Walkman and cyclist

[Russ1]

By the way, if anyone's interested, there are some superb earphones available with closed inner ear rubber pieces attached - they help cut out the wind noise and as an added benefit prevent ear-ache when its windy!

[gar]

What is five asterisks Russ1?
!!!

Seems to be a huge range of opinion
on the subject. I had thought that experienced cyclists like CTC would not be keen.
How wrong can I be?

g

[gar]

A radio 2 report yesterday said that even a hands free mobile in a car is 5x as likely to be the cause of an accident, whatever that may mean.

Thta is not so very different from a walkman user on a bike, in traffic, being much more likely to have an accident, which is merely my theory and unproved by radio 2 "statistics"

Both of the theories may be toshed; one disguised as fact for the sake of a news item and given credence by the medium.

[Lee]

I cycle and listen to my MP3 player, it's not heavy and it's either in a pocket on the strap of my backpack or under my t-shirt or coat. I don't have it so loud that i can't hear anything as i can hear everything that is around me, but listening to music helps me concentrate.

But i do agree with what you aresaying about those that have it extremely loud, they are at risk and in a fight between cycle and motor vehicle....well you can guess who usually wins.

[gar]

Enjoy your listening Lee!

g

[pinkfruitbat]

Thanks for bringing up this topic. The argument has kept me highly entertained in my insomniac state this morning.

I think I have to agree with Lee and the others who are for music on the road. I am often wired up to the radio during my commutes through the city and can be seen/heard laughing at various Radio 1 DJ antics. Perhaps that's even more dangerous when it comes to inflight entertainment? It's good fun though.

[gar]

Perhaps that's even more dangerous when it comes to inflight entertainment?

Well yes if you are the pilot, and there's cu nim ahead.

g

[pinkfruitbat]

Sorry, but Cu nim? You will have to explain. I'm still not with it this am.

[mike6]

Cumulo nimbus, storm clouds.

[Dick Dastardly]

I agree with Lee on this and do the same. Is it any worse than some pleb in a car driving along with an ICE system so loud they haven't noticed the ambulance with flashing lights behind them wanting to pass?! I can always hear vehicles from behind by the mechanical road noise and vibration as they approach. If they are going to kill you at least you can go out listening to your favourite tunes! and anyway, fearfully constantly looking back or in mirrors would leave you wondering what fun there is in cycling on any roads!!?
Russ1- what/where are these headphones you refer to?

[gar]

wondering what fun there is in cycling on any roads!
On most roads not much. I was thinking of general road safety for the cyclists and things to do/not to do when I posted.
car driving along with an ICE system so loud
These systems wake people up as they go past houses, certainly do past my home.. The motorists will get their own reward in due course. Deafness ... if that is not why they have them high already.

I still prefer to have all my wits about me. I just have to listen to what is coming up behind. No
listening device music for me!

Would you recomend a child or a teenager to listen in such a way on a bike on the road?
Would you draw their attention to the lack of wisdom of such an activity, as I sometimes do, even getting out of the car up the road to wait and tell them?

Gar

[Dick Dastardly]

The children and teenagers(ok- and adults) I encounter on my commute to work leave me feeling they largely aren't suited to the roads! This is 75% on park paths too- wobbling all over the place, stunt riding- worst offenders are "family outings" including the mandatory one or two off the lead dogs which they have no control over, all coming at you like a Halfords panzer division. Instead of replicating on road behaviour and keeping left they all tend to panic and form a pincer movement, some going left, some right, which you have to pierce through the middle hoping a wayward dog running loose won't come in from the side and scuttle you whilst you're also doing the dog excrement slalom. Suppose it comes down to thick parenting as usual..
Oh- and most dog walkers wear walkmans too- they can't hear you approach, bell or not. They keep to one side of the path, and the dog ALWAYS walks on the other- leaving the pierce option only, hoping the dog won't go apes*it if you come between them and scare either.
Off to buy a marine air horn now on ebay... it's the last chance for them! Who says cycle commuting is stress free?

[gar]

Halfords panzer division
That makes me chortle! The pincering movement is also astute! I had the same problem last night on a Y junction, one from each part of the Y, pincering me to pieces.

Dastardly Dick evidently lives in a different kind of park from me dogs with walkmen is something I have not come across yet. Ah ! Oh ! Eh! their owners listening to them not the dogs Thank heavens for that.
Otherwise there would be humannie bags and the dogs putting the stuff in the humannie bin. They have got a lot to learn in Paris about excrement as well.

g

[Andy Tallis]

DOGS!!!! They're a pain when out of control aren't they. One of my main reasons for not using cycleways. I asked an owner whose canine had darted in front of me on a cycle track to keep it on a lead. "No he's got the right to roam!" came the inconsiderate reply. Evidently hadn't read the rules about animals in the highway code.

[crs1953]

Halfords Panzer Division

The BEST description yet of the 'family cycle outing' - love it !!! Why is junior always wobbling along in the rear with a cycling helmet that looks at least 5 sizes too big ?? Guess its the old "He'll grow into it" philosophy. Shouldn't junior be IN FRONT ? so that ma & pa can keep an eye on him and shout out bits of advice re: his/her riding - "That's it darling, mind the doo-doo, it does stick in ones knobbly tread patterns so !!"