rangerdavid

fixed that for ya...........

Lazyass

If you're wearing an earbud so your team manager can communicate during a race then that's cool, but listening to music is getting into Fred territory. Where I live I'm more concerned with hearing dogs coming up on me about every 15 minutes than cars.

AristoNYC

haha. I've never done spin class but it definitely sounds like I would be that type. ha.
I know what you mean, I've been riding the greenway the past 3 years, and thankfully only took a spill once when someone I was drafting decided to to stop short to get off the path w/o signaling. I can average 20mph on the greenway without feeling unsafe. Let me know if you ever want to ride, I'm always looking for people (especially those better than me) to ride with.

profjmb

Seriously folks, you should consider audiobooks. Books are awesome. Music is awesome in a different way, of course. But reading a book takes time and effort, and if you can do it while riding a bike, it's just great.

FIVE ONE SIX

60% of the time i ride, i listen to music every time...

a1penguin

There's too much going on around me and don't wish to get distracted by music. I want eyes and ears to ensure a safe ride.

t595

Audiobooks here (so that means that I answered the poll with a "no". Using aftershokz (AfterShokz Sportz 3 ») so that I can hear what is going on around me. they are not in your ear so hearing is not impaired.

Nachoman

90% of my rides are with at least one other rider. From a social standpoint, it would be weird to show up with ear buds. From a safety standpoint, we don't allow ear buds in our paceline.

heffdiddy

I used to just have my phone playing music from the handlebar mount when I first started riding last year. It was mostly to pass the time. Now I just listen to the sounds of the road. I live in Houston where if you aren't texting and speeding you ain't drivin. I don't think I am not going to get hit because I am not wearing earbuds. I just hate having to skip songs.

JameB

You can hear a car coming from behind. With headphones, you have 0% chance of hearing a car especially if it is a newer car that have very little engine noise.

MikeyBoyAz

Your facts and logic are irrefutable.

Rich Gibson 

I use my Samsung Galaxy S4 with a Bose Sound link mini bluetooth speaker. I found an exact size case for it at a military surplus store. It even has straps which fit around the stem post. I enjoy listening to jazz and classical as I ride.
Rich

OldsCOOL

I can hear them. But then, I'm not spinning my head to look back at every one to check their path. I hear tire and wind noise.

diphthong

i blast the local denizens with a back pocket speaker mixture of glam rock, old school metal, pavarotti/callas and big band action from the duke and mingus.
nothing quite like the faces on the spooked hood rats of all ages rolling up to/past them. deal.

rangerdavid

so what if you do hear it? lots of cars come up from behind. How can you tell by hearing that one is going to hit you? I don't think you can. You can't take evasive action for every car that comes up from behind.

rangerdavid

Rich, I also use my Galaxy S4 to play music. I have the Bose ear buds which don't cancel all noise and don't fit inside the ear, so I do get a lot of outside sounds. Love my Bose earphones!!

JameB

May be not, but at least you aren't surprised by a car flying by you.

rangerdavid

Cars don't surprise me. I expect them to come by.

Bob Ross

There are so many things wrong with that study [sic] that it's almost laughable. Wait, no, scratch "almost", I actually did laugh.
But the most obvious strawman is the fact that they were ostensibly comparing cyclists with earbuds to automobile drivers...so even if the study had followed strict protocol, the results would be essentially meaningless in terms of determining whether or not music via earbuds presents an impediment to a cyclist's safety!!!

Trsnrtr

I think you along with all of the other insightful, anecdotal and intuitive posts in this thread have convinced me to eschew my ear buds. In fact, I just got in from a ride without them and I felt immensely safer and more in control. Thank you.

SpeshulEd 

yes

and yes (well not too loud, I'm not trying to go deaf - my buds are noise isolating, no reason to crank them too loud)

If I'm going to get hit by a car, I'd rather not hear it and just enjoy the flight.

I also listen to music while I drive as opposed to driving with my head out the window.

BoSoxYacht

+1

If I'm training or commuting, most likely I'm listening to something with earbuds. When I'm JRA getting groceries or running errands locally, there's a good chance I'm not.

FTR, when I was hit from behind by a truck that was going 45-50mph, I was not listening with earbuds & I never heard the truck before I got hit by it.

If it's gonna happen, hearing it coming isn't gonna save you, but you can believe whatever let's you sleep at night.

Rich Gibson 

I've run into a number of situations in which the rider in front of me was approaching an intersection and drifting into my path as we were stopping. My calls of 'heads up!" were not heard because they were in never never land grooving on the music emanating from their deeply implanted ear buds. You've been lucky so far.

Rich

Rich Gibson 

I flew attack aircraft off of carriers...everyone gets surprised. The guys who made remarks like the one above were usually the first to 'buy the farm.' Or did I misunderstand your intent?

Rich

rangerdavid

my intent was, and is, for example at the *** range you get used to hearing *** fire. You don't flinch when you hear a *** go off. I'm used to cars coming up from behind. I don't flinch or get surprised when one does.