FWIW I ride with Tom in NYC and I assert that that he is a VERY aware cyclist. He and I have compared notions about headphones; it freaks me out to listen to headphones while I ride, even on remote dirt roads in Vermont. I observe Tom is quite adept at it. It's a skill, not a moral failing or worse and I won't impose my lack of that ability on him any more than I would tell a trapeze artist that they are crazy becaue I can't do what they can. It reminds me of the adage about driving: anyone who is going slower than me is an idiot, anyone who drives faster than me is an a**hole.

In general, generalizations - about headphones, taxi drivers, honking horns or anything- lack context and meaning in real world situations. Each moment is unique, live your life and be careful out there without making the rest of us wrong with ATMO (sorry, Richie S).