Headphones = Darwin Award?

**bassybill** · #1 01-17-2013, 01:03 PM

I've often wondered about the wisdom of depriving oneself of all hearing whilst out as a pedestrian or cyclist. Awareness of any heavy moving objects in your immediate vicinity isn't something that should be foregone without some serious thought, imo.

One of the people killed when a helicopter crashed to the ground in central London yesterday was wearing phones and would probably have not known he was in danger until he got hit. Very sad news.

giacomini · #2 01-17-2013, 01:05 PM

One thing I miss from driving my car is the stereo, but no, I won't wear phones in my bike, just not safe...

iamlowsound · #3 01-17-2013, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giacomini

One thing I miss from driving my car is the stereo, but no, I won't wear phones in my bike, just not safe...

I wore noise cancelling headphones on my motorcycle all the time. Perfect ally safe, just like listening to music in your car.

lowsound

giacomini · #4 01-17-2013, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I wore noise cancelling headphones on my motorcycle all the time. Perfect ally safe, just like listening to music in your car.

lowsound

what if I don't hear a horn and fail to see a car coming in the mirrors?

TolerancEJ · #5 01-17-2013, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

I've often wondered about the wisdom of depriving oneself of all hearing whilst out as a pedestrian or cyclist. Awareness of any heavy moving objects in your immediate vicinity isn't something that should be foregone without some serious thought, imo.

One of the people killed when a helicopter crashed to the ground in central London yesterday was wearing phones and would probably have not known he was in danger until he got hit. Very sad news.

Same thing happened to someone w/ headphones wtihin the last few years in BC.

hbarcat · #6 01-17-2013, 01:15 PM

I almost ran over a young woman wearing headphones who started to step out onto the street in the crosswalk in front of me. Her boyfriend saw what was happening and yanked her back onto the curb by the hood of her jacket. He hauled on her so hard that she fell backwards on the sidewalk and it looked like she hit her head.

One would think the hazards of negotiating in and around traffic while wearing headphones would be obvious, but I guess not.

Ziltoid · #7 01-17-2013, 01:18 PM

You still hear what's going on with open-ear headphones.

I use headphones (well, earbuds actually) while walking all the time but not cycling.

macaroni tony · #8 01-17-2013, 01:21 PM

when I go bike riding I wear one earbud in the ear furthest from the street and keep the music down to about 6/10. That way I hear traffic and the rest of my surroundings clear as day, and the music is the background noise

giacomini · #9 01-17-2013, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ziltoid

You still hear what's going on with open-ear headphones.

I use headphones (well, earbuds actually) while walking all the time but not cycling.

I might try that with a porta-pro or something like that, but I'm just wondering how am I going to wear the helmet over the earphones...

dullsilver_mike · #10 01-17-2013, 01:38 PM

If a car decides to drive up onto the bike trail and hit me while I'm riding with my earbuds in, I don't think I'm in any way to blame.

giacomini · #11 01-17-2013, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dullsilver_mike

If a car decides to drive up onto the bike trail and hit me while I'm riding with my earbuds in, I don't think I'm in any way to blame.

But you could have prevented if you heard the car coming.

bassteban · #12 01-17-2013, 01:43 PM

I am also amazed at this practice. I often wear earbuds while riding- low-ish volume, ONLY off-road. In traffic, HELL NO. Darwin award, uh yeah

**bassybill** · #13 01-17-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dullsilver_mike

If a car decides to drive up onto the bike trail and hit me while I'm riding with my earbuds in, I don't think I'm in any way to blame.

It's quite possible to qualify for a Darwin Award even when the blame lies with another party.

GregC · #14 01-17-2013, 01:45 PM

On a bike? I wouldn't ever do that.

I've done it walking, but I stick to sidewalks, use ear buds that don't shut out street noise very much and I'm *extra* careful crossing streets. I don't jaywalk much even when I'm not wearing ear buds--if I have to when I have them on, I take them out of my ears.

dullsilver_mike · #15 01-17-2013, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giacomini

But you could have prevented if you heard the car coming.

I could have prevented it by never leaving the house. Either way, in my situation it's unlikely enough to happen that my comfort trumps the infinitesimal risk to my safety. It's the same reason we don't all drive 35mph wherever we go--doing so would prevent more auto accidents, but the inconvenience isn't worth the benefit. If I'm on a two-hour ride, a little risk is worth having something to listen to other than cicada.

I'm sure if rode on the highways like all the roadbikers out there, the risk to benefit ratio would change and I'd be sure to only wear open ear stuff.

And if you're not wearing noise cancelling headphones or the stuff they make for shooting ranges and job sites, who honestly isn't going to hear engine sounds or even a bicycle coming up over their headphones anyway? I guess an electric car might get you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

It's quite possible to qualify for a Darwin Award even when the blame lies with another party.

eh.... When a reasonable action in the expected situation turns into a dangerous action because an outsider does something so crazy it completely changes the situation, I don't think the person initially taking reasonable action qualifies as too stupid to breed. I mean if someone, unbeknownst to you, cuts your breaks before you get into your car, you're not a moron for starting it up and putting it in drive before you realize. edit* (well maybe you should feel the lack of pressure when you step on them, but you get the idea).

MatticusMania · #16 01-17-2013, 01:54 PM

I dont wear earbuds very often, but when Im out riding is one of those times (the other being when Im jogging).
The earbuds dont keep me from hearing traffic, they dont even keep me from hearing when someone in their yard tells me I dropped my keys. Awareness, at all times, is key.

**bassybill** · #17 01-17-2013, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dullsilver_mike

I guess an electric car might get you.

... or a helicopter.

CauliColin · #18 01-17-2013, 02:05 PM

I wear headphones while walking the dog. Although, it's a rural road so there is no pavement, I just walk in the middle of the grass verge. I also listen to my music at a low volume. Cycling? No way. Far too dangerous, with so many lunatics driving down the road at well over 70mph.

Simo98 · #19 01-17-2013, 03:34 PM

Always seemed like a bad idea to me. I often walk with one headphone in, so I can still hear well, and I've found that even that has impacted on my awareness of my surroundings. I wouldn't walk with two, and there is no way I'd ever ride a bike with them, cyclists get taken out enough already.

I drive with the volume down in my car stereo so I can still hear well, and I nearly always have the window down partly for this reason too. And also because the air-con doesn't work

Quote:

Originally Posted by dullsilver_mike

I guess an electric car might get you.

There has actually been a lot of demand, at least here in Australia, to increase the noise output of electric cars. I believe they are in the process of changing safety regulations to ensure cars make at least a certain amount of noise before they are allowed to be sold here.

Personally, I agree with it. You (or at least I) rely on sound to navigate roads to a huge extent, more so than I ever realised until I started wearing headphones about.

Stop, look and listen, y'know.

Bloodhammer · #20 01-17-2013, 04:55 PM

Some people just don't pay attention to what's going on around them. That, or their music is way too loud.