Advocacy & Safety - Commuting with headphones

New guy here.

I've been commuting in San Francisco for about a year now, and I'm starting to notice more and more cyclists riding while wearing headphones. I know it's dangerous because it impairs your ability to hear your surroundings, but noone seems to care, or perhaps they just don't know better.

There was a guy the other day with over-the-ear phones. (something I see a few times a week) When we were at a stop light, I got his attention and told him it was dangerous. He said something about it not being as bad as driving while on the phone. http://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/brood.gif

Granted, you're more dangerous to others when you're in a car, but it blows my mind that in this day in age, when laws are being made to reduce distracted driving, so many cyclists in a city like SF sticking up a big finger and riding with headphones.

Anyways. I guess I'm just not sure how to deal with the issue.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Anyways. I guess I'm just not sure how to deal with the issue.


Keep calling out the headhone listening riders and posting about it on BF. You'll feel better and it's cheap entertainment for many BF members.

:popcorn

Never heard this topic before...




Anyways. I guess I'm just not sure how to deal with the issue.



Why do feel like you have to?

Over the summer, I spent about two hours a day in a car with the windows up and the music cranked up. I couldn't even hear a car horn unless they were right next to me.

I wonder how deaf people ride safely...

Didn't your mommy ever teach you to mind your business?

I wonder how deaf people ride safely...

Regardless how deaf people cope, it is unnecessarily dangerous to emulate them intentionally...
Some people just beg to become statistics.

Regardless how deaf people cope, it is unnecessarily dangerous to emulate them intentionally...
Some people just beg to become statistics.

That is correct. But it still isn't his place to be the world's safety nanny.

i like to look at them, then look over their shoulder and open my mouth in horror as if something is coming at them from behind as i jump out of the way

While you're at it, why don't you deal with all the sidewalk riders (another pet peeve of mine). That'll relieve me of all that stress and allow me to focus on getting some miles in.

While you're at it, why don't you deal with all the sidewalk riders (another pet peeve of mine). That'll relieve me of all that stress and allow me to focus on getting some miles in.

Don't forget about the bike ninjas and people who don't floss their teeth.

ooh and salmon. gosh do I hate those red-light running ninja salmon in my lane. If you want to push a few of them out of the way for the cagers to deal with, well it's just a little chlorine bleach for the gene pool as my father in law likes to say.








p.s. don't really do that. I'm not advocating murder in any way shape or form.

i like to look at them, then look over their shoulder and open my mouth in horror as if something is coming at them from behind as i jump out of the way

I rarely ride with headphones on these days, but that trick wouldn't work with me since I can still hear my surroundings with them on. Volume control is a wonderful invention. Personally, the wind noise does more to deafen me when i'm not riding with my 'phones.

What?

Wut

fify

I clip off the left ear piece so I only have one over my right ear. Left ear is open to hear traffic and other sounds. Volume is adjusted to be just above the wind noise. Keeps me from going insane on long rides.

Over the summer, I spent about two hours a day in a car with the windows up and the music cranked up. I couldn't even hear a car horn unless they were right next to me.

Yup

I've actually used my iPod + earbuds in the car (gasp) when I didn't want to listen to the radio. If the sound level is not set to 'stun' you hear just fine.

I wonder how deaf people ride safely...

+1000

And another +1000 to what degnaw said about being inside the car with music and closed windows.

Never heard this topic before...





Why do feel like you have to?



Isn't it possible, he doesn't feel like he can just sit by and watch it happening repeatedly.

I went to the local mall the other day and noticed something utterly stupid. A guy had locked his very nice mountain bike up AT the bike stand but, NOT TO IT. He had looped his lock through his front wheel n' around the top tube of the frame BUT, he did not secure it to the bike stand. When I saw this, I locked my bike up to the bike stand and, his bike. Then I quickly ran in the mall, made my purchase. When I came back out, he had finally come back to the bike stand. I told him why I did it. He kept arguing, saying what if he had to go somewhere fast. I told him, it would be better that he was late, than his bike getting stolen.

It is one thing if someone has a dumpy old bike and they don't lock it up properly. It is an entirely different situation if the have a really nice bike, but do an awful job of locking it up.

I will keep doing it, as long as I have to lock my bike up at the same place that someone else does, who hasn't locked their bike properly.

Hey, i think it might be safer to ride with head-phones.. that way you don't get into bad habits of not shoulder checking and assuming you hear a car...

hint: hybrids are veryy veryy quiet when dey is huntin' cwy-colists.

Isn't it possible, he doesn't feel like he can just sit by and watch it happening repeatedly.

I went to the local mall the other day and noticed something utterly stupid. A guy had locked his very nice mountain bike up AT the bike stand but, NOT TO IT. He had looped his lock through his front wheel n' around the top tube of the frame BUT, he did not secure it to the bike stand. When I saw this, I locked my bike up to the bike stand and, his bike. Then I quickly ran in the mall, made my purchase. When I came back out, he had finally come back to the bike stand. I told him why I did it. He kept arguing, saying what if he had to go somewhere fast. I told him, it would be better that he was late, than his bike getting stolen.

It is one thing if someone has a dumpy old bike and they don't lock it up properly. It is an entirely different situation if the have a really nice bike, but do an awful job of locking it up.

I will keep doing it, as long as I have to lock my bike up at the same place that someone else does, who hasn't locked their bike properly.

Good intentions, yes, but just like the OP it's not your place to be the bike police. I would be pissed too if I came back to my bike and it was locked to someone else's bike for whatever reason. Keep doing it your way and one day you're probably going to get socked in the face. If you're set on being a bike safety nanny, a better way would've been to wait till the guy came out then do your own shopping. After all, you said it's better to be a little late than have a stolen bike, in this case, not yours.

Isn't it possible, he doesn't feel like he can just sit by and watch it happening repeatedly.

I went to the local mall the other day and noticed something utterly stupid. A guy had locked his very nice mountain bike up AT the bike stand but, NOT TO IT. He had looped his lock through his front wheel n' around the top tube of the frame BUT, he did not secure it to the bike stand. When I saw this, I locked my bike up to the bike stand and, his bike. Then I quickly ran in the mall, made my purchase. When I came back out, he had finally come back to the bike stand. I told him why I did it. He kept arguing, saying what if he had to go somewhere fast. I told him, it would be better that he was late, than his bike getting stolen.

It is one thing if someone has a dumpy old bike and they don't lock it up properly. It is an entirely different situation if the have a really nice bike, but do an awful job of locking it up.

I will keep doing it, as long as I have to lock my bike up at the same place that someone else does, who hasn't locked their bike properly.
Why don't you lock your bike up to the bike stand and his bike LOCK? Then he could unlock his lock and be on his way.

I like to ride around with head phones, but they're not connected to anything. They just prevent the La Rouche people from trying to talk to me now that they've adopted 70s road bikes.

Why don't you lock your bike up to the bike stand and his bike LOCK? Then he could unlock his lock and be on his way.

+1, clever solution for those who cant seem to mind their own business.

I'm content to use the information gained by seeing who is riding with headphones. I then know who to give a wide berth.

Pretty much the only riders I try to talk to about safety are those wearing helmets incorrectly, and then I open by commenting that I can see that they care about being safe and then go on to saying they are not getting the full value of their safety investment.

I should have these bookmarked specifically for threads like this.

http://www.usdeafcycling.org/
http://www.international-deaf-cycling.info/
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/cycling-deaf.htm
http://www.alldeaf.com/deaf-products-technologies/76058-deaf-cyclist-needs-advice.html

too many people are worried about what other people do. I say MYOFB.

too many people are worried about what other people do. I say MYOFB.

Way to tell the whole A&S forum off :D

Why don't you lock your bike up to the bike stand and his bike LOCK? Then he could unlock his lock and be on his way.because then, he does not have the chance to get in the guys face.

Bet the OP thinks it is unsafe to take the lane as well.

Bet the OP thinks it is unsafe to take the lane as well.

As the saying goes, opinions are like ******** - everybody's got one.

Isn't it possible, he doesn't feel like he can just sit by and watch it happening repeatedly.

I went to the local mall the other day and noticed something utterly stupid. A guy had locked his very nice mountain bike up AT the bike stand but, NOT TO IT. He had looped his lock through his front wheel n' around the top tube of the frame BUT, he did not secure it to the bike stand. When I saw this, I locked my bike up to the bike stand and, his bike. Then I quickly ran in the mall, made my purchase. When I came back out, he had finally come back to the bike stand. I told him why I did it. He kept arguing, saying what if he had to go somewhere fast. I told him, it would be better that he was late, than his bike getting stolen.

It is one thing if someone has a dumpy old bike and they don't lock it up properly. It is an entirely different situation if the have a really nice bike, but do an awful job of locking it up.

I will keep doing it, as long as I have to lock my bike up at the same place that someone else does, who hasn't locked their bike properly.
I would smack you if that was done to my bike.

Who are you to lock my property in the way you see fit? Especially in such a manner I cannot get to my property on my terms.

Next time, if you're that concerned lock your lock to his lock instead of his bike.

I frequently just throw the ring lock on my bike. You'd have to walk away, carrying the bike if you really wanted it. It's forty pounds. I would be pissed if someone decided to lock my bike to their bike.

Wow, everybody is so... pissed? Tempers flare so easily. MAYBE he didn't lock his lock to the guy's lock because he didn't think of it at the time. It seems like the motto here is "Mind your own $(^&$^ beeswax" but ..... I don't really get why. Why is it so horrible to talk to other people? God forbid we actually interact with one another, that would SUCK so bad. Now telling somebody NOT to do something is wrong, unless what they are doing could harm others, but suggesting things should be OK shouldn't it?


Who are you to lock my property in the way you see fit? Especially in such a manner I cannot get to my property on my terms. Like when they put a boot on your car? That does piss me off though. If I had done that, and forgotten that I could lock my lock to his, then I would of left a note with my cellphone number.

I ride with ear buds all the time. I can easily hear my surroundings...have you guys ever actually used headphones? What kind of crazy volume do you have to be at that you can't hear anything going on around you?

Mike, it is easy to tell somebody when they're objectively doing something wrong like drinking and driving - headphones are not the case. Hence it is simply your opinion that one shouldn't wear headphones or, say, wear white after labour day.

ear buds work way better than headphones...and with the advent of stereophonic sound, no thanks to the mono thing, music in one ear sounds like crap, why bother?

Wow, everybody is so... pissed? Tempers flare so easily. MAYBE he didn't lock his lock to the guy's lock because he didn't think of it at the time. It seems like the motto here is "Mind your own $(^&$^ beeswax" but ..... I don't really get why. Why is it so horrible to talk to other people? God forbid we actually interact with one another, that would SUCK so bad. Now telling somebody NOT to do something is wrong, unless what they are doing could harm others, but suggesting things should be OK shouldn't it?

Like when they put a boot on your car? That does piss me off though. If I had done that, and forgotten that I could lock my lock to his, then I would of left a note with my cellphone number.

The point is it wasn't his bike to be locking up in the first place. A boot on your car isn't even close to the same situation, that's done by the authorities not a safety vigilante. Nothing wrong with talking to other people, but this thread isn't about friendly conversation, it seems to be about shoving beliefs on others or criticizing things they don't agree with.

Maybe he had worked out a plan with Homer Simpson to steal the bike and park it on the railway tracks while he attended the policeman's ball. You messed everything up!

Why don't you lock your bike up to the bike stand and his bike LOCK? Then he could unlock his lock and be on his way.

I would do that, if the bike stand wasn't a piece of garbage.

http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=6095

It is basically the same design as this one. Except it is in a row of ten and, made of out iron.

I would smack you if that was done to my bike.

So you want your bike stolen.


Who are you to lock my property in the way you see fit? Especially in such a manner I cannot get to my property on my terms.

What's this 'my' stuff? It wasn't your bike. So chill out.


Next time, if you're that concerned lock your lock to his lock instead of his bike.

I don't think so.


I frequently just throw the ring lock on my bike. You'd have to walk away, carrying the bike if you really wanted it. It's forty pounds. I would be pissed if someone decided to lock my bike to their bike.

So, Getting your bike stolen courtesy of your own ignorance would bother you far less than, someone going out of their way to make sure it wasn't stolen.

I see where your priorities are.

Wow, everybody is so... pissed? Tempers flare so easily. MAYBE he didn't lock his lock to the guy's lock because he didn't think of it at the time. It seems like the motto here is "Mind your own $(^&$^ beeswax" but ..... I don't really get why. Why is it so horrible to talk to other people? God forbid we actually interact with one another, that would SUCK so bad. Now telling somebody NOT to do something is wrong, unless what they are doing could harm others, but suggesting things should be OK shouldn't it?

I didn't lock my lock through his lock because, it was a piece of junk. I locked it through his bike on purpose. Because I cared about what might happen to his bike. I was being a good Samaritan.


Like when they put a boot on your car? That does piss me off though. If I had done that, and forgotten that I could lock my lock to his, then I would of left a note with my cellphone number.

While I could have run into the mall to get a piece of paper to write down my cell phone #, I would have still had to run back into the mall to make the purchase I was going to make. So, By just running into the mall and making my purchase, I shortened the amount of time, that his bike would be locked up to mine.

I ride with my I-pod most of the time, I have a set of earbuds with "compliance" tips..sort of a porous foam that allows surrounding sounds to be heard. Works well but you lose a lot of the bass.

I ride my motorcycle with very quiet earplugs and a set of helmet speakers cranked up pretty loud, great sound quality but I can't hear a single traffic noise. I check my mirrors quite often.

Mike

That is correct. But it still isn't his place to be the world's safety nanny.

Point taken.

too many people are worried about what other people do. I say MYOFB.

+1000000

There's too many people with too much damn time on their hands who think they know what's best for everyone else.

So you want your bike stolen.



What's this 'my' stuff? It wasn't your bike. So chill out.



I don't think so.



So, Getting your bike stolen courtesy of your own ignorance would bother you far less than, someone going out of their way to make sure it wasn't stolen.

I see where your priorities are.
It's this self-righteous attitude that gets people pissed. You act like you know what is better for other people.

I do frequently throw just the ring lock. I've done it hundreds of times. Never once had the bike stolen. Not everyone lives in a high theft area. I see kids all the time on campus not even bother to lock their bike up.

It's not your responsibility to ensure other people's bikes don't get stolen. They've obviously weighed the risks and determined that the convenience and expediency of their trip out weighed the risk of theft.

Not everyone's priorities are the same. Get over yourself and MYOFB.

I didn't lock my lock through his lock because, it was a piece of junk. I locked it through his bike on purpose. Because I cared about what might happen to his bike. I was being a good Samaritan.
You really weren't though... You were inconveniencing someone else because they weren't doing things the way you would do things. You don't know if they were going to come out thirty seconds later or two hours later.

If you couldn't tell, I get pissed about this and it's because this has happened to me. Of course, it wasn't because he thought my bike would get stolen (no, I was downtown, had a thick chain and a u-lock). It was because he was an idiot and didn't know how to properly lock his bike to just the rack. The owner didn't show up until two hours after I was ready to leave.

Intentions don't matter. You have no right to hold someone's property in that manner.

I locked my bike up to the bike stand and, his bike.

while i appreciate your concern, did you know that what you did is a common tactic used by thieves? they lock your bike so you can't use it, then come back and steal it when the area is less crowded. If that was my bike, i would have called the cops and you would have to prove your intentions to them.
also, this happened to a BF member and they posted here that they cut the other bike in half in order to retrieve their bike. It's an extreme example, but it happened.

http://www.scansound.com/single-stereo-earbud.htm

http://www.scansound.com/single-stereo-earbud.htmHave I got a deal for you, this great bridge that I am selling at a huge discount. The wind blows through it in stereophonic sound as well.

Have I got a deal for you, this great bridge that I am selling at a huge discount. The wind blows through it in stereophonic sound as well.

Actually, that single stereo earbud makes sense, since stereo recordings are transmitted to each side of the headphones separately you can't always hear the whole sound with just one earbud/earphone. Ask anyone who's deaf in one ear if you don't get the concept..

For example, my old Beatles cd rips, on some songs, you can only hear half of the music and no lyrics if you've only got one side in. I remember thinking "I don't remember there being a Strawberry Fields instrumental on this disk" the first time that happened.

Sure, you won't get a stereo sound, but you will be able to hear all of the recording.