About headphone use...

[BobbyJones]

I've been trying to figure this out every time I read it:

How is NOT wearing headphones gonna prevent some idiot from rear ending me while I'm riding?

[fourflys]

this will go nowhere productive...

wearing or not wearing is a personal choice only you can make, that's really all that needs to be said on this one...

[rugbysecondrow]

For me, being able to hear a car from the rear might make a difference in how I am situated in a lane especially up to an intersection. On narrow roads with little to no shoulder, it matters as well because I can hear them coming and sometimes get an idea of closeness, speed (for conditions at least) etc.

Thats just me though. Riding with headphones seems like it would be like riding in traffic with nothing but Toyota Prius vehicles.

[Thumby]

Umm, you can hear the car? I don't know about you, but my ears are highly tuned to the road behind me. I can predict a close call, and "might" be able to jump right if my ears tell me "this is the big one!". In a more common scenario though, when I'm approaching a stop, my ears can tell me if I have a car behind me.

[ultraman6970]

What Rugby said, is not about the other bike riders but of the whole environment. If oyu dont hear a sucker telling you that he is going to pass you and at that minute you move there you have it, a nice crash because you were hearing music.

With the cars is even worse because if you really dont hear crap then you are calling and accident to come...

Headphones are a really bad idea...

[BobbyJones]

Guys.. wasn't if it was a good idea or not to wear 'em.

Just asking. From what I've seen, getting hit from behind seems to be out of the cyclist's control!

[fiamme red]

Guys.. wasn't if it was a good idea or not to wear 'em.

Just asking. From what I've seen, getting hit from behind seems to be out of the cyclist's control!You could wear headphones and a mirror. :banana:

[illuminaught]

When I ride with music... I ride with only one headphone (the right ear so that my left ear can hear the road)... It's illegal to use both headphones while biking or driving.

I never have had any issues not hearing cars coming from behind, even Priusi...

[ultraman6970]

Well... it depends, if you did not hear a guy saying "passing" and you moved to the left at that instant I wouldnt say was not in your control, if you had heard the guy probably would have kept the line better... with cars is something similar, you can tell if a car is coming too close and too fast. Again if you are using headphones and just at the wrong time you do the wrong move because you did not heard the car then again, you are the one that has to have the control.

Now maybe to your point, if a rider is stupid enough to hit you from behind because he was not paying attention then you are right, headphones or not he will going to hit you, same with a car.

The thing here is to minimize the risk that's all but in the case you are saying, you are right... When riding you have to have 5 senses alert, thats all.

[fourflys]

hear a guy saying "passing"

and if that happened (calling out when passing) more often than not, hten maybe... my experiences riding in SoCal was hardly any of the of the "cyclists" (read racer-types) ever called out before they passed... even 30-40 rider pacelines... imagine that catastrophe if a single rider pulled out in front of that... and we know who would be blamed, it wouldn't be the "team"...

[mcgillicuddy_p]

You could wear headphones and a mirror. :banana:

This made me laugh out loud!!:)

[Black Dog]

If you leave your line and move into traffic without looking you are risking getting hit. When I ride without head phones I can hear the cars coming but I have no idea how close they are going to pass me by sound alone. Even if I could hear the car that is about to hit me I could never react fast enough to avoid a collision given the time to impact form the time of collision awareness would be measured in fractions of a second. Wearing headphones will not increase your risk of getting hit from behind because it is nearly impossible to avoid a collision based on auditory input alone. The risk is moving out into the lane without looking. If you just rely on hearing to determine if a car is approaching from the rear then you are truly taking a chance. If you get lost in your own world with headphones on and forget to look look look before you move then you may be in trouble.

Most riders are so afraid of hitting a bump or hole or debris that they will swerve without shoulder checking and this is super dangerous. I see it all the time while driving or riding with others. My racing days taught me that you hold your line unless you want a bunch of guys piling on top of you.

[rugbysecondrow]

I would make two comments:

1) I think hearing is an underrated sense especially when it comes to danger and completing a whole picture of what is occuring around you.

2) You wrote, " If you just rely on hearing to determine if a car is approaching from the rear then you are truly taking a chance." I would say the same thing about wearing headphones and relying more exclusively on sight alone while riding. You are right, but I also think your point is a great argument for using both hearing and sight...it takes both to make the complete picture and one without the other increases risk. It might be acceptable risk, but risk nonetheless.

If you leave your line and move into traffic without looking you are risking getting hit. When I ride without head phones I can hear the cars coming but I have no idea how close they are going to pass me by sound alone. Even if I could hear the car that is about to hit me I could never react fast enough to avoid a collision given the time to impact form the time of collision awareness would be measured in fractions of a second. Wearing headphones will not increase your risk of getting hit from behind because it is nearly impossible to avoid a collision based on auditory input alone. The risk is moving out into the lane without looking. If you just rely on hearing to determine if a car is approaching from the rear then you are truly taking a chance. If you get lost in your own world with headphones on and forget to look look look before you move then you may be in trouble.

Most riders are so afraid of hitting a bump or hole or debris that they will swerve without shoulder checking and this is super dangerous. I see it all the time while driving or riding with others. My racing days taught me that you hold your line unless you want a bunch of guys piling on top of you.

[67-59]

Have a friend stand straight behind you and say something. Now have them stand behind you and a few feet to your left. You'll notice that your hearing can detect differences in position of sounds...even those coming from behind. Now imagine those sounds are a car...directly behind you, or behind you and a few feet to your left.

You can't prevent everything...but you can mitigate your risks.

[bikinchris]

Frankly, the point is moot. Wearing headphones is illegal in all states. Of course, a laywer could argue that you were placing yourself in danger by wearing them. You also can't hear those claws on the pavement when that bigass dog is gaining on you.

[fourflys]

Frankly, the point is moot. Wearing headphones is illegal in all states. Of course, a laywer could argue that you were placing yourself in danger by wearing them. You also can't hear those claws on the pavement when that bigass dog is gaining on you.

Actually, most states allow one speaker/ear bud...

[onekgguy]

I've been using both the Viewpoint cycling mirror (http://www.amazon.com/Cycleaware-Viewpoint-Eyewear-Mirror-Round/dp/B00012345A) and my tunes for many years and have never, ever felt like I was at any sort of disadvantage with respect to being aware of what was going on around me out on the road.

So I agree with fiamme red...headphones and a mirror.

Kevin g

[Steve in SLO]

I do what onekgguy does, a Viewpoint mirror and a single bud in the right, but only if i am riding solo on country roads. Otherwise the earbud goes.

My ears have never saved me, but my Viewpoint has.

[froze]

I've been trying to figure this out every time I read it:

How is NOT wearing headphones gonna prevent some idiot from rear ending me while I'm riding?

Depends, if you have rumble strips you might hear the tires hitting the strips without the buds in and might give you chance to ride into the grassy area...note, I said might. But rear end accidents, whether on your bike or in your car are almost all but impossible to avoid.

[zap]

If you have to ask...................

...but really, hopefully your ears will only save you 4-5 times in your life, just like your helmet(s).

There are those rare times when looking and thinking are not an option, it would take to much time. Your ears inform you of a potential situation and you just have to react instinctively and hopefully you have the skills to avoid (or minimize) impact.

[Black Dog]

Have a friend stand straight behind you and say something. Now have them stand behind you and a few feet to your left. You'll notice that your hearing can detect differences in position of sounds...even those coming from behind. Now imagine those sounds are a car...directly behind you, or behind you and a few feet to your left.

You can't prevent everything...but you can mitigate your risks.

True, but your friend will not be approaching you at 80 km/h. This changes things.

[froze]

If you have to ask...................

...but really, hopefully your ears will only save you 4-5 times in your life, just like your helmet(s).

There are those rare times when looking and thinking are not an option, it would take to much time. Your ears inform you of a potential situation and you just have to react instinctively and hopefully you have the skills to avoid (or minimize) impact.

Huge, HUGE, plus 1