travelmama

+1000

daredevil

You guys that don't like these threads don't have to open them you know.

AdamDZ

I didn't say I didn't like them They can be quite entertaining

I like your new avatar image. Where is that from?

A.

daredevil

They are entertaining to be sure.

That is Going-To-The-Sun road at the Crown of the Continent, Glacier National Park. A little slice of heaven.

I should mention the print was drawn by a guy named Monte Dolack. It was done some years ago for Bikecentennial, a tour across the US in 1976.

dobber

Bob & Tom

ghettocruiser

CBC Radio 1

2su

I'm a two bud-er. I hear the things I need to hear just fine.

I've been on a centro-matic kick ever since the Molina & Johnson collab album came out. So...

On the way home from school last night: Centro-matic - all the falsest hearts can try

On the way to work this morning: Centro-matic - South San Gabriel

ZmanKC

Audiobooks, NPR, BBC, and sometimes music. I try to keep the volume reasonably low so I can still hear what going on around me.

daredevil

I like to see what's going on around me more than hear. It's better information.

CCrew

I wear ear buds, no mirror and no helmet. I'm a rebel. :-)

1 out of three is a lie too

trekker pete

if this is a problem, you are overtaking way to closely. Give as wide a berth as possible/slow down.

I haven't started using an ipod yet, but, do plan to. my commute is largely rural and in the morning, the roads are deserted, so i don't see it being a problem.

personally, i think riding without a mirror is wayyyyyyy more dangerous than riding with ear buds in. i can see threats long before i hear them.

GriddleCakes

One earbud in the right ear, mirror on the bars, and rap (a little dirty south, a little west coast gansta, and some alt hip-hop) or techno (big-beat and house) on the iPod. Rock, sometimes, although it tends to make me ride too aggro. But I likes my beats, thumping and bumping and driving that chain, yeah!

JPprivate

+1!!!

AdamDZ

Ah, here it is.

Adam

jimcross

I have a mix of everything from punk to alt country on my shuffle. No classical (a little to sleep inducing for me), and no hip hop or dance music (just not my thing).

jimcross

For what it's worth I met Monte Dolack when I live in Montana..

daredevil

That's it. The colors in that print are washed out however. I have an original print hanging on my wall and the colors are much more vivid. My avatar is also an accurate reproduction. Here it is:



and the original with print:



I ride that road yearly btw. Typically more than once and often on a full moon.

Now, back to the show.

2su

listened to eluvium - an accidental memory... on the way home from work tonight.

Jarery

I listen to learn spanish audio tapes, makes my commute time useful

To those who complains about trying to pass someone with earbuds, i've never been passed commuting so im sure its not an issue to those behind me. I also find everyone i try to pass deaf whether they wear earbuds or not.

To everyone who listens to birds, wildlife and other peacfull sounds, i commute 40 km a day in the city where every wildlife sound is drowned out by cars, horns, sirens, and car amplifiers that can power small cities. The sounds from my mp3 are much more relaxing.

To everyone who thinks those with earbuds cant hear any of the above mentioned sounds, your ignorant as those sounds are not blocked, they are just mixed with music/podcasts etc.

To everyone who says they need to hear the sound of a car approaching....what do you do when you hear it? Do you look over your shoulder, move to the side, stop and wave? Myself i continue to ride my straight and predictable path with no change as for the majority of my commute i have a steady stream of rush hour traffic passing me, it just never ends. So what would hearing a car 300m back instead of 200m back do for me?

In the winter i have some 360 earmuffs with built in speakers, those rock !

girlonbike

I've always been too afraid to listen to music while riding. I really do need to hear all those road sounds to know if and how close a car is to me. Not to mention if someone honks or shouts to get my attention for something important.
I suppose on a long empty country road it might not be so risky though.

Jarery

Just out of curiosity, has anyone honked or shouted at you for anything that was important? No one has to me in my years of commuting. Ive had people honk and shout at me, but its usually out of anger and being able to hear it has no benefit to me

Also, as myself and others have mentioned, we CAN still hear honks and shouts. I only use one earbud so i can still hear everythign just fine, cant speak for those wearing two with the sound cranked

last point is, a car thats going to pass you by 3 ft sounds the same as one passing you at 1 ft, you'll feel/see the encounter before your ears alert you to it.

frpax

If my commute did not involve me interacting with autos, trucks and other various sorts of city traffic, I'd have my MP3 player cranking out some classic rock.

But, since I have to contend with city traffic, I listen to my surroundings.

I have no qualm with you guys that listen to music whilst riding in the city, though... I wish I could do it.

girlonbike

Yes both car drivers, and other cyclist have honked and shouted at me for things that were important. I live in the SF Bay area where it is very congested with people both in cars and on bikes. I have almost been hit and have had that horn save my life. I have also almost avoided many collisions with other cyclists because either I or they shouted the warning.

I have no doubt that one ear bud would help out tremendously to hear what happening. I just know that I get distracted and zone out easily so for myself I prefer not to risk it.

With the distance of the car I was referring to the distance behind me more so than the distance to the side of me. If i need to make a left turn I of course look behind me, but if I hear a car coming up behind I don't even bother getting over till they pass. That's just one example but you get the jest.

girlonbike

agreed!

barturtle

Not entirely true, as you lose the ability to spatially position where the sound is coming from.

Personally I have an mp3 player with built-in speaker zip tied to my bars.