What you're describing precisely summarizes my thoughts on the whole music-yes or music-no debate. I could care less whether people use music from a safety standpoint, what's always amazed me is that people seem incapable of going outside and enjoying the world, instead choosing to keep media jacked in their brain. For me, riding is about getting away from canned noice, not embracing it. The last thing I want to do on ride is act like I'm sitting home listening to tunes.

My favorite pro-music argument goes along the lines of "it's really boring riding for 3 hours, I need music to break the monotony." If that's the case, I'd say they were better off staying home and playing a bike racing video game.

You've had an epiphany, welcome back to the world outside.