The ear buds topics raise their heads here regularly. As far as I am concerned there is no right or wrong answer. ILTB loves his buds and is confident that the buds don't affect his safety. He is right. Others don't wear buds because they use their ears to supplement their other senses to help them gather best possible safety snapshot from their surroundings. They are right. Some feel like it detracts from the essence of cycling, and they are right.