No, and I'm cool with that. Most of the views here, paradoxically, have some merit. I'm pretty darned cautious, and I have even taught people how to ride in traffic safely and predictably. I might say riding while listening to music compromises safety too much, but I won't make that decision for others. I have come to think that it might have been a factor in my confrontation, and that is why I usually don't listen to music while riding in streets. On quiet roads, it's different, but then again, quiet roads have their own dangers. Someone coming up from behind doesn't happen often, but we should still be ready for it.

Given that we are allowed a certain level of distraction, as evidenced by radios in cars, the NY State law that allows one earphone on a bike shows a thought of what is reasonable. I'm so glad I finally have earbuds that work OK in only one ear. Previously, I had over-the-ears headphones that were very leaky, and for me, that was a feature, not a bug. I was able to hear ambient noise. But when I put one of those on one ear and left the other ear totally open, then I couldn't hear the audio well enough.