why NOT to ride with music
05-10-07, 10:27 PM
#51
ex-everything.
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I ride with music... with headphones at full blast looped around my neck, so I can hear both traffic and my tunes. Nothing makes riding in rush hour traffic more fun than loudly singing along to "My Balls Your Chin" while waiting at the light.
05-10-07, 10:28 PM
#52
This one goes to 11
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I now carry small rocks in the back of my jersey to throw at people before I pass them on the left, just in case they're wearing headphones. Problem solved.
If they don't care about hearing cars and trucks coming from behind, I'm not going to care for them. This is natural selection at work. You might as welll skip the helmet too. It just makes you look dorkey when you dial it up to 400 watts while listening to the Spice Girls.
Big question: Do you wear those things when you drive your car?
If they don't care about hearing cars and trucks coming from behind, I'm not going to care for them. This is natural selection at work. You might as welll skip the helmet too. It just makes you look dorkey when you dial it up to 400 watts while listening to the Spice Girls.
Big question: Do you wear those things when you drive your car?
05-10-07, 10:52 PM
#53
RacingBear
Originally Posted by Frugle
So here is the thing... I've been here for a couple of months, and have seen roughly, 20 million threads started about whether or not you should or shouldn't ride with an ipod.
and so far, none of them have been very helpful.
the only arguments I have seen have been:
"Don't ride with an iPod, be safe"
"I ride with an iPod all the time, I'd rather not hear the car that hits me because they would hit me whether or not I hear them"
both of these reasons are flawed.. .the first because there is no reason, and the second becuase the first one is true.
I wanted to try to help out as many new guys as I can with my observation and extensive 2 month experience..
the reason why you SHOULDN'T ride with music.
so here is the thing, as a new rider, I'm not 100% comfortable on my bike... they are a little different to control than a regular bike... and I have a 2 foot footprint no matter how hard I try.. I will always kind of move back and forth within a 2 foot span. whether you're dodging pot holes, or just getting more comfortable (or spitting... that always seems to knock me into the road some)
here is why that is important... I was on a ride yesterday, and after the 3rd dump truck passed me without even moving across the double yellow line
I realized..this can be dangerous.
hearing does nothing, I don't know the position, or how far a car is from me, but it does do one thing... it lets me know its there.
So I know this seems simplistic, but this never really struck me when I first started riding, I would use music becuase all I read on these forums were bland "do" and "don't" answer... never really knew why..
but now whenever I see a car, I know to stay the course, get as far over as I can, and stay in as streight of a line as possible.
just a thought... hope this cleared something up for a fellow newbie.
and so far, none of them have been very helpful.
the only arguments I have seen have been:
"Don't ride with an iPod, be safe"
"I ride with an iPod all the time, I'd rather not hear the car that hits me because they would hit me whether or not I hear them"
both of these reasons are flawed.. .the first because there is no reason, and the second becuase the first one is true.
I wanted to try to help out as many new guys as I can with my observation and extensive 2 month experience..
the reason why you SHOULDN'T ride with music.
so here is the thing, as a new rider, I'm not 100% comfortable on my bike... they are a little different to control than a regular bike... and I have a 2 foot footprint no matter how hard I try.. I will always kind of move back and forth within a 2 foot span. whether you're dodging pot holes, or just getting more comfortable (or spitting... that always seems to knock me into the road some)
here is why that is important... I was on a ride yesterday, and after the 3rd dump truck passed me without even moving across the double yellow line
I realized..this can be dangerous.hearing does nothing, I don't know the position, or how far a car is from me, but it does do one thing... it lets me know its there.
So I know this seems simplistic, but this never really struck me when I first started riding, I would use music becuase all I read on these forums were bland "do" and "don't" answer... never really knew why..
but now whenever I see a car, I know to stay the course, get as far over as I can, and stay in as streight of a line as possible.
just a thought... hope this cleared something up for a fellow newbie.
05-10-07, 10:54 PM
#54
RacingBear
Originally Posted by screamtone
I now carry small rocks in the back of my jersey to throw at people before I pass them on the left, just in case they're wearing headphones. Problem solved.
If they don't care about hearing cars and trucks coming from behind, I'm not going to care for them. This is natural selection at work. You might as welll skip the helmet too. It just makes you look dorkey when you dial it up to 400 watts while listening to the Spice Girls.
Big question: Do you wear those things when you drive your car?
If they don't care about hearing cars and trucks coming from behind, I'm not going to care for them. This is natural selection at work. You might as welll skip the helmet too. It just makes you look dorkey when you dial it up to 400 watts while listening to the Spice Girls.
Big question: Do you wear those things when you drive your car?
05-10-07, 10:56 PM
#55
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Originally Posted by screamtone
Big question: Do you wear those things when you drive your car?
Or... I did listen to, on the VERY few occasions I drove my truck before some idiot rear-ended it at 100mph while it was parked on the side of the road.
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05-11-07, 01:05 AM
#56
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Originally Posted by screamtone
Big question: Do you wear those things when you drive your car?
05-11-07, 02:30 AM
#57
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I think it's important to differentiate between the people who wear both headphones with the volume up so loud they can't hear traffic or other cyclists, and those who have one ear free and the volume turned down low so the music is more of a background noise - which seem to be the majority of headphone users here.
Personally I don't do either as I ride on some very fast/busy roads at times and don't consider even a small tradeoff in road awareness worth the minimally extra enjoyment I would get from music. But for those who do most of their riding on MUPs or quiet roads, and have the volume at a reasonable level so they can hear outside noise, I don't see a problem with it.
Personally I don't do either as I ride on some very fast/busy roads at times and don't consider even a small tradeoff in road awareness worth the minimally extra enjoyment I would get from music. But for those who do most of their riding on MUPs or quiet roads, and have the volume at a reasonable level so they can hear outside noise, I don't see a problem with it.
05-11-07, 05:30 AM
#58
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Originally Posted by Machka
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! 
That sort of thing leads to singing the song "Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro" to yourself for 13 hours on a 300K!!!
That sort of thing leads to singing the song "Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro" to yourself for 13 hours on a 300K!!!
I think I prefer the voices telling me to kill, maim, destroy, and spead evil. At least they're not as bad as that song.
Az
05-11-07, 06:41 AM
#59
Positio, ergo sum!
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It may be a generation thing. I dont listen to music other than in my house or my car.
When I walk, run, bike ride, ski, canoe, I like to hear what is around me, be it city noise, cars, children, birds, other runners, riders, skiers and so on. I feel I'm more in "sync" with my surroundings.
When I walk, run, bike ride, ski, canoe, I like to hear what is around me, be it city noise, cars, children, birds, other runners, riders, skiers and so on. I feel I'm more in "sync" with my surroundings.
05-11-07, 06:55 AM
#60
the actual el guapo
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i ride with music. i'm on rural roads. i don't have a problem hearing cars coming from behind.
on bike paths, i listen to music but i'm i little more paranoid about it. i look over my shoulder a lot.
i really don't ride in the city. if i did, i'd be too worried to wear ear buds.
listening to music while riding is like not wearing a helmet while riding; common sense and safety dictates they are bad ideas.
there is only one legitimate reason for doing them, because you choose to. i listen to music while i ride because it makes a pleasurable experience even more pleasurable. i only wear a helmet when i'm riding with my kids. and i make them wear helmets. again, if i rode in the city, i think i'd be too paranoid to ride without a helmet.
for the most part, i get looks of scorn and contempt from roadies i pass. last 2 that did that, i got a chuckle...one was on his bikesdirect.com/peformancebikes.com scattante and the other had a huge dork disk and reflector on his back wheel. ppphhhhbbbbttt!
on bike paths, i listen to music but i'm i little more paranoid about it. i look over my shoulder a lot.
i really don't ride in the city. if i did, i'd be too worried to wear ear buds.
listening to music while riding is like not wearing a helmet while riding; common sense and safety dictates they are bad ideas.
there is only one legitimate reason for doing them, because you choose to. i listen to music while i ride because it makes a pleasurable experience even more pleasurable. i only wear a helmet when i'm riding with my kids. and i make them wear helmets. again, if i rode in the city, i think i'd be too paranoid to ride without a helmet.
for the most part, i get looks of scorn and contempt from roadies i pass. last 2 that did that, i got a chuckle...one was on his bikesdirect.com/peformancebikes.com scattante and the other had a huge dork disk and reflector on his back wheel. ppphhhhbbbbttt!
05-11-07, 07:50 AM
#61
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Cycle music...
Hey..can't find the link, but saw a little iPod speaker system that attached to the bars of your bike. The ipod was pretty well protected inside..seemed like a decent solution..but not for those that don't like to clutter up their ride.
Saw this at the CES show, so not sure if they actually went to manufacturing on this unit, or if it was just a mock up/ product concept.
I'll see if I can find it again if anyone is interested.
Tom
Saw this at the CES show, so not sure if they actually went to manufacturing on this unit, or if it was just a mock up/ product concept.
I'll see if I can find it again if anyone is interested.
Tom
05-11-07, 07:53 AM
#63
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Originally Posted by Rocky Mountain
+1
I don't care if people listen to music or not, I don't care if they wear a helmet or not, and neither should anyone else. If you want to listen to music, do it! If you feel its unsafe, then don't! Why should it be anymore complicated then that?
I don't care if people listen to music or not, I don't care if they wear a helmet or not, and neither should anyone else. If you want to listen to music, do it! If you feel its unsafe, then don't! Why should it be anymore complicated then that?
05-11-07, 07:58 AM
#64
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People... it's not so black and white as some want to make it out to be. Music or no music is wholly a function of where you ride and how you ride. I tend not to ride with music these days, for reasons I can't quite explain...maybe I just grew tired of it. But, I used to quite a bit. But NOT in NY traffic or anywhere that all my senses needed to be employed. If I ride in CP or PP, I have no problem with music, if I'm not riding in the pack. If I'm going on a solo ride at a fairly easy pace, there is a near zero risk of danger from being plugged in with volume reasonable. It's all just a matter of plain old common sense. Use it!!
05-11-07, 08:01 AM
#65
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i think its ok if there is absolutely no traffic. othersise, you are risking your life if you do....
05-11-07, 08:05 AM
#66
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I dont listen to music when I ride because I am sick of everything old and everything new sucks.
05-11-07, 09:03 AM
#67
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I almost crashed into a guy last night who was wearing an iPOD. He couldn't hear me and as soon as he realized I was passing him, he ran right in front of me. He was swerving all over the place as it was a group of riders behind him. Since he couldn't hear, he had about a millisecond to assess the situation and figure out where to go. To him, it probably seemed like he had bikes coming at him from all over the place even though we were very orderly and controlled. Fortunately, I had my hands on my brakes so I could stop fast enough.
05-11-07, 09:06 AM
#68
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Originally Posted by Jarery
That tells me you don't know how to ride correctly in traffic. The 3rd dumptruck to pass you without them moving to the left shows your not doing it right.
In addition, the part where you say half the pro/anti argument is "I'd rather not hear the car that hits me because they would hit me whether or not I hear them" tells me you have poor comprehension. Since the pro argument is that you CAN still hear the cars coming behind you while listening to music, just that you cant differentiate between a vehicle that is going to pass you and one thats going to hit you.
You also state your not 100% comfortable on your bike. And in that case I 100% agree with you. Learn to ride first, in a few years, then you can revisit the choice of listening to music.
I also commute to work, an hour each way in rush hour traffic, thru a large city. There is ALWAYS a car there. Its a non stop stream of traffic from the time I leave home, till the time i arrive at work, and vice versa. Music, at the right volume, does not make their noise disappear, it just makes the noise more pleasant.
In addition, the part where you say half the pro/anti argument is "I'd rather not hear the car that hits me because they would hit me whether or not I hear them" tells me you have poor comprehension. Since the pro argument is that you CAN still hear the cars coming behind you while listening to music, just that you cant differentiate between a vehicle that is going to pass you and one thats going to hit you.
You also state your not 100% comfortable on your bike. And in that case I 100% agree with you. Learn to ride first, in a few years, then you can revisit the choice of listening to music.
I also commute to work, an hour each way in rush hour traffic, thru a large city. There is ALWAYS a car there. Its a non stop stream of traffic from the time I leave home, till the time i arrive at work, and vice versa. Music, at the right volume, does not make their noise disappear, it just makes the noise more pleasant.
good grief people... read the whole thread first. I am talking to NEW GUYS WHO ARE WONDERING WHY. not people who have been riding for years.
many people are MORE than capable of riding with music, but I was suggesting why new guys shouldn't.
BTW... how do I get the dump trucks to move over to pass me?
05-11-07, 09:15 AM
#69
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Originally Posted by onkey
i think its ok if there is absolutely no traffic. othersise, you are risking your life if you do....
05-11-07, 09:24 AM
#70
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Originally Posted by Frugle
BTW... how do I get the dump trucks to move over to pass me?
This leaves the driver with three options. Pass you, wait behind you, or run you over. Which option they choose is out of your control.
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05-11-07, 09:37 AM
#72
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If you want people to give you room, take the room you want. If you stay as far onto the white line as you can manage, people will try to squeeze past you with very little room. If you are a little way into the road, they have no choice but to cross into the other lane, which will generally leave you with more room.
05-11-07, 09:47 AM
#73
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Think about your Estate. When the dump truck does plaster you, you don't want to give the Lawyers for the Truck company anything with which to work in the wrongful death action. (The cyclist was wearing an Ipod, he clearly wasn't paying attention....)
Oh, forgot I am a lawyer for a trucking company. Please keep wearing the Ipods.
Oh, forgot I am a lawyer for a trucking company. Please keep wearing the Ipods.
05-11-07, 10:15 AM
#75
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Originally Posted by endless
i don't use an iPod when i'm riding.............i'm old school and listen to my cd player 
That's not old school.... I bring one of these suckers. Man is it a workout!!!
