tjax

OP you remind me of a politician, just can't MYOB.
I can't hear jack over the sound of my tires on gravel on my favorite trail through the city, therefore to ease the constant mind numbing noise I enjoy listening to soft music. I also feel a bit more paranoid to abide by common sense safety so i don't get run over by another biker. I always hang out on the right, and never had an issue personally. Your broad judgement is based out of a very small percentage of people, and doesn't cover all situations, it only makes you look like an intolerant, nannie clown.

CB HI

Good story on that. Headed to Tripler Army Hospital to donate blood, waiting at a red light with the music running in the ear buds and I hear an ambulance siren over 3 blocks away. Just takes a couple of seconds to tell the ambulance is headed my way, so I pull the bike off the road onto the sidewalk and leave the through lane and adjoing bike lane wide open for the woman in the car behind me to pull out of the way (ambulance is still 2 blocks away). With her windows rolled up and A/C on, the woman did not hear the ambulance until it was literaly on her ass blasting the air horn on top of the siren.

BobbyG

Never even considered listening to earbuds while riding. However, I had been walking and listening to music with two earbuds, and found I couldn't hear traffic at corners, etc. I then started listening to spoken word podcasts and noticed I could hear traffic a lillte bit. Then I experimented with one earbud, curbside. I found I could hear and locate sounds. Tried it on the bike and have had the best three years of cycling ever. I feel safe, but I do notice when they have an extended musical interlude, I can't hear traffic so well. Also fictional audio books demand more attention and distract too much. BTW, glasses mirror and always checkin behind me.

achoo

But then how is causation inferred?

bbbean 

I am intimately familiar with the difference between causation and correlation. The difference, however, is moot when someone fails to respond to "on your left" or my bell while they're cruising along in the middle of the path or lane.

BB

the fly

Many of the roads I ride would be dirt roads in any other state but NC. For example, one road I occasionaly ride is cut through a swamp, 2 or 3 miles long, and to my knowledge, only serve 2 or 3 trailer homes that aren't even as old as the road. Why it was ever paved is beyond me. In the 1960's & 70's, the state went berserk paving roads, and at one point, we had the most miles of paved road of any state in the US. Now, it seems half are falling apart, and may as well be left to return to dirt.

Occasionally a car surprises me, but I'm not a nervous rider and I hold my line. I'm riding for my health (diabetes), and as I've explained to others, I'm not afraid of a little traffic. I'm more worried about my blood sugar. If I need a little accompaniment for my ride in the form of ear buds so be it. I'm sure the Delta is an interesting place for wildlife. Typical wildlife in my neck of the woods are crows, vultures chowing down on roadkill, random dogs, and deer if I ride at night. Ear buds aren't spoiling my ride, nor are they causing me to be a danger to others. I gladly ride without them if I'm riding around others.

Joemess

By looking for causality. Correlation of events is to easy to get wrong simply by looking at a small sample sizes or using anecdotal events

3alarmer 

...I'm too lazy to review the entire thread. Has anyone yet suggested beating them with your frame pump ?

daihard 

I would be inclined to nanny someone who almost took me out with her by swerving right into me while riding with earbuds on. As far as I remember, she didn't have a mirror either, unlike cars.

I wouldn't rule out the possibility that she was just inattentive, with or without earbuds. However, without earbuds, I think she would have had a better chance of hearing my callout.

Car drivers have a couple of ways to communicate to the other people on the road, such as the horn and the high beam. I consider callouts one of such means of communication for the cyclists.

Chris516

I am late into this thread.

I personally agree with OP, and am disgusted by all the MYOB garbage vented in the OP's direction.

Before seatbelts became standard in vehicles way back when, motorists' told the U.S Goverment MYOB. Then there was(and still is to a certain extent) the MYOB reaction to the U.S. Government making it against the law, when seatbelts are not worn in vehicles at all times.

While there is no federal mandate addressing the issue of cyclists' wearing earbuds', I don't think anyone would want a motorist wearing ear buds while driving. So, Why should a cyclist while riding. Especially if they are riding in traffic, or on a bike/ped path. Because, That would be 'distracted riding', or do people like 'distracted driving.

rydabent

I actually had one jogger yell at me after I passed him on the bike path. When I came up behind him I noted that he was fully in the right lane, but I said my usual "passing left". He yelled at me so I stopped and wanted to know what the problem was. He pull his ear buds out of BOTH ears and said he felt that I passed too close and should have let him know that I was passing. I just flat told him that I did yell passing left and if he had not of had those damned ear buds in he would have heard me. I then rode off with out waiting his BS excuse.

Jan Feetz

Like this???


CINZANO!

Essex

I want to see an Alaskan full-on mountain bike with gun holder for Griz. As per bikes in Alaska - can't say I've even seen enough traffic that it would even matter if someone was wearing buds. In downtown Anchorage and over a period of hours - I can count on one hand the number of racing/commuter bikes someone sees during prime time summer/fall. Forget about winter.

This I will say - lots of wildlife can suddenly dart in front of you. Including Mr. Moose.

spare_wheel

So to be consistent I guess you also support banning ear buds for pedestrians too...right?

The comparisons of a cyclist wearing ear buds to a motorist on this thread are farcical. Distracted motorized couch riders routinely slaughter human beings. Distracted peds and cyclists, not so much.

digibud

"This I will say - lots of wildlife can suddenly dart in front of you. Including Mr. Moose."

Interestingly, I DO often have to take ear buds out even when there are no other people around because of both moose and bear. Particularly when the salmon are running, there are trails and roads that have a serious number of both critters and one has to listen carefully for either. I am stopped cold in my tracks on numerous occasions by moose and occasionally by bear too. I've had to slam my brakes to ensure I don't run into both moose and grizzly. Anchorage, being on the water with numerous streams and salmon coming through, has a much greater problem with bears than we have in Fairbanks. Like most things, ear buds are reasonable to use when used reasonably.

Chris516

On the road(sidewalk), yes. On a bike/ped path, no. The comparison is, if we don't want motorists' using ear buds while driving on the road, Cyclists' shouldn't use ear buds on the ped/bike paths.

RaleighSport

o.O In your universe, I hope car drivers shouldn't be allowed to have car stereo's either right?

I-Like-To-Bike

I suspect that some posters on BF would be happy if car owners weren't allowed to have cars.

RaleighSport

I think you'd be right, and I'm almost in that camp.. there's a lot of people who shouldn't be trusted to drive an automobile. I personally think we should have more rigid motor vehicle licensing... it'd raise the competence level in at least in my mind, but I digress as this thread is about the OP's nanny state mentality

spare_wheel

To be honest, I've never understood why blasting your radio in a car is legal but wearing ear buds is illegal (at least in many states). What's the difference?

(or basically what raleighsport said)

Chris516

You really don't get it do you.

Chris516

True, What is the difference, it is distracted driving in both cases.

RaleighSport

Oh I get it, I just don't agree with you. Can you not see the parallel to what you said and what I said? I think you more than likely can, and I don't see any point in debating the points of your agenda I don't agree with and my agenda you don't agree with.

3alarmer 

...I would be OK with it were the penalties for vigilantism and retribution not so onerous.

Chris516

You are stretching the parallel.