Walkman and cyclist

[gar]

The use of the "walkman" (earphone CDs)
on bikes on road should be vigorously condemned

g

[Andy Tallis]

AGREED!!!

I think it's stupid. You're distracted and can't hear the traffic. They're also too much weight for touring (I just sing if bored, but I usually ride alone.)

I have evidence too. I was stuck behind a guy verrring all over a cycle track, dancing.

[bikerdave]

Shouldn't radios/CD players be banned from cars then?

[Pedalling Pete]

If you rely on your hearing, rather than your sight (even if that involves looking over your shoulder) for your safety, then you are very much at risk from rear-engined, or electrically powered vehicles, or even other cyclists; and also from age-related hearing loss. It might be argued that wearing earphones actually encourages one to adopt the safest procedure - relying on sight, not sound.

[Andy Tallis]

In my defence:
I do not rely on hearing alone. I am fully aware that you can't hear everything (especially in the wind) but you also can't be looking over your shoulder all the time and I've yet to find a decent rear view mirror. Hearing is an extra tool but one it is stupid to forsake. You also need to be able to hear car horns, police sirens etc. These could be drowned out by the volume some people use walkmans at.

[Tim Cox]

Having once nearly been killed by a van shunting me from behind I think it is very important to know what is approaching from that direction particuarly in the very narrow lanes of the South Hams area of Devon where I live. One does get to know the type of driver or vehicle that is coming up on you. Also I do enjoy listening to the wide variety of bird song that abounds in this area. With headphones on I would fail to hear the skylark or cuckoo and think that spring was a very long time approaching!

[gar]

Tim of course Y else? The birds!

I take PP's point entirely about directional
sound but I would certainly not rely ONLY on sound. Far from it. I am just saying that you need ALL your wits about you while cycling and not just some of them.

I have even seen pedestrians in a complete daze
using them on busy roads.

B roads are bad enough down south here; heaven preserve the walkman toting cyclist, on anything other than a forest track, or bridleway.

g

[Andy Tallis]

Apologies to Pedalling Pete if "in my defence" was slightly inappropriate wording in my last re4ply. I was trying to make the same point as gar, that you may as well have all your senses available. As you say, hearing is not fully reliable, especially in the wind.

[Andy Tallis]

Apologies to Pedalling Pete if "in my defence" was slightly inappropriate wording in my last re4ply. I was trying to make the same point as gar, that you may as well have all your senses available. As you say, hearing is not fully reliable, especially in the wind.

[Stilly]

I am severly HOH and I cycle everywhere without my hearing aids in as they become sweaty and you cannot hear anything due to the wind noise picked up by the hearing aids. As a consequence I rely much more on my vision to assess the dangers around me and the only accident I have had is one where I was forced over a pothole by a car.

[gar]

I am severly HOH and I cycle everywhere without my hearing aids in as they become sweaty and you cannot hear anything due to the wind noise picked up by the hearing aids.
As a consequence I rely much more on my vision to assess the dangers around me

So walkman listeners might just as well not listen in the first part of the above argument but in the second they might just as well?
I would not be so impolite as to ask a person HOH if listening to music in itself is a distraction to a cyclist. It might help.... but then somebody who does would be in the same shoes as somebody severely HOH who has never had an accident, but probably takes great care.

Ah well!

g

[Stilly]

Gar

The point I was trying to make was that I take great care even though I cannot hear a great deal. Although I accept your point that some one with music on would be distracted as your concentration canot be 100% where as I have to concentrate 110% because I do not know where the next hazard is coming from but it does not mean that I do not enjoy my cycling.

[Helen]

Most of my touring is done alone, and a small radio with integral speaker velcroed to stem reduces boredom and loneliness. Picking up local radio stations is great fun. When passing people or in residential areas I turn down the volume to be considerate. Sometimes I do use the earphones, but have never been unable to hear traffic - staying alive is high on my list of priorities.

[gar]

I thought that was your meaning Stilly!

Helen I have a weakness for testing the awake state of Walkman cyclists by gesticulating and shouting and things as a pedestrian, and quite a few take an awful long time to realise that something is "wrong" (not knowing that there isn't).
Helen Going down the old silk road on her own for 1500mls it might be a very precious commodity a bit of music to pedal by!
Happy cycling
g

[Russ1]

I love listening to my earphones whilst riding. Things that should be vigorously condemned are ***** who try test the awakeness of cyclists.