Cycling with headphones on (again)

[Chris Bardell]

Hiya,

Yeah, Google Groups shows this to have been touched on in u.r.c during
the last year or so.

Never occurred to me to cycle with headphones on, but I got a tiny MP3
player off my dad for my birthday last week & decided to try it out for
the last 6 miles or so of my ride today. Had always been concerned about
it making me oblivious to other traffic approaching from behind (oo er).

Didn't feel especially vulnerable, as I kept the volume low enough to
hear cars. Also, since it was dark by that stage, I could tell cars were
coming up behind me from their headlight beams. Paradox there, maybe?
Cycling at night with headphones on safer than during daylight?

I also found that the lack of ambient noise meant I made more than my
usual quota of lifesaver-looks-over-shoulder to check the traffic status.
Another paradox? Was I being safer by over-compensating for the lack of
noise?

The stretch included a couple of miles of deserted bridleway (Marriot's
Way). Found myself keeping up a nice cadence to stay in time with the
music (especially to 'Buck Rogers' by Feeder).

Next time I'm on-road, I'll try the one-headphone technique. Anyone got
any views on cycling with headphones on? I honestly don't think I felt
any more vulnerable with both in-ear headphones in. Let's face it, if a
cager twats you from behind, it's *always* a surprise.

Finally, apologies to any peds in the Larkman/Earlham area of Norwich who
heard me singing along very badly to U2's sublime 'One' as I went by.
Yep, even the screaming falsetto bits at the end :-( Maybe that's reason
enough not to wear headphones on the bike - appalling noise pollution
produced by people who can't sing for toffee, like me?

--
Chris Bardell
[Remove favourite mode of transport from email address]

 

[Pete Biggs]

Chris Bardell wrote:
> Never occurred to me to cycle with headphones on, but I got a tiny MP3
> player off my dad for my birthday last week & decided to try it out
> for the last 6 miles or so of my ride today. Had always been
> concerned about it making me oblivious to other traffic approaching
> from behind (oo er).
>
> Didn't feel especially vulnerable, as I kept the volume low enough to
> hear cars.

Difficult balance, that. The music's got to be loud enough to hear (and
enjoy) over cars: over engine noise in town, and worse, tyre noise on fast
roads. The temptation is to whack it up. I think hearing is more
important on quiter roads, actually, because that's when you naturally
assume it's clear in all directions when it's silent. Fortunately, you'd
have the headphone volume lower then, but still all too easy to have it
too loud.

> Also, since it was dark by that stage, I could tell cars
> were coming up behind me from their headlight beams. Paradox there,
> maybe? Cycling at night with headphones on safer than during daylight?

No, you don't need headphones to notice headlight beams. Headlights are
often noticeable before you notice/hear car noise, normally.

> I also found that the lack of ambient noise meant I made more than my
> usual quota of lifesaver-looks-over-shoulder to check the traffic
> status. Another paradox? Was I being safer by over-compensating for
> the lack of noise?

Perhaps over-compensating at first but the compensation is bound to settle
to just adequate. I'm sure deaf people can cycle safely, but they don't
have the *distraction* of music. You've got to include that in the
equation as well. I feel vulnerable with headphones and reckon I'm safer
without that distraction. Also the mood enhancement can be a bit much if
the music's too good!, making you take more risks... or possibly
sharpening reactions, on the other hand (?).

/snip
> Finally, apologies to any peds in the Larkman/Earlham area of Norwich
> who heard me singing along very badly to U2's sublime 'One' as I went
> by. Yep, even the screaming falsetto bits at the end :-( Maybe that's
> reason enough not to wear headphones on the bike - appalling noise
> pollution produced by people who can't sing for toffee, like me?

Good job I never sang along to Kate Bush.

~PB

 

[Provence1971]

Hiya,

Yeah, Google Groups shows this to have been touched on in u.r.c during
the last year or so.

Never occurred to me to cycle with headphones on, but I got a tiny MP3
player off my dad for my birthday last week & decided to try it out for
the last 6 miles or so of my ride today. Had always been concerned about
it making me oblivious to other traffic approaching from behind (oo er).

Didn't feel especially vulnerable, as I kept the volume low enough to
hear cars. Also, since it was dark by that stage, I could tell cars were
coming up behind me from their headlight beams. Paradox there, maybe?
Cycling at night with headphones on safer than during daylight?

I also found that the lack of ambient noise meant I made more than my
usual quota of lifesaver-looks-over-shoulder to check the traffic status.
Another paradox? Was I being safer by over-compensating for the lack of
noise?

The stretch included a couple of miles of deserted bridleway (Marriot's
Way). Found myself keeping up a nice cadence to stay in time with the
music (especially to 'Buck Rogers' by Feeder).

Next time I'm on-road, I'll try the one-headphone technique. Anyone got
any views on cycling with headphones on? I honestly don't think I felt
any more vulnerable with both in-ear headphones in. Let's face it, if a
cager twats you from behind, it's *always* a surprise.

Finally, apologies to any peds in the Larkman/Earlham area of Norwich who
heard me singing along very badly to U2's sublime 'One' as I went by.
Yep, even the screaming falsetto bits at the end :-( Maybe that's reason
enough not to wear headphones on the bike - appalling noise pollution
produced by people who can't sing for toffee, like me?

--
Chris Bardell
[Remove favourite mode of transport from email address]

Don't be so stupid and irresponsible. Surely you can cycle without feeling the urge to listen to music for half an hour. As for singing in public at the top of your voice, i find your behaviour to be yobbish quite frankly.

 

[dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers]

Personally I don't listen to music whilst cycling - I prefer to concentrate on
the road & what's going on around me - using my ears for that purpose is
essential IMO.

Cheers, helen s


--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om$

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

 

[soup]

Pete Biggs popped their head over the parapet saw what was going on and
said
> > I also found that the lack of ambient noise meant I made more than
> > my usual quota of lifesaver-looks-over-shoulder to check the traffic
> > status. Another paradox? Was I being safer by over-compensating for
> > the lack of noise?
>
> Perhaps over-compensating at first but the compensation is bound to
> settle to just adequate. I'm sure deaf people can cycle safely, but
> they don't have the *distraction* of music. You've got to include
> that in the equation as well. I feel vulnerable with headphones and
> reckon I'm safer without that distraction. Also the mood enhancement
> can be a bit much if the music's too good!, making you take more
> risks... or possibly sharpening reactions, on the other hand (?).

Tried listening to music once (using the one ear covered
technique) found that I was hyper-attentive (even on a canal
tow path)
Tried it on a piece of road too found myself whizzing
down a hill still mashing away when the player kicked into
"the Primitives" and crash,
"better slow down you'r gonna craaaash"
Mmm an omen or what. )
Eventually decided that the music (and the headphones)
was more annoying than listening to the music was enjoyable .
Will say though that the music is good for keeping your
cadence static as it's very easy to tell if you are peddaling
faster or (more realistically) slowerb without the concious
effort of looking at any cadence monitor.

--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

 

[Mark Tranchant]

Chris Bardell wrote:

> Never occurred to me to cycle with headphones on, but I got a tiny MP3
> player off my dad for my birthday last week & decided to try it out for
> the last 6 miles or so of my ride today. Had always been concerned about
> it making me oblivious to other traffic approaching from behind (oo er).

I've not tried it with in-ear 'phones, but I rode from Southampton
University to my grandparents' house a few times with a light pair of
on-ear 'phones listening to Ocean FM at a very low level.

I found that the 'phones drastically decreased the wind noise around my
pinnae and helmet straps (this was before I knew better...) without
noticeably attenuating traffic noise. I could therefore replace some of
the wind noise with music [1] without interfering with my ability to
hear traffic.

[1] mostly Bruce Hornsby and the Range's "The Way It Is": that's all
Ocean seemed to play back then.

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/

 

[Mark Tranchant]

Chris Bardell wrote:

> Never occurred to me to cycle with headphones on, but I got a tiny MP3
> player off my dad for my birthday last week & decided to try it out for
> the last 6 miles or so of my ride today. Had always been concerned about
> it making me oblivious to other traffic approaching from behind (oo er).

I've not tried it with in-ear 'phones, but I rode from Southampton
University to my grandparents' house near Chichester a few times with a
light pair of on-ear 'phones listening to Ocean FM at a very low level.

I found that the 'phones drastically decreased the wind noise around my
pinnae and helmet straps (this was before I knew better...) without
noticeably attenuating traffic noise [1]. I could therefore replace some
of the wind noise with music [2] without interfering with my ability to
hear traffic.

[1] and there's plenty of that on the A27 on a Friday night.

[2] mostly Bruce Hornsby and the Range's "The Way It Is": that's all
Ocean seemed to play back then.

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/

 

[Steve]

Chris Bardell wrote:
[snip]

>
> The stretch included a couple of miles of deserted bridleway (Marriot's
> Way). Found myself keeping up a nice cadence to stay in time with the
> music (especially to 'Buck Rogers' by Feeder).
>
[snip]
I found the same when I was young and ran marathons. I'd go training
with a small radio, listening to Jimmy Saville on a Sunday during the
20+ miler distance run. I found that if it was a top 20 full of Rock 'n
Roll, I'd get home 10 minutes faster and cream crackered.

Steve.

 

[Simonb]

Mark Tranchant wrote:

> [1] and there's plenty of that on the A27 on a Friday night.

Youi rode on the A27 all the way to Chichester?!

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Chris Bardell
('[email protected]') wrote:

> The stretch included a couple of miles of deserted bridleway
> (Marriot's Way). Found myself keeping up a nice cadence to stay in
> time with the music (especially to 'Buck Rogers' by Feeder).

In my youth I used to make up tapes for my walkman with music of
different cadences. I found this helped greatly with travelling
distances when tired. However, although I had no problems, I would not
recommend this practice as 'safe'.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; lovely alternative to rice.

 

[Simon Mason]

"Chris Bardell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hiya,
>
> Yeah, Google Groups shows this to have been touched on in u.r.c during
> the last year or so.
>

I cycle to work with an AM/FM radio with Minidisc. I would never commute
without it and have never felt vulnerable with it on since I rely on sight
rather then hearing. Headwinds have a more deleterious effect than quiet
speech radio anyway.

--
Simon Mason
Anlaby
East Yorkshire.
53°44'N 0°26'W
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

[Simonb]

I can't ride with headphones on because I can't hear the noises the bike
makes; which is really important.

 

[Mark Tranchant]

Simonb wrote:
> Mark Tranchant wrote:

>>[1] and there's plenty of that on the A27 on a Friday night.

> Youi rode on the A27 all the way to Chichester?!

Most of it: obviously not the new dual carriageway bit. I took the A259
through Emsworth and the Bournes. Speed was more important than
picturesquicity.

This was some years ago: 1992/3.

--
Mark.
http://tranchant.plus.com/

 

[Mark Thompson]

I use in ear type headphones with a hook-thing to hold 'em on:

http://qurl.com/27tqzu

Haven't had problems hearing approaching traffic - suspect people that
can't need their ears syringing - so any extra risk they pose is
negligible.


[1]
<http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@
0151331076.1099307100@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccfadcmmdgiikicflgceggdhhmdgmj.0
&page=Product&sku=612382&category_oid=-21904&fm=null&sm=null&tm=null>

 

[Dave Larrington]

Provence1971 wrote:
> And as for singing in public at the top of your
> voice, i find your behaviour to be yobbish quite
> frankly. I fear for Britian i really do.

But as the OP doesn't live in Britian, I'm personally not worried for it at
all ;-)

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

 

[Mark Thompson]

>> I fear for Britian i really do.

> But as the OP doesn't live in Britian, I'm personally not worried for
> it at all ;-)

<Daily Mail>

He's foreign?! That's even worse - it's only a matter of time before he
floods the country, living off benefits and taking all our jobs!

</Daily Mail>

 

[sean]

Chris Bardell <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

snip

Many many people drive their cars with music on (often loud) and yet
hardly anyone considers it a really dangerous thing to do. Even
listening to music with headphones on a bike you can can still hear
more traffic about you than from inside a car with music on.

What do cylist need to hear that car drivers cannot hear?

What you look out for and anticipate with your eyes is what keeps you
safe.

Do deaf cyclists have more accidents than cyclists who are not deaf? I
don't know the answer but I doubt if they do.

snip

> Next time I'm on-road, I'll try the one-headphone technique. Anyone got
> any views on cycling with headphones on? I honestly don't think I felt
> any more vulnerable with both in-ear headphones in. Let's face it, if a
> cager twats you from behind, it's *always* a surprise.

Only a surprise if you don't have what car drivers have............a
mirror to see them coming!
Sean.

 

[Just zis Guy, you know?]

On 1 Nov 2004 05:16:48 -0800, [email protected] (sean) wrote:

>Many many people drive their cars with music on (often loud) and yet
>hardly anyone considers it a really dangerous thing to do.

I do. The only advantage is that you can hear the twunts coming.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

 

[njf>badger]

Mark Tranchant wrote:
> I've not tried it with in-ear 'phones, but I rode from Southampton
> University to my grandparents' house near Chichester a few times with a
> light pair of on-ear 'phones listening to Ocean FM at a very low level.

Oceam FM you sad sad bugger.....

Full cans can actually be better sometimes, in the ear blocks everything
else too well IMHO, but I'd rather not give a cager an excuse.

Niel.

 

[Paul - xxx]

sean vaguely muttered something like ...
> Chris Bardell <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>
> snip
>
> Many many people drive their cars with music on (often loud) and yet
> hardly anyone considers it a really dangerous thing to do.

On the contrary, I think (and this is only my thoughts, with no provable
link in sight) many people regard loud music in cars to be relatively
dangerous. I'd guess it's more dangerous to those outside the car as the
driver _may_ be more distracted by the music whilst driving.

I do think, though, that it probably has little _real_ effect upon accident
rates etc

> What do cylist need to hear that car drivers cannot hear?

I prefer to hear as much as possible whilst cycling that might give me some
warning that something might hurt me. We can't see everything, and hearing
helps our overall 'vision' of what's happaning whilst cycling.

> Only a surprise if you don't have what car drivers have............a
> mirror to see them coming!

Or haven't heard them coming ...


--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules !!!
"A ****** is a ******, no matter what mode of transport they're using."