zymphad

Big deal to me. Just compounds upon all the other risks cyclists deal with.

ussprinceton

I listen to music, with only one earbud, the other ear, none

SpeshulEd 

It was about due for this to make it's rounds again.

I've been listening to a ton of psychedelic rock while riding lately.

trainsktg

I almost never listen to music while riding, but when I do it's 90-ish bpm classics like:

Joe Satriani - Surfing With the Alien,
iron Maiden - The Trooper,
Allman Brothers - Ramblin' Man,
Black Sabbath - Neon Knights,
Mötley Crüe - Kickstart my Heart,
and of course
Meat Loaf - Bat out of Hell


Keith (divide by two when required )

nastystang

The situational awareness comment is really what it boils down to and I do wear ear buds and I am also aware of my surroundings all the time. Then again I was hit by a car years ago on a bike and the only thing that made a differenc for me was seeing the car and being able to respond to what was about to happen. I made eye contact with the driver several times. She still cut me off doing a right turn. My ability to hear her would have made no difference. I make sure I know what's going on all the time around me. I'm sure none of you drive your car with the radio on either right. Fact is people are self absorbed. Say on your left and people move left. Just expect the worst and be overly prepared.

Dopefish905

80% of my riding is bike paths rest road, but I listen to music almost 100% of the time. Don't think it changes much as long as you keep your aware of your surroundings..using your eyes, helps me grind harder and longer I find.

Heavy metal or EDM for my rides

kbarch

I think it's silly to expect life to have a soundtrack, though I'll admit that sometimes when it does and it's fitting, it's delightful.
I love to listen to all kinds of music, but I do not particularly like music to be playing when I'm doing something else that I enjoy - it's annoying, even if (sometimes especially if) it's music I like a great deal. I've never wanted to have music playing when I've been out cycling. Similarly, I don't like to be interrupted or distracted when I'm listening to great music. Back when I used to drive, I had music playing in the car much of the time, but driving is pretty stupefying, especially when the windows are rolled up.

As for whether wearing earbuds is a good idea on a bike? I won't make any claims about how safe it is, but I do wish people would NEVER wear them in public. When you go out in public, people shouldn't have to flail their arms or poke you to get your attention. They aren't allowed on the club rides I participate in.

diphthong

too many good songs to list here. earlier poster mentioned bon scott ac/dc which always works. i crank a portable bluetooth speaker loud enuff to turn heads
with a varied playlist from frank to pavarotti to mingus to radiohead to the stones. in regards to the issue of being able to "hear" cars vs not "hearing" them,
i just always ride like there's a car right behind me. i usually "feel" cars vs hearing them anyway. if i wanna stretch it out and take the whole lane, i'll glance back-no biggie.

velociraptor

Shame on you. Shame on you all. Rule #62

Stucky

I'd never ride with music. Not just the safety issue, but I want to hear my environment; my bike; my inner voice[Oh wait, it was a fart]- but if I did listen... this would be a requisite:

K.Katso

What's with all the old thread resurrection lately? This issue was beat to death years ago, and again last year apparently.

SpeshulEd 

My current bike riding playlist:

Ride That Bike

italianstallion

I started out riding a few months ago and naturally rode with the buds in. Had a close call on a bike path where one cyclist with earbuds didn't hear my call for "on your left" and he crossed into me at the last second and we locked bars. Luckily neither of us went down, but after that I figured I'd bag the headphones just in case the roles ever reverse.

I enjoy the sound of the tires on the road, the wind through the trees, and the birds chirping above. I ride for fitness and to be outside, not to listen to songs I've probably heard 100 times and will hear thousands more.

diphthong

some good stuff on there!

diphthong

since the keepers of the cog didn't get around to addressing the issue till rule #62 ,
it's of little consequence. if the same rule were in the top ten, perhaps i'd care but
probably not. page/plant, lennon/mccartney and the glimmer twins contribute a lot more
to my ride than the sounds of a nearby volvo in need of a new muffler.

Ghazmh

I am rather entertained by the arguing voices in my head, ok just kidding. My favorite trainer music is Godsmack.

bbattle

Long and Winding Road.- Elton John


Moonlight Mile - Rolling Stones

On the Road Again - Willie Nelson

Driving(Riding) my life away - Eddie Rabbit

Riding my bike - Imagination Movers

Bike - Pink Floyd

Bike ride to the moon - Dukes of Stratospheare (XTC)

Bicycle Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Broken Bicycles - Tom Waits

Tour de France - Kraftwerk

Riding on my Bike - Madness

I don't listen to music, I sing while riding. "The Little Engine that Could" is a good climbing favorite.

LesterOfPuppets

I gave up announcing passes in all but racing situations long ago.

Passees are just as likely to move the wrong way, perhaps even moreso when it comes to peds.

Pass them with 3' or more clearance and hope for the best. Wobbly climbers might need 6' clearance.

Carbonfiberboy 

The point was that he couldn't hear the announcement, nor motor vehicles for that matter. Soon to be roadkill.

LesterOfPuppets

I find seeing motor vehicles more important than hearing them.

When I'm riding the bike lane on a 40mph 4-lane arterial the cars sound like white noise, anyway. The one that's gonna hit you won't sound any different from the hundreds of thousands that pass without hitting you.

It's probably better if peds don't hear you coming either, as it often startles them and causes unpredictable results.

RISKDR1

I was riding on one of our group rides when a guy had a speaker in each back pocket that was like a boom box. I guess he thought everyone liked gansta rap played loud. sheesh!

LesterOfPuppets

I might add that increased use of electric and hybrid vehicles makes visual awareness of motor vehicles even more important.

Sullalto

I hope not, you ********.

I need to start doing that!

KonaRider125

If your riding alone on the shoulder of a road I don't see why wearing headphones would be unsafe. If a car is going to hit you, they are going to hit you wether you hear them coming or not.

I personally think listening to music I like while ridding makes it more enjoyable. I wouldn't do it in a group ride.

Stucky

You never know when you may have toi make an emergency evasive action, which might take you into the roadway and into the path of a car. Ultimately you want to be able to look.....but in extreme cases, you might have to make a snap decision and there might not even be time to look. Having all of your senses available to you in such situations could be a life-saver.

I ride with a mirror; but I often hear cars long before I'll see them.

Even driving, I never play music so loud that it prevents me from hearing other sounds. On a bicycle, hearing is even more important, because we are often going much slower than motorized traffic, and often over-taken in the same lane; or must enter and leave lanes of faster moving traffic.

Better to use two senses- vision and hearing- to maximize safety, than to rely on only one- especially in emergency situations. Such is probably MORE important when you are on a shoulder or otherwise not in the flow of traffic, than when you are taking the lane- because when you're taking the lane.