridaBent)

Quoted message said:

I do most of my riding on rail trails and all of the ones I use are mostly rural, running through
forests. I enjoy the natural sounds of the forest, including the wildlife, which tends to rustle in
the bushes along the side of the trail, staying just out of harm's way and usually out of sight.

It's not an etiquette thing, nor safety, but just a part of the enjoyment of the peaceful, though
active, countryside.

YMMV

Bill, riding bent in Florida (hence the screen name) To e-mail, remove undies

Great reply. Minor quibble. Everyone should ride their bike, enjoy a run -with- a radio/mp3 and
headphones at least _once_.

In 1957 the rage was a little hand-held AM radio, with a wrist strap. We'd put it in the basket of
our bikes and ride around sometimes, but the reception would drift.

Sure, most people have tried a headphone radio thing once and it's taken-for-granted now, but I
remember the first time I made one out of a cheap old mono cassette player and some big honkin
headphones, and carried it around in a small backpack. It was awesome, and I'm sure I made a fool of
myself dancing around - fortunately I did it at night. The year? It was 1966. ;-)

It wasn't until about 10 years later that the first cassette players and headphones came out
designed for carry with belt loops on the leather case, and it was a beyotch taking it out of the
case and changing a tape.

At any rate, just like in the movies, we all should be followed around by orchestras, playing our
"Shaft" theme music, eh?

-B

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette.

Legal? Not in DC.

Etiquette? Poor.

Safety? Not recommended.

The reasons are that your hearing is vitally important in traffic riding, you should be able to
correlate A-V signals when it comes to traffic events such as emergency vehicles, people gunning
engines to pass or threaten, etc.

The basic rule is that you shouldn't add anything that is going to compromise your perception of the
world around you.

If you're all ready hearing impaired you have likely worked out a compensation strategy, and that is
fine, but if you don't need that you shouldn't induce perceptual loss under any circumstances.

If you miss a signal because you are listening to the radio it is too bad, hey, you should have been
paying attention.

Would you wear dark glasses while riding at night?

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

Quoted message said:

At any rate, just like in the movies, we all should be followed around by orchestras, playing our
"Shaft" theme music, eh?

Yeah, but in my case it is mostly the Clash playing "Guns of Brixton".

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

In article <[email hidden]>, Kevan@mouse- potato.com says...

Quoted message said:

jon from Comcast Online said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette. For example, when riding on a trail, is it
improper to use a headset? Wondering what the general consensus is. Thanks!

Let's define rude in this instance as being inconsiderate to other people.

If you think that wearing headphones would somehow not let you hear cues to alert you to othre
people so you can safely cycle near them, then yes, the headphones would be a bit rude. Perhaps on
the order of belching at dinner.

I prefer not to wear headphones while riding in the city or on paths. I rely on auditory clues for
what is happening out of my sight. On rural roads, I often dig listening to tunes.

I like to hear nature on the rural roads: crickets, grasshoppers, birds, etc. I's like to drown out
the city noises when riding but feel safer when I can hear them without distractions. Therefore I
don't wear headphones at all while riding.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

(FloridaBent) said:

I do most of my riding on rail trails and all of the ones I use are mostly rural, running
through forests. I enjoy the natural sounds of the forest, including the wildlife, which tends
to rustle in the bushes along the side of the trail, staying just out of harm's way and usually
out of sight.

It's not an etiquette thing, nor safety, but just a part of the enjoyment of the peaceful, though
active, countryside.

YMMV

Bill, riding bent in Florida (hence the screen name) To e-mail, remove undies

Great reply. Minor quibble. Everyone should ride their bike, enjoy a run -with- a radio/mp3 and
headphones at least _once_.

In 1957 the rage was a little hand-held AM radio, with a wrist strap. We'd put it in the basket of
our bikes and ride around sometimes, but the reception would drift.

Sure, most people have tried a headphone radio thing once and it's taken-for-granted now, but I
remember the first time I made one out of a cheap old mono cassette player and some big honkin
headphones, and carried it around in a small backpack. It was awesome, and I'm sure I made a fool
of myself dancing around - fortunately I did it at night. The year? It was 1966. ;-)

It wasn't until about 10 years later that the first cassette players and headphones came out
designed for carry with belt loops on the leather case, and it was a beyotch taking it out of the
case and changing a tape.

At any rate, just like in the movies, we all should be followed around by orchestras, playing our
"Shaft" theme music, eh?

I would like to have a recording of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" as my climbing music when I hit
a big hill. Other than that, I can do without electrical noises.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

"Eric S. Sande" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette.

Legal? Not in DC.

You mean Washington, DC? I live there and I didn't know that. The city just passed a law banning the
use of a cellphone while driving a car without a handsfree device. Is it illegal to wear headphones
only on a bicycle or in any vehicle? I suppose headphones means speakers that you put up against
both ears. And most cellphone handsfree devices only go into one ear or work through the car
speakers so there would be no conflicts. Its not a problem for me as I never wear headphones while
operating any vehicle and rarely drive a car, just curious about that.

On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 13:30:42 -0500, David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> from

Posted via Supernews said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Kevan@mouse- potato.com says...

Quoted message said:

jon from Comcast Online said:

Hi all, a quick question. Is it considered "rude" to wear a personal radio while biking? I'm not
asking about legality, just more of the etiquette. For example, when riding on a trail, is it
improper to use a headset? Wondering what the general consensus is. Thanks!

Let's define rude in this instance as being inconsiderate to other people.

If you think that wearing headphones would somehow not let you hear cues to alert you to othre
people so you can safely cycle near them, then yes, the headphones would be a bit rude. Perhaps
on the order of belching at dinner.

I prefer not to wear headphones while riding in the city or on paths. I rely on auditory clues
for what is happening out of my sight. On rural roads, I often dig listening to tunes.

I like to hear nature on the rural roads: crickets, grasshoppers, birds, etc. I's like to drown out
the city noises when riding but feel safer when I can hear them without distractions. Therefore I
don't wear headphones at all while riding.

<Fabrizzio>

Who has time for boring wildlife sounds during training? All the pros now have iPods and they put
their favorite tunes on them and go out and hammer. Being insulated from thos elame nature sounds
actually improves the training. But, hey, if you want to be the joke of the peloton, go right ahead
and chirp like a bug.

</Fabrizzio>

--
[email hidden]
Use fewer notes.
68

David Kerber said:

I would like to have a recording of Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" as my climbing music when I
hit a big hill.

On long hill climbs I prefer The Beatles "I'm So Tired". Sung only, not played through headphones.
The louder, the better, especially when in a group.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, Kevan@mouse- potato.com says...

...

Quoted message said:

<Fabrizzio>

Who has time for boring wildlife sounds during training? All the pros now have iPods and they put
their favorite tunes on them and go out and hammer. Being insulated from thos elame nature sounds
actually improves the training. But, hey, if you want to be the joke of the peloton, go right
ahead and chirp like a bug.

</Fabrizzio>

Kevan, you've got the Fabrizio imitation down pat!

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Like the Blazing Saddles skit?

Terry Morse wrote: <snip>

Quoted message said:

On long hill climbs I prefer The Beatles "I'm So Tired". Sung only, not played through headphones.
The louder, the better, especially when in a group.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 19:48:18 -0500, David Kerber <ns_dkerber@ns_ids.net> from

Posted via Supernews said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Kevan@mouse- potato.com says...

...

Quoted message said:

<Fabrizzio>

Who has time for boring wildlife sounds during training? All the pros now have iPods and they put
their favorite tunes on them and go out and hammer. Being insulated from thos elame nature sounds
actually improves the training. But, hey, if you want to be the joke of the peloton, go right
ahead and chirp like a bug.

</Fabrizzio>

Kevan, you've got the Fabrizio imitation down pat!

Well, thanks, but Fabs wouldn't use word like "insulated." There's no need for that word in the
EuroPro world, and you've probably never seen it in ProCycling.

--
[email hidden]
Put in earplugs.
63

Quoted message said:

...just curious about that.

I'm pretty sure (means I'm not sure) that this is one of the issues of same rights and
responsibilities, vehicle, and can be extrapolated.

Quoted message said:

1201.1 Every person riding a bicycle on a highway shall be subject to all the duties applicable to
the drivers of motor vehicles under this title, etc.

Military law is clear on the issue:

Quoted message said:

(3) Headphones and earphones. The wearing of headphones or earphones is prohibited while driving a
U.S. Government vehicle, POV, etc.

A POV is a privately owned vehicle. Which could be a bicycle.

So if you're in the service you can't wear headphones.

What if you're a civilian in DC.

The law is less clear on this. In fact there appears to be a problem here WRT headphones on
civilians.

I'd say do it if you have a certain amount of self confidence, but I can't conclusively prove that
it is illegal.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly,
the Texas Elvis"------------------
__________306.350.357.38>>[email hidden]__________

Gary Smiley <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Are you one of them - are you addicted to your radio?

ehhhh, no. but i do like my ipod. for me a nice long 5-7 hour rural ride benefits greatly from music
and then there's touring ..

.. i would have lost my mind crossing south dakota without music.

i like bikes but i don't ride to leave technology behind. i ride for transportation and i ride for
fun but i like computers, heart-rate monitors and all that [censored]. if i want to commune with the
grasshoppers and birds i can always cut the volume.
--
david reuteler [email hidden]