Headphones While Commuting?
 

Obviously, this is a dangerous practice that I do not recommend!

However, I admit to occasionally being guilty of jamming out while cruzin in traffic. I know its not safe, but it really gives a feeling of pure escapism. I have never had an incident (or even a close call that was out of the ordinary), but:

Question 1: Do you listen to headphones while commuting? Do you have any horror stories? Statistics?

Question 2: What type of music? Nine-Inch-Nails to Mozart? How does the aggressiveness/relaxivness of the music affect your riding style?

-Gavin

I ride. I fall down. I get up.
Meanwhile, I keep dancing.

I've never used headphones or anything else that would keep me from hearing the traffic approaching from the rear. You can't ride defensively if you're spaced out on music.

You have to remember that every car on the road is there for one purpose: TO RUN YOU OVER!

I don't ride with headphones because I almost almost ride with other people, which adds to the things you have to listen for (pothole! right! left! no, RIGHT! etc...)

I do listen to music when I ride indoors, however. That music is usually loud rock. I feel it helps with the efforts a lot. Just the noise & beat seems to help you to go harder.

velo

No. For one thing, it's dangerous (as if that isn't already the case around here). For another thing, unlike the motoring primate, my riding experience doesn't need any artificial enhancement thank you.

When I'm not riding, I listen to music ranging from Metallica through to Elton John (I kid you not). Various things come into my head from time to time depending on my mood. The Screaming Jets make the most common appearance.

I don't use headphones while cycling for both reasons that Chris gave: too dangerous, and the experience of cycling itself doesn't need diluting with background music.

I do, however, use either cotton in my ears, or actual high-isolation earplugs adjusted so that I can hear traffic but it's somewhat muffled. I have unusually sensitive hearing and noises that don't seem to bother others can be painful for me.

As for listening when not cycling, I don't do that much anymore, for two reasons: (1) long-standing tinnitus probably worsened by a couple of firecracker attacks while cycling makes it increasingly hard to enjoy music; (2) I find even the music I like to be more and more of an irritant, and an invasive presence. I like silence!

When I did listen to a lot of music (and I have 700+ LPS, around 400 CD's, 300 cassettes), it was mainly "classical" (Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, and Haydn among the favorites, but dozens others as well) and some jazz. I also enjoyed some indigenous music, nowadays called "world" music though I would think any music came from somewhere in the world....

I don't listen to music whilst cycling (or walking for that matter) because of the dangers.

I have however been known to scare sheep as I pedal along with a badly out of tune rendition of a half remembered song ;)

Richard

I never use headphones while riding outdoors. Too dangerous!!
Indoors is another story. Music is a must!

I do run across the occasional idiot who is wearing headphones and often has no lights and/or is wearing dark clothing at daybreak or sunset.
Then there is the idiot who is smoking while cycling. Give me a break! How stupid can some people be? :confused:

Here we go again.

First, read this.

I ride with headphones very frequently. I've never had a crash, nor even a close call attributable to wearing headphones. I have been rear ended once. I wasn't wearing headphones on that day. It didn't help.

Does anyone have any actual data that leads them to conclude that this is such a dangerous practice? ('it's just common sense' doesn't count as conclusive data)

I used to ride to music (Eagles, 38 Special, etc.) and never found any earphones that worked really well. This was actually good, as I could always hear approaching traffic, so I never really looked too hard for ones that fit real well. I never had any close calls, but out here in Nebraska, I also don't ride in the heavy traffic that many of you do.

After I got my road bike, and started to ride more, I found that fooling around with the cassette or CD player just wasn't worth the hassle, and besides, when I get in the Zone, I don't need the music, anyway! So now, I only use the music for non-riding activities...lately such as shoveling snow!

No data required. It's just not a practice I would be at all comfortable with. A nervous rider is more likely to crash than one who is not nervous (I do have experience of that much!). And as I said before, as far as I'm concerned, it would detract from the whole cycling experience.

Jon R. Just curious care to elaborate on this 'firecracker attack." While cycling? Hope it is not the way it sounds. Guess better than bullets.

oops. double post

Individual comfort is just that: individual. Some people aren't comfrotable with riding a bicycle in traffic, and express that discomfort by saying it's 'too dangerous'. You and I know that this isn't in fact the case, so in terms of determining the truth of the statement that riding with headphones is dangerous, I think some actual data would be useful. I'm fairly certain that such data doesn't exist, so I don't think that it's at all 'obvious' that riding with headphones is dangerous in absolute terms.

I understand your reasons for not doing it. It's a personal choice whether or not you like to ride with music, and there are many occasions when I leave the walkman at home myself. I just think it's misleading to state that something is dangerous without a) comprehensive statistical data, or, even better, b) practical experience.

This discussion came up last year, and I went through these steps with Palafo (whatever happened to him?). After repeatedly prompting for some actual experience of headphones causing a crash or a near crash he finally admitted that he had in fact had some experience of it, and that he got into trouble as a result. However, the reason for this was that he was fiddling with the player while trying to ride. Nebill indicated a similar thing. It basically had nothing to do with having his hearing attenuated by headphones.

This is in fact a real danger with riding with music, but this is solved simply by turning the thing on before setting off and then leaving the d@mn thing alone. If any complicated fiddling needs to be done with the player, STOP THE BIKE. I know the controls of my walkman by touch, and can stop and start the tape as instinctively as clipping into my pedals and with as much diverting of attention.

Now, this is in fact the real danger with riding with headphones: diverting attention away from riding itself. This split attention is a problem whether your wearing headphones or not though. How many times have you been riding along thinking about various things: what's for dinner, that pretty girl on the footpath, fuming about some driver that cut you off, singing a song. All these things are just as diverting as listening to headphones. In fact, in my experience they are more distracting. I let the music be a background to riding, and while it can be a distraction, it can actually help maintain focus on riding.

That probably sound a bit outlandish, but hear me out. The music fairly effectively silences the inner monologue of thoughts and imaginings, and my attention can stay where it should be: on taking in my environment and responding appropriately. Yes, hearing is attenuated, but it's not rendered completely ineffective, and I don't rely on my hearing that heavily anyway. This may sound like I'm claiming that it's actually safer to ride with headphones, but that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying that, for me at least, it makes no difference whatsoever. The real thing that endangers safety, ie. diverted attention, is equally possible with or without headphones.

So, make your choice, it makes no difference to me, but don't try and tell me it's dangerous, because 6 years + of experience riding with headphones tells me otherwise.

Well in California it is illegal to drive cars with headphones on. I think that probably applies to cyclists as well. But I still recall having seen cyclists ride with headphones on. I would not do it.

I like to keep my ears tuned to the sounds around me, whether that be approaching cars, birdsong, or strange noises my bike is making.
When I round blind bends, ears are the only way I have of detecting approaching cars.
Can you tell if your gears have engaged or your front mech needs adjusting, if you have earphones on ?

On the topic of listening to music while commuting, it was written:

I question this kind of "superficial elitist purism" <-- (Strong term, take with grain of salt). This was the same attitude I got from the skiiers when I started snowbording. Well, there is more than one way to get down a mountain, or a street, for that matter. I assume you have a nice bike. I assume you have gears, maybe even a shock. It is all artificial enhancement of your riding experience... things you don't really need. So, go assemble two wheels connected to a homemade chain and pedals, and be a real purist. Better yet, build a pair of hiking boots from dicarded tires and walk to work... bikes are, after all, only artificially enhancing your walking experience. Maybe this doesn't all make sense, but my point is that music is an not "artificial enhancement". Music is very real and can enhance not only riding, but walking, driving, work, living....

Maybe its dangerous, maybe its not. But music - artificial? Do you really believe that?

Manderax

I ride. I fall down. I get up.
Meanwhile, I keep dancing.

The fact of the matter is that gears and the like enhance the functionality of the bike. Music does not. It's very, very simple. As far as I'm concerned, music provides something to do when you are not riding (i.e. trapped indoors). Personally, when I'm outside I want to experience the things that happen out there.

If you want to drag an extension of the indoor world with you, why go outside at all?

I think I would find it strange to start thinking about my life as subdivided into an "indoor" life and an "outdoor" life. It doesn't have to be that simple, and can be alot more exciting. And I understand that gears enhance the functionality of the bike, etc. I accept that argument, but I still don't agree that music should be confined to a specific time and place: Inside When Trapped. Music can greatly enhance a ride, and its not artificial. Surely you have tried it, at least once, on a trail or easy road?

Again, I am still not mentioning safety issues... we know about those, lets leave those out.

Yes, I have tried it a few times (not many). I found that it detracted from the whole experience of being on the bike to begin with. As I said, music is fine when you're doing something you don't particularly enjoy (such as household chores and so on), but when you're doing something you really want to do, it is unnecessary and not particularly welcome.

It is illegal to ride with headphones in a car or on a bike in Ohio where I live. I'd never personally ride with headphones, ear buds or anything in my ears. I like to be able to hear everything around me. Fewer distractions, more time to think, destress, etc. Despite the article link posted, I still find my hearing to be an invaluable asset when riding in traffic. As important as any mirror at least.

It's hard to say where I stand on this. I have never felt the need to listen to music while riding. Often times the rhythm of the bike has me singing along. On my ride the other day I had "Down in it" from NIN's "Pretty Hate Machine" running through my head and towards the end of the ride Leonard Cohen's "So long Marianne" was mellowing me out, even though I couldn't remember the lyrics.

Sometimes I'm heading out on my bike and that means turning off the radio show that i'm listening to. This is when I think the headphones might be nice. I could ride my bike and not have to miss the good music or commentary that I had been listening to.

However, I don't ride with headphones. I haven't even tried it. My main concern is that if I am involved in an accident that the fact that I was wearing headphones would be used against me. It's just not worth it to me.

I wholeheartedly support your choice to not wear headphones whilst riding. It's a personal choice - some like music while riding, some don't. In my experience it isn't a safety issue, so it comes down merely to likes and dislikes. So you don't like music while you ride. Good for you. Myself, I do like music while I ride. You seem to be implying , however, that because of this I must therefore not particularly enjoy cycling. Well, with all due respect Chris, f*ck you.

I didn't enter this discussion to start telling people what they should and shouldn't like. That would be the height of ignorance. I'm merely trying to dispell the myth that riding with headphones is a dangerous activity. I do this from a position of extensive experience. I'm still waiting for someone to describe a crash or near crash directly attributable to attenuated hearing from wearing headphones.

Now, to the original question: I like David Byrne's 'Uh-Oh'. I listen to this almost exculively (the quote below is from it), although I do pop in his other albums sometimes. I also like Yello and Oingo Boingo. Basically I like upbeat music both whilst riding and in general.

A limited playlist, and leaving each cassette in the player for weeks at time minimises the amount of mucking around with the player I need to do.

I suggest a simple but interesting experiment:

1. Put some headphones on and play music you like.

2. Now pick up a book that's really involving and start reading in it.

3. After two or three pages ask yourself "What happened to the music?"

4. Now ask yourself, "Is it possible really to pay attention to more than one thing at a time?"

5. If the answer is "No," consider the implications for cycling safety.

<<<<<<However, I don't ride with headphones. I haven't even tried it. My main concern is that if I am involved in an accident that the fact that I was wearing headphones would be used against me. It's just not worth it to me.>>>>>

Bingo.... You said the same thing I wanted to state. You better believe that the attorney of the car that hit you will make every effort to bring this up since it is an illegal activity in New York City. Using those headphone forfeits your right to a large settlement since most juries will side with the driver.

When you think about it. Those head phones practically guarantee that the driver who killed you will not spend a day in jail.

Why not just try riding with headphones for a while to see if your assumptions are true? You don't need to construct spurious experiments to find out the truth here, just try the actual activity itself.

Besides, it isn't really an apt analogy. Reading and riding are nothing alike. To see this, try the same experiment by trying to hold a conversation while reading that book.

It's very difficult to give proper attention to both reading and conversing, yet it is quite possible to hold a conversation whilst riding - people do it all the time. True it's not giving complete attention to either task, but music requires so little attention that sufficient is left to ride safely.

In fact, I'd say it's far less distracting to listen to music than it is to hold a conversation whilst riding, so I hope everyone claiming the dangers of headphones also keep silent on group rides. Also, those that won't wear headphones, but will sing a song to themselves either silently or outloud, are still diverting their attention from riding, again probably more so than simply listening to music.

But all this arguing is academic unless you're prepared to actually find out for yourself the effect listening to music whilst riding actually has, rather than relying on presumptions and prejudice. Of course, this suggestion doesn't apply to those living in jurisdictions where it is prohibited. I certainly don't advocate disobeying the law.

In closing, and this is the last post I'll make in this thread, do people really think I'm so stupid that I'd do something for as long as I have if it were as unsafe as people claim? Give me a bit of credit here people. Is 10,000km/year+ for 6 1/2 years of experience, a large proportion of them wearing headphones, worth nothing here?

I am not one to foist upon others my moral beliefs. i just note in California, it is illegal to wear headphones. As to music, I love the so called adult contemporary artists such as Sarah McLaughlin, Anne Lennox, Del Amitri, Concrete Blonde, Tom Petty and so on.
As I said under the thread, 3 best songs ever- only thing I miss about bike commuting is missing my favorite independent radio station.
So, since I will not commute with headphones and prefer bike commuting over driving- guess I miss my bike more than my music.
I understand those who like to combine their favorite music with biking, but to me it would detract from my ride. Each to their own.
God, please never let me experience a cyclist with a blaster similiar to those on motorcycles playing some metalic rap. I hate being forced to hear others crappy music.

I listen to the radio all the time when cycling, last Saturday for instance my ears were glued to the radio when I listened to the Royal Wedding of Prince William-Alexander and the new Princess Máxima. I'm not even such a royalty-watcher!
the trick is to listen with just one ear when you're on roads with more traffic (only right ear) and there is an earphone which has only one ear phone bud.. the other unused part would invariably fall down and get into the spokes to be chopped off.

It's safer to listen to news & talk radio... however when I would be training I'd probably be better off with music, but I am afraid it will drown out the traffic noise.. so don't really like that..
Having a mirror on the helmet is a better way to avoid problems than 'listening' to traffic.. in that case music would be fine.. I've lost my mirror and haven't replaced it yet..so I'm more careful again.
So, what about a mp3 player.. taking tapes or cds would bore me silly with just 12 songs at most.. I want to have an option to listen to 100s of songs .... in June i'll be riding a 600K ride, so need some inspiration for pacing myself!

I confess to having assumed headphones were dangerous on bikes without further investigation. Inspired by this thread (that and a degree of time whilst waiting for some tedious reports to run), I had a browse to see whether there was much else on the net regarding this.

There doesn't appear to be any statistical studies published on the subject so drawing conclusions as to how dangerous it is (or isn't) from accident statistics isn't possible (there is of course also the problem that relatively few cycling accidents are reported, and ascertaining cause or even contributory factors in an accident isn't always easy).

All I found was that various bodies, either legislate against wearing of headphones or recommend against them whilst using a vehicle of one form or another.

The article Allister provided a link to is the most interesting I found, and I think it certainly suggests that the perceived danger of cycling with headphones is probably exaggerated, but as the writer concludes:

"I agree that headphones (or any other extraneous sound source) can sometimes affect the safety of bicycle operation. I think that it is important for a bicyclist to think carefully about when to use headphones, and I certainly don't encourage playing them loudly. "

Any sound that may mask another is potentially dangerous to a cyclist, and music from headphones can logically be no exception. I think what is debatable is the degree of increased risk listening to music has, and my guess would be that it's fairly low, if the music is played at a relatively low level. How often you are likely to be in a situation when a shouted warning might have prevented you having an accident? - Probably not very often. Some of us have heard a car dropping gear behind us as a junction approached and believe we may have prevented a left/right hook by reacting to it, but we can't say that if we had been wearing headphones we wouldn't have heard it with 100% certainty, or that an accident would have occured had we not reacted.

I don't think it is possible to argue that listening to music whilst wearing headphones is without any risk, but that risk may be quite small. Personally I've no wish to wear headphones, but I can understand why people do.

Richard

Add me to the list of miscreants that ride with headphones, but only on commutes. I like to listen to recorded books rather than music or radio. I ride with glasses-mounted mirror, which helps offset the reduced hearing.

Hey! I don't even have a cell phone, so we won't go there.
;)

When you ride the bike, ride the bike. When you listen to music, listen to the music. When you eat, eat. Mindfulness.