I'm not really proud nor ashamed of my music library, just pointing out the facts. I'm really not interested in filling my HD with music I don't care for. Most of the music comes from CD's my wife and I have accumulated over the last 20 years.

OTOH, I'm not impressed with people with thousands of songs merely copied from their buddies.

The point was that I enjoy listening to music since I've been using iPods for longer and more than nearly everyone here (>5000 hours over nearly 7 years), just not on my bike.

-murray

Pcad's gonna be pissed when he finds out you stole his Walkman.

i don't know about you guys but my MP3 player has adjustable volume.

no one would be stupid enough to blast their music and block out all noise.
keep it low. don't use noise cancelling earbuds, stay on the side of the road always.

and listen to rage against the machine, ACDC, evanescence; ride hard and before you know it 60km has gone by.

Don't bet on that

Deaf people ride bikes, too.

I'm sure that they wish they could hear music from an mp3 player, whether while riding or not.

true.

then its natural selection.

some still ride without helmets. go figure.

Never mind stupidity...

One ear bud? Volume down? Huh? Maybe if you're listening to some podcast or something.

For me, I want the best sound possible. For that, isolation is necessary.

Now, consider this. I ride a two lane rural highway on my commute. I SEE everything that approaches front and back EVERY F'N TIME. Why the hell do I need to hear them too? Explain that to me you natural selection and safety nanny goons! Come up with the scenario for me that says I need to hear em.

You do what you want. For me the music is backround noise. It adds to the ambiance, but it isn't the primary objective. It is possible to listen to the music and still use all of your senses. I don't see the point in completely cutting one off intentionally, but I know that's what you will say about me not using a mirror, so I'll just leave it at that. To each his/her own. Whatever makes you feel safe. But if I come up on you and you are in my way and you don't hear me asking you to move over because you are compltely isolating yourself, then I'll smack you. Just you. Of course that scenario shouldn't happen because you are always looking in your mirror, but I encounter people like that all the time.

Do you ride in traffic without a mirror? Well, natural selection I guess.

And enough of the threats internet tough guy. I'd be embarrassed.

Gee, I called that one. Anyway, it wasn't a threat... I said it wouldn't happen because you would see me. But most people, mirrors or otherwise, don't pay enough attention to their surroundings, and when they are wearing their earphones on both ears with the music blasting they are totally oblivious.

But regardless, I do try to follow traffic laws, and whether you like it or not, riding with earphones on both ears is always illegal and riding without a mirror never is.

Do you have documented proof of this? That riding with earphones on both ears is always illegal, everywhere, every time?

For me, I'd like some isolation just to keep my ears from ringing afterwards.

When I can't even hear the drivetrain because of the wind noise (17-20 mph into a 15-mph headwind is fairly loud), then it's too loud, especially for two hours of riding.

I've ridden before with either isolating earbuds or good earplugs, and I'd usually feel pretty relaxed when I got home. After my ride earlier this evening without earbuds or plugs, I was sitting there on the john, noticing that my ears were still ringing -- which wasn't a problem after rides with hearing protection.

No. I was referring to just the US. I suppose its possible that somewhere in the US allows it but I would doubt it. I leave it as an exercise to the readers to disprove me.

Edit: I have admitted I was wrong below
VVV

Got it. You don't actually have any proof that riding with earphones is always illegal everywhere, every time in the US, but you're going to lie that it's always illegal, everywhere, and every time in the US until proven otherwise for the sake of an online argument.

I haven't looked at the vehicle code for every state to prove that lights are required at night but I think it is a safe bet.

Note: for the purposes of this discussion regarding earphones, hearing aid devices are excepted.

Edit: I have admitted I was wrong below
VVV

I'm not sure how many consecutive times you need to be proven full of ***** but we're already at two, so I'll be off to do something else now.

I have three PDFs of DC bike laws, and none of them contain the words "headphones", "earphones", or even "music". So, yeah, even here, where a cyclist mayor is trying to push cycling further into the mainstream (as if it even needs his help anyway), using a music player while riding isn't (yet) an issue.

I've got my local laws in Illinois as well, and they don't saw a word about any of the above. He was just lying to try to have the last word. Sad, but you see that a lot when people try to control other people's behavior.

I've only been doing it without incident in the NY Metro area for 20 years. So far so good.

Whew.

It must be the iPod that keeps me safe.

It could be said that I am making an assumtion that is not supported by evidence, but I believe it is a reasonable assumption and I am too lazy to do the research to back it. However, it is easily disproved. Somebody just needs to show the vehicle code from one state that allows earphones in both ears. My argument is not necessarily that it is unsafe to do so, just that it is illegal to do so, and therefore it is not a strawman argument.

In any event, it most certainly IS illegal in California and I live in California so I will not do it. Of course, you can call my hypocritical too if you want, because I will admit that I do not stop at stop signs if I know there are no cars and I will sometimes roll through a light after stopping if is clear.

Edit: I have admitted I was wrong below
VVV

If that is true then I stand humbly corrected.

Believe it or not, I think if you were to come ride my route, you would feel more comfortable with a mirror. I can't match you in traffic volume but I can beat you riding with 26 wheeled double trailered trucks that can come up on you in both directions at considerable speeds. This is a road without a shoulder.

I don't question you riding without a mirror at all. In your situation I may not either. One thing I know for sure though is that I wouldn't listen to music if I couldn't see these trucks coming.

Sorry guys, I get a little pissy on days I don't get a good ride in. Tomorrow is another day and another ride. Have a good night

Not to come to umd defense but it is illegal to ride in Illionis with a headset in (other then a cellphone headset or hearing aid).

Illinois law states that you may not wear a headset while driving. Headsets are defined as any device, other than a hearing aid, that allows the wearer to hear or receive electronic communications. (The use
of a single-sided headset or earpiece with a cellular or other mobile telephone is permitted.) Motorcycle, motor-driven cycle and moped operators may use intercom helmets that permit drivers and/or passengers to speak to one another.

And since you are required to follow the rules of the road this would apply to cyclist too.

(Also interesting umd is putting for a legal argument while starting a thread about no handed riding which is illegal in most states.)