Originally Posted by
Stealthammer
Personally I believe that a driver in an airtight cage, with a 5000 watt stereo system, as well as possibly a cell phone, is in no less danger than I am as a cyclist with a small MP3 player and a good pair of earbuds. That driver certainly can't hear any better than I can, and in fact I can probably hear the traffic more clearly than they can.
The difference is that the driver will survive 99% of the wrecks he gets into with nothing more than maybe a sore neck. The odds aren't so good on a bike. Most drivers you talk to have had a few wrecks in their lifetime. I've had 3 while driving. I hope to have a much better record than that on my bike.
I've tried speakers on the handlebars and found that they are not loud enough to effect my ability to hear traffic. I'm not so sure about headphones. They may be fine, but I haven't been willing to test that theory myself.