Originally Posted by
daredevil
With hearing I sure can't tell what lane position they are taking as they approach. Only my eyes can give me that info. And while out on the road, can't I just assume I'm going to have cars around me?
Your point that hearing is passive and all that sounds good but it doesn't mean much. The eyes and how to use them are what matter.
Which is why I said I wished it worked better and in a greater variety of circumstances. I keep my hearing unimpaired precisely for that specific set of circumstances where it does do some good, and don't rely on it for anything because of the circumstances where it doesn't. Nobody rides by sound alone, but you could ride by sight alone. I liken it to an alarm that has a blinking light and a buzzer. You only need one to be alerted, but can you argue that having two is a bad idea? Aren't the advantages of hearing why automobiles have a horn built in? The recipient of the warning need not have their eyes or their attention in any particular place to receive an auditory warning? The opposition to unimpaired hearing comes from those who like to listen to music while riding. Fear not, I don't seek to ban your earphones, I just choose not to impair my hearing when I ride. I understand that visual attention more than compensates for auditory input.
edit: check out this link, perhaps a more rational and methodical treatise on the subject:
http://www.headwize.com/articles/jallen1_art.htm