Daniel4

I wore earbuds once. The traffic noise was so loud, I had to crank up the volume full blast to hear the radio. Not worth wrecking my hearing.

Now I carry my radio in my chest pocket or bag. It's also turned up full blast but it's not directed into my ear.

If traffic noise is still too loud, so be it. But on MUPs, pedestrians who aren't wearing their own ear buds or headsets can hear me approaching.

robertorolfo

A little late to this party, but the people criticizing Noglider are insane. Taxi drivers (and Uber drivers, and delivery drivers...) are pushy here, and they won't hesitate to try and intimidate you with their vehicles, even if that obviously means they are putting you in danger. They either can't comprehend, or don't care about, the consequences.

Noglider was in the right to say something, and he was way more diplomatic about it than I would have been.

lostarchitect 

This is NYC. Cars approach from the rear constantly. We're aware of this at all times here. Don't assume where you ride is like riding here.

Skipjacks

You know....that is the hardest thing to do.

People, as a rule, hate admitting we screwed up. We want someone else to be responsible.

So our knee jerk reaction is usually "The other guy is a complete ass and totally at fault!"

You can't help the knee jerk reaction. But it does show a lot of class, maturity, and honest self reflection to look at the situation objectively and see if you played a part and can do better.

We should all take this example as a guide for life.

This is not my strong suit. But I'm working on it. There are a few times I've nearly been hit that have made me a better rider BECAUSE I looked back objectively and learned what I could do to avoid that situation next time. Even when the other guy is MORE wrong and the problem is 98% his fault, I can often find something I did to make a bad situation worse or that I could have done to avoid it altogether. (That doesn't mean the taxi driver didn't deserve a verbal beat down)

Daniel4

Back when I was 17 or 18 when I bought my first bike on my own, I had also purchased a blue book on bikes to learn how to maintain it and other stuff.

One quote I remembered from that book was that New York cabbies are the bottom of the barrell.

Sometimes, when driving, and I see a cab trying to make a u-turn, I feel like I want to be an a**hole, I'd drive up behind him forcing him to get stuck and block traffic from the other way.

robertorolfo

Exactly. I don't think some people really comprehend the situation here.

​​​​​​​As drivers, they used to be the bottom of the barrel. And then Uber showed up. And then all the delivery guys started riding e-bikes...

alan s 

josephjhaney

We are still going on this huh? Again, If a deaf person lives in NYC and asks here if he should ride his bike, would you tell him no? If not, your argument is invalid, regardless of how many times you repeat it.

Joe

golftdi

There is a difference between riding while deaf and riding while distracted.

alan s 

noglider 

Not only that, yellow taxi drivers have honestly become better. I expect them to be inconsiderate, and then sometimes they are not. I don't see them as my enemies. They are working under different constraints than I am, and that drives them to behave in a certain way.

Anyway, even though I played a part in what happened, and even though the taxi driver was wrong to threaten me or try to teach me a lesson with a deadly weapon, I think I got through to him, and that's heartening. It's really more than I can hope for in many situations.

josephjhaney

I use a mirror, and I'm not deaf, so can I use earbuds? And don't tell me I'm distracted, unless every human being in a car with the radio on is equally distracted, and if that's the case then why is it legal to have the radio on in the car? Logically, this argument is flawed, it's a classic case of a law being stupid, and people just defending it. No one is telling you to ride with earbuds in. No one is telling you you should. No one is judging your riding, however you choose to do it, the only life you're risking on a bicycle is your own, and guess what, you have every right to risk it. If some other jerk mows me down because HE is distracted, my life ends because of his poor choice (I'd say that's a bit unfair). If my life ends because of my own action, while still slightly unfair, since I'm sure the penalty for having an earbud or two in under the law isn't death, at least it's on me. If I didn't wear earbuds, I might not look forward to riding as much, and as such, how many years would that take off the end of my life. My life, my choices, and people making arguments here when clearly the only one at fault was the taxi driver are part of what drives everyone crazy about the internet in general.

Joe

josephjhaney

See above. People are distracted by all kinds of things, if I can't pedal in a straight line on the side of the road, or in the lane I'm taking, with music playing, I most likely am not functional enough to both walk and chew gum either.

Joe

golftdi

I don't think we're going to convince each other.

noglider 

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.

josephjhaney

Not a problem. I also enjoy Kayaking, and riding a motorcycle. I wear a full face helmet when I ride the motorcycle, and I can tell you, for a fact, I can hear less in my full face while on my motorcycle, than I can with earbuds in. But again, I'm choosing my safety, and you get to choose yours. It comes back to telling people something is "too risky" or "dangerous". Eating cheeseburgers and watching hours of reality tv on your couch is going to kill far more people, and take many years off lives than someone out biking with earbuds in will. If I'm here promoting bicycling because I enjoy it, and sharing the way I do, hopefully someone who is coming here and considering a commute will take some inspiration and give it a shot. It's a risk, but even with earbuds, I'd say if you factor in the fitness, health and overall well being, it's a risk I'm happy to take. Ymmv.

Joe

golftdi

And yes I agree that's ok

Safe and enjoyable rides to all!

robertorolfo

For the tenth time, he wasn't wearing earbuds. He was wearing an earbud. Can you understand the difference?

And NYC isn't the worst place in the world for riding a bike. Not even close. But it does come with a unique set of characteristics and challenges, neither of which are exasperated by the presence of a single earbud.

BobbyG

Granted I'm not in NYC, but when I see a company vehicle exhibit courtesy towards another driver, or do something positive out of the ordinary, I call the company and "lodge" a compliment.

(although one time, the operator at this one company said there was only a complaint submission and that if she entered a compliment it would count as a complaint, so I passed.)

ascherer 

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).

Bike Gremlin

Never ever had a problem with drivers passing close - in over 30 years of cycling.

When (if) I ride not holding a straight line (rough ground, or other reasons), they give me room - practically always.

When I ride straight, I have no problem with them passing close by - as long as they don't hit me. None of them have, ever.
Is it pleasant? No. Would I prefer all the cars to drive 25 km/h in a line behind me? No.

noglider 

Thank you, Andy. I didn't think to say it, but I really am more aware than most people. Every time something happens, I add it to my repertoire of things to check. When I come to an intersection, for example, I check for so many things that I couldn't verbalize them all. The same is true for a huge number of situations.

no motor?

I've called and complimented drivers before too. Even if I don't get a unit number, it still does some good to compliment a company to employs someone who looks out for my safety.

josephjhaney

I'll add I have over 30,000 miles pedaled since 2006, I have been hit once, and in that case I made eye contact with the driver, then she pulled out and ran directly into me, her front right bumper hit me as I was directly in front of her, she at a stop sign, me with plenty of visibility. She stopped, jumped out of her car, and started apologizing on the spot. All I got was a bruised rib and a new bike out of the deal, so I was lucky. That's a pretty safe record, hopefully it stays that way.

Joe

lostarchitect 

I said the road is busy, not that it's the worst place in the world to ride a bike. Overall compared to other places I have lived, like LA, NYC is not bad at all.

Anyway, I don't wear earbuds and don't recommend it to others. But if Noglider feels he can wear one bud and be aware, I'll take him at his word. I know he's a very competent rider.