BobbyG

I also listen to spoken word podcasts at a low volume in my curbside ear. I can hear traffic fine. On the rides I don't listen, or if I don't like the podcast and pull the earbud out I don't feel I gain any extra situational awareness. My guess would be that picking one horn out of the Manhattan cacophony of horns, and echoes off the buildings, would be daunting in and of its self.

Whats more, I feel that when listening to spoken word podcasts in my curbside ear at a low volume, I can hear traffic better than when I'm in my car with the windows up with no music or podcasts.

However, it's been my experience that when a music clip is played, even in one ear, I start to loose my situational awareness. I think it has something to do with the way the human brain works.

Seems to me NoGlider is correct that the cab driver implied that by beeping his horn, a cyclist ahead of his cab should some some how get out of the cab's way, which is wrong.

FWIW, The oddest thing that came out of my mouth automatically after an aggressively close pass a few years ago was, "What if I was your kid!?"

Of course, here in low-density Colorado Springs my main commuting challenge is squirrels.

AlmostTrick

Buzzing cyclist: Clearly Illegal. Honking unnecessarily: Rude and possibly illegal.

Wearing an earbud while cycling: Legal.

OhLylo

Check this out, guys, I found an actual photo of all the people criticizing @noglider in this thread:



Sounds like you handled things well. I don't ride with headphones currently but I've been considering some bone conductors for spoken word content as well.

josephjhaney

Should someone who is deaf in one ear be permitted to bicycle? How about someone who is deaf period? Yes? Why? Don't start with the you pay more attention or some other ****, being deaf doesn't give you eyes in the back of your head so if a deaf person can bicycle safely, so can anyone with earbuds in. I ride with them in almost every day, I can still hear sirens, wind, car horns, I just can't always hear what some jerk is yelling at me.

Joe

Skipjacks

I found my enjoyment of Bikeforums increased dramatically when I muted that guy.

He is just here to tell everyone how he is our moral superior and how the rest of the world is beneath him.

He's not even worth arguing with.

Skipjacks

Was his car radio on?

If so I'd have jumped all over the opportunity to point out how dangerous his driving was because he was listening to the radio. How can he possibly hear other cars?

rumrunn6

sounds like an interesting interaction worth sharing. love NYC in the springtime

shoota 

I mean the fact that he has EU > USA in his avatar pretty much sums him up.

noglider 

Thank you for all the supportive comments, especially at this moment from @wphamilton and @AlmostTrick.

@Skipjacks, that's not really relevant, because whether someone is playing a radio or doing anything else, a punishment swerve is not OK. I focus on that. An argument about the radio is more of "oh yeah well, you're worse" and is a distraction.

@rumrunn6, yes, that exact block, and it sure is pretty. And it's sufficiently calm most of the time.

lostarchitect 

Maybe you missed that he heard the beep just fine. Beeping doesn't mean he has to move over and put himself in an unsafe position. The cab driver was 100% in the wrong. The only thing Noglider did wrong is maybe he should have just taken the center of the lane so the guy couldn't pass at all.

All that said, I don't personally wear earbuds, but that's his business--and again--he heard the guy.

alan s 

noglider 

Good point, @lostarchitect. Thanks for that.

@alan s, the response to a car approaching from behind varies on conditions. It is not a given that I should move over for him. In fact, as @lostarchitect says, it was probably best to block him entirely.

acidfast7

That truth hurts man. Ignore it at your own peril.

One last thing, people are adults. Noglider is very intelligent which is why I'm surprised by this. To me, this signals something I would consider out of character which is why I signalled it up.

Most people I see with earbuds/beats on are asshats on wheels, so maybe I'm stereotyping a little here.

Just surprised and wanted to duly note my surprise, which I've done.

Don't really have any other contributions to this thread so I'm out.

Archwhorides 

Good points you make:

1. Bike commuting does help with my sense of chill, no question (compared to driving or mass transit), but.......I still like to have my coffee thermos, and a bit of ambient music in my curbside ear.
2. Yes I do have problems (more than anyone here would be interested in hearing about).
3. Boston's core is congested, but it's also tiny compared to lots of cities. Consequently most of my 10 mile commute is pretty relaxing (although more-so in the morning than the evening).

alan s 

oldgeezerjeff

You have a coffee thermos in your curbside ear? :-)

Archwhorides 

Why yes, to keep the music chill.......

no motor?

I have a hard time relating to this as I try and avoid distractions when riding or driving, and ride in a much calmer location than NYC. One thing that got stressed in both martial arts and motorcycle training is being aware of my surroundings, and I think that trying to ride in NYC would overwhelm me at first. But if you're used to it and can be aware, then more power to you.

noglider 

OK, I've thought further. When a close call happens, I try to evaluate the part I played in it and ask if I can do better.

I rarely listen to music on the bike, but at that moment, I was listening to music. Did it cause me to be less aware? It's hard to say for sure, but maybe, and that's enough of a warning to me.

A cycling friend suggested that making a signal of any kind to let a driver know I heard the honk can help, so I'll do that more often than I've been doing.

Darth Lefty 

I got hyper-aware during driving and riding while I owned a motorcycle. Nothing either way about earbuds there... you can't expect to hear anything. I sold off my motorcycles about six years ago and I'm starting to feel like I've relaxed too much since then.

noglider 

Hmm. That's food for thought. Nowadays, I don't drive a car much. As I get less practice, it makes me more nervous. I'm not sure what to do about that. Maybe I should meditate for a minute before setting out.

alan s 

no motor?

I used to sit and think about my ride and what I could learn from it after a motorcycle ride, and I still do some of that today after a bike ride. I got pretty upset last week but didn't do anything after I thought I got buzzed, and the next day's hindsight made me glad I didn't as things didn't seem that bad in retrospect.

Jim from Boston

I second that opinion, mostly, though getting out of the way of a honker if possible may be prudent.

I have posted:

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulRivers

...I feel safer wearing headphones than not, because my brain sometimes it can rely on my hearing to hear cars behind me, when the only thing that's actually affective is to actually look.

Wearing headphones makes my brain realize that I'd better look - which is far far safer than hoping a car passing me is making enough noise to hear it.

You can't rely on your ears for knowing what's behind you, you have to look.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

Well said, @PaulRivers. I agree that a controllable external auditory source can help to focus on the task at hand, rather than distract.

For myself, I work at preparing reports depending on careful detailed analyses, and I always have a talk show on. It definitely focuses me, even though I don't pay much attention; it's more a background awareness.

It seems to fill in my mind in addition to the current purposeful activity so my concentration has no other place to wander.

In fact, if there is no ambient “distraction,” the silence is deafening (and I don't have to worry about a car plowing into my desk).

I also second @Archwhorides description of Boston cycle commuting:especially as I have a reverse commute.

golftdi

I share this sentiment.