Poll: iPod or Nature as sound?

[RyanScribner]

Who listens to their iPod when cycling?

Who listens to nature instead?

I like to use my iPod because if i hear myself breathing heavy i feel more tired. With my iPod I lose track of my breath.

 

[alienator]

I don't listen to music on rides because I like to optimize my awareness of what's going on around me, something that does not happen when you've got music playing your ears. Listening to music while riding is a great way to improve the chances of something unfun happening while on the bike.

 

[jhuskey]

I crossed a business driveway two weeks ago. If I been wearing erphones I would have collided with a large truck because she cut me off. I heard her tires just to my right and could hear the truck slowing down. I was able to anticipate what was going on and hit the brakes. Where I ride I need my ears open.

 

[jpr95]

I have listened to music in the past while I ride, but I don't anymore. Out on country roads, if the music isn't too loud, I didn't find there to be much of a difference in what I could hear. The earbuds helped block quite a bit of the wind noise, but I could still hear vehicles approaching from behind. I just got tired of messing with the earbuds and finding music to listen to, so I quit listening to my tunes.

 

[ambal]

I used to listen to music when I was younger, but now self preservation is my priority when I'm out riding.

 

[syciprider]

I have my music on all the time. I love a good James Brown soundtrack while pedaling.

 

[Nukuhiva]

I ride in traffic.
Ipod = death

 

[Dave Cutter]

A lot of my cycling miles are urban... I often think that my getting run-over is a very real possibility. From time-to-time I experience a near accident... and it tends to make me more careful. I honestly think that adding ear-buds or something like that would increase my odds of death or serious injury by a car-bicycle accident.

But... I see a lot of ear-bids on the bike paths. I've even noticed cycling jackets and jogging clothes with protected ipod pockets. This stuff is supposed to be fun.. and it would be nice to get the wind noise out of my ears sometimes.

But I think for my own safety [and by extension the benefit of my family] as well as the people I share the traffic and paths with.... I think I'll stick with the natural sounds.

 

[alienator]

If you need music when you're riding perhaps you should consider getting treated for ADD or ADHD..... You've got to be in a sad state if you need music to pedal outside.

 

[Volnix]

I done it once on a cycling lane where there is no motor traffic, it was quite fun. But I think its unsafe to do that when there is traffic. This doesnt really apply to car drivers though, I see lots of them blasting music in the car radios.

What do you think its gonna happen when electric cars take over? You wont be able to hear them moving anyway... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[Dave Cutter]

Originally Posted by Volnix .
What do you think its gonna happen when electric cars take over? You wont be able to hear them moving anyway... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

I've noticed that many of the smaller cars are very very quite now. Too silent for me to hear them approach... sometimes. I am not so sure it is the engine noise that is well muffled... or newer better more quite tires... or both. Maybe the cars just seem more silent on areas where the streets and/or roads are nicely paved. Because the winter was so mild... we had very little freeze-thaw caused pot-holes around here. So many of the local roads are pretty nice.

Ether way... I think I'd prefer to hear whatever noise or sounds of nature are around to hear when I am cycling.

 

[jhuskey]

I generally hear the tire noise even over the heavy gasping for air.

 

[danfoz]

I only listen to music when I ride drunk /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

 

[Volnix]

Riding drunk makes me feel bad...

 

[alienator]

I generally hear the tire noise even over the heavy gasping for air.

Yup. It's louder than people think.