How come I never see a cyclist with listening to music with an mp3 player?

I have never seen a cylist with an ipod or headphones listening to music while cyling. Weight isn't a big deal because the new mp3 players are very small and light. Is it bad to listen to music while riding or something?

i've seen people...i listen...normally with one ear piece, though, since it is pretty dangerous not to be able to hear anything on the roads

Well I see lots of cyclists using MP3 players and do so myself most of the time

I am fortunate to have a class 1 bicycle trail I can ride. Since there are no cross-streets or cars on it I have occassionally listened to music while doing my ride. I would not do such on streets, though, since you must be able to hear traffic around you and stay alert. It's a bad habit to get into, listening to music with headphones on while bicycle riding. Stay safe out there.

It is also illegal to wear a closed headphone system in your car and motorcycle.

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Messengers....the other Pros
Professional Rider, Closed course, DO NOT attempt this yourself.

I too ride a trail with no cross streets, but find that the riders with headphones don't always hear my warnings of "passing on the left" when I approach them. I've seen headphone wearers make dangerous moves or block other riders due to their unawareness of the the world around them. For this reason, I discourage anyone from riding with headphones unless you can be sure that you are the ONLY person on the route. I too love listneing to music, but have yet to find a time or place while pushing the pedals, except when I'm on my trainer in the basement.

I ride on the roads. I want to hear the cars and trucks, so for safety reasons, I will not listen to anything while I ride.

Distractions are dangerous as we have all just sadly heard about. Personally, I have a few too many close calls with cyclists humming along in ther own little world listening to music on closed trails let alone on streets! I'm not even going to begin to express my chagrin at cyclists who use cell phones while riding.

It does not matter if you are on a bicycle or driving a car; "PAY ATTENTION" to the task at hand; somebody can get hurt!

Be safe ride drive smart!

Yes I can hear the traffic and my bike perfectly well and I strongly advise you to watch for cars and NEVER rely on hearing them. Deaf people ride bikes without too much dificulty. I've come across plenty of bike riders who suddenly turn across the road without warning or looking (they are not even listing to a MP3) and I suspect they are listening for traffic rather than looking. My car and my bicycle are both very quiet. Do you rely on hearing traffic in your car?? I can hear traffic much better with my ear buds and soft music playing on the bike than I ever could in my almost sound proof car.

We seem to relive this thread at regular intervals. Music does not distract me from riding at all. I don't bob and weave about uncontrolably and I don't even do it when driving the car either.

agreed--I ride with my iPod with the Apple earbuds (that still allow outside noise); I don't ride any differently whether or not I hear a car coming.

Speaking as one who avoided being splattered by a semi truck as a teenager, because I heard it coming - don't wear headphones while you ride. Its just not safe (or legal).
A semi passed my parents who were some ways back from me and came back over, but he was pissed at having to pass cyclists (buzzed my parents pretty close as it was) and came over too far. Something in how it sounded told me to get off of the road (I was already on the shoulder - I went off into the grass). My parents had to watch all of this quite horrified and sure that I was about to be dead. They told me if I hadn't moved off of the road he would have hit me. Even if headphones don't block all sound they do have a tendancy to make a peson zone out a bit. Do yourself a favor and don't give yourself unnecessary distractions.

No I don't agree with that at all. What is your evidence for this statement? Despite your story, it is not about you hearing the vehicle it's about them seeing you and you seeing them. A couple of posters talked about the dangers of cross streets and therefore not wearing head phones. This is just rubbish, I look for cars at cross streets and make sure cars approaching from behind can see me. Of course nothing will help if they are texting or drunk etc but you wont know this by listening to them.

They are all recovering from being run down by cars they didn't hear.

You have a lot to learn about cycling then.

no scientific evidence at all, just empircal evidence - my own experience (never on a bicycle!), and the observation of plenty of people bopping along (jogging, cycling, blading,walking etc.) who are completely numb to the world. Not that these people might not be numb without the headphones, but it can't help much.
And there was no way I was going to SEE the semi truck about to hit me from behind, it just didn't sound right and I had a split second to get off of the road or be splattered. If I had turned around to look I would have died. If I hadn't heard it clearly I would have died. If you believe me or not that's your business, but I am not going to start wearing headphones on my bike, because you think can do it safely- I've decided that I can't -anyway its not legal here.