Should iPods be allowed?!?

Quoted message said:

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

Certainly not a good idea in traffic. Although I don't cycle on the
roads much, I suspect that you'd need all the visual and audible
feedback you can get. Maybe your IPod-wearing friend has learned
something.

I do listen to my MP3 player when I'm skiing, with the volume set at a
level that enables me to hear piste users that are within 15-or-so
feet.

--
Hywel

"Dave B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi Folks,

I am fairly new to cycling (commuting to work), however, I really enjoy
it and its keeping me fit (I can't get to the gym at the moment as my 10
week old son is keeping us busy!).

Anyway I was cycling to work this morning through the Clyde Tunnel in
Glasgow (The cycle lane of course :-0) and I was behind another cyclist
going slower than me. Normally I would pick up speed on the way down to
about 30mph and then use the momentum to help with some of the climb
back up the other side. However, as it's a little tight to pass I slowed
down and kept my distance.

Once we started the climb and we were going slower (about 10-15mph) I
decided that it would be safe to pass. I dinged my bell a number of
times and the chap ahead of me moved to the side. So off I went (saying
thank-you as I passed!) Just as I passed the guy starts wobbling all
over the place and scrapes along the wall. I stop and look back and he
sees this and says he's ok. I then make a jokey comment about having to
build momentum up again and he say 'what?'. I repeat and then he pulls
his hedphones out! I say 'never mind' and start pulling away.

It was only then that I realised that he hadn't heard me coming, just
happened to go to the side and I caught him out as I passed.

This just highlighted to me the dangers of listening to iPods and the
likes when cycling. What would have happend if I was a bit of numpty and
tried to pass on the way down? Hitting the side walls or the pedestrian
barrier at 30mph doesn't bear thinking about!

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

Cheers

Dave

I personally don't do it - but I don't think I'm particularly against it.
What about deaf cyclists?

Graham

Graham

Graham Dean said:

I personally don't do it - but I don't think I'm particularly against it.
What about deaf cyclists?

Why would they want an iPod? ;-)

R.

Graham Dean said:

I personally don't do it - but I don't think I'm particularly against it.
What about deaf cyclists?

Graham

Graham

Fair point. Although I would suspect that a deaf cyclist would be more
aware of his/her surroundings than an a bloke just listening to an IPod!

Dave

"Dave B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Hi Folks,

Quoted message said:

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

Apart from when I'm on a club ride (Hull Thursday RC) I always have my
minidisc/radio on. My commute would be so boring without it. I find the
music a great motivator and a real pleasure to motor along to.

As for the risk, well I find it more of a "hazard" riding into a stiff
headwind as that really does blot out any sound, whereas I can easily hear
above the sound of my minidisc. Besides, I never rely on my hearing - I
*look* around several times to see what's going on behind.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Dave B said:

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

I'd say it's Not Too Clever, but banning iPods probably isn't too
sensible either. I don't believe it's illegal to use the roads if
you're hard of hearing, and of course using hoods and thick hats
diminishes one's hearing too. If you wish to add to your risks for a
bit of music then that's your choice.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Simon Mason said:

As for the risk, well I find it more of a "hazard" riding into a stiff
headwind as that really does blot out any sound, whereas I can easily hear
above the sound of my minidisc. Besides, I never rely on my hearing - I
*look* around several times to see what's going on behind.

Of course on a windy day it is more difficult to hear. However, I would
like to think I would take that into account when trying to pass
someone. The problem with wearing an iPod with tiny invisible earphones
is that I no idea that they are there and so I can't account for it.
Maybe there should be a law stating that everyone listening to music
wears big bright yeall earmuff type headphones ;-)

Cheers

Dave

Dave B said:

Of course on a windy day it is more difficult to hear. However, I
would like to think I would take that into account when trying to pass
someone. The problem with wearing an iPod with tiny invisible
earphones is that I no idea that they are there and so I can't account
for it. Maybe there should be a law stating that everyone listening to
music wears big bright yeall earmuff type headphones ;-)

Cheers

Dave

That should read yellow not yeall! (I'm not getting much sleep at the
moment:-(

Peter Clinch said:

Dave B said:

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

I'd say it's Not Too Clever, but banning iPods probably isn't too
sensible either. I don't believe it's illegal to use the roads if
you're hard of hearing, and of course using hoods and thick hats
diminishes one's hearing too. If you wish to add to your risks for a
bit of music then that's your choice.

You are not IIRC allowed to use headphones while driving a car. I
personally don't listen to music while cycling because I do think it
cuts out one channel of information for keeping you aware and safe but
if you insist I would suggest the clip over open headphones that allow
external sound in and a reasonable volume rather than high volume on ear
plug types.

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

I don't use earphones for exactly this reason, I get a lot of information from what I can hear and I think I'm better off without them.

If you want to wear them then fair balls to you, like a helmet - you make your own risk assesment.

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You are not IIRC allowed to use headphones while driving a car.

I think you are *encouraged* to do so in certain circumstances like hands
free mobiles. Besides, I reckon I can hear a police car siren better than
someone in a double glazed Merc. listening to Wagner at full blast on
Classic FM.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

"Dave B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Of course on a windy day it is more difficult to hear. However, I would
like to think I would take that into account when trying to pass someone.
The problem with wearing an iPod with tiny invisible earphones is that I
no idea that they are there and so I can't account for it.

Mine is in my back jersey pocket with a wire going up my back to my head, so
either I'm listening to the radio, or I'm CIA riding shotgun for George Bush
;-)

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Simon Mason said:

Besides, I reckon I can hear a police car siren better than
someone in a double glazed Merc. listening to Wagner at full blast on
Classic FM.

Isn't Wagner a bit noisy and full of character for Classic FM?

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Peter Clinch" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Simon Mason said:

Besides, I reckon I can hear a police car siren better than someone in a
double glazed Merc. listening to Wagner at full blast on Classic FM.

Isn't Wagner a bit noisy and full of character for Classic FM?

Perhaps, but I had a picture of someone singing along to The Valkyrie
blissfully unaware of an ambulance up his chuff ;-)

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Dave B came up with the following;:

Quoted message said:

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

I didn't used to, but now I use my Pocket PC as an MP3 player with a single,
ex-mobile phone, earpiece. It means I can listen to 'bangin' choons' and
still hear what's going on around me. 😉

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules ..... Doh !!!
ebay stuff 5234286719

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

Quoted message said:

Graham Dean said:

I personally don't do it - but I don't think I'm particularly against

it.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What about deaf cyclists?

Why would they want an iPod? ;-)

R.

Good point! :-)

Graham

Dave B said:

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

This is a perceived danger that is often mentioned, and yet I wonder if
it is really a danger at all. Personal music systems have been around
for more than 20 years in one form or another and I'm not aware of any
statistical evidence to suggest they are dangerous - except to your
hearing. Are you? (I'm not being facetious - I'd be genuinely
interested to know if such evidence exists. Anyone?)

In any case, if they are dangerous for cyclists, surely they are
equally dangerous for other road users - especially pedestrians. So if
personal stereos are to be banned for cyclists, they should also be
banned for pedestrians, yes?

Car stereos above a certain wattage should also be banned, but I would
argue that on other grounds than the safety issue.

Besides, given that you were going through a tunnel, I wonder if the
chap in front would have heard you anyway (I say this based on my
experience of cycling through the Rotherhithe Tunnel).

d.

"Dave B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Graham Dean said:

I personally don't do it - but I don't think I'm particularly against it.
What about deaf cyclists?

Graham

Graham

Fair point. Although I would suspect that a deaf cyclist would be more
aware of his/her surroundings than an a bloke just listening to an IPod!

So that was the root of the problem. Not the music, but the fact he was
totally unaware of his surroundings.

I had a period where I would wear a radio headphone in one ear, but wasn't
keen on both ears. However this was with traffic. Going off road, I'll
happily wear in both ears, but find myself checking even more regularly over
my shoulder.

davek said:

Dave B said:

What do others think about listening to music whilst cycling?

This is a perceived danger that is often mentioned, and yet I wonder if
it is really a danger at all. Personal music systems have been around
for more than 20 years in one form or another and I'm not aware of any
statistical evidence to suggest they are dangerous - except to your
hearing. Are you? (I'm not being facetious - I'd be genuinely
interested to know if such evidence exists. Anyone?)

In any case, if they are dangerous for cyclists, surely they are
equally dangerous for other road users - especially pedestrians. So if
personal stereos are to be banned for cyclists, they should also be
banned for pedestrians, yes?

Car stereos above a certain wattage should also be banned, but I would
argue that on other grounds than the safety issue.

Besides, given that you were going through a tunnel, I wonder if the
chap in front would have heard you anyway (I say this based on my
experience of cycling through the Rotherhithe Tunnel).

d.

Dave,

I'm am not serious about banning iPods and the like (it's not a complete
nany state, thank God!) I'm a newbie to regular cycling so I just
wondered what views were held about their use.

Although there may not be any published evidence from my experience (yes
it is an n of 1!) the cyclists wearing of an iPOD did result in an
accident, albeit a minor one. This suggests to me that there is a risk,
albeit a small one.

I think headphone use can also be dangerous for pedestrians, i.e. when
you cross the road you are supposed to 'stop, look listen' so the risk
of crossing the road is increased (very slightly). In the case of
pedestrians text messaging is by far a greater menace. I have seen a
number of people blunder onto the road mid text message oblivious to
their surrounding! (I may have even done this myself!

As for the tunnel I was traveling through it is a seperate
bike/pedestrian tunnel, in which any noise (including my bell) is
amplified, so had he not been wearing headphones he would have heard me
(unless he was hard of hearing of course ;-))

Anyway it is interesting to hear views from both sides of the argument.
Nothing beats a bit of informed debate!

Cheers

Dave