Wireless earbuds while riding?
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Yes, someone sometime took a picture of someone else riding with a pair of foam covered headphones lightly resting over their ears. And then someone edited the image so that we see it on the internet today in black and white and thus it looks old.
Not every picture in the newspaper depicts an everyday event, anyway. Some pictures are taken of usual events.
That picture was not taken 40+ years ago, assuming that 40+ means more than 40. And riding with a Walkman wasn't a common sight even 40 years ago.
It took a while for sales to take off for any use, at least outside of Japan. Perhaps the cost, in today's terms, at USD 500+, played into the initial adoption rate. After a while, like the iPod, it became popular anyway. But never popular for people riding bikes, anywhere I saw.
Not every picture in the newspaper depicts an everyday event, anyway. Some pictures are taken of usual events.
That picture was not taken 40+ years ago, assuming that 40+ means more than 40. And riding with a Walkman wasn't a common sight even 40 years ago.
It took a while for sales to take off for any use, at least outside of Japan. Perhaps the cost, in today's terms, at USD 500+, played into the initial adoption rate. After a while, like the iPod, it became popular anyway. But never popular for people riding bikes, anywhere I saw.
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Yes, someone sometime took a picture of someone else riding with a pair of foam covered headphones lightly resting over their ears. And then someone edited the image so that we see it on the internet today in black and white and thus it looks old.
Not every picture in the newspaper depicts an everyday event, anyway. Some pictures are taken of usual events.
That picture was not taken 40+ years ago, assuming that 40+ means more than 40. And riding with a Walkman wasn't a common sight even 40 years ago.
It took a while for sales to take off for any use, at least outside of Japan. Perhaps the cost, in today's terms, at USD 500+, played into the initial adoption rate. After a while, like the iPod, it became popular anyway. But never popular for people riding bikes, anywhere I saw.
Not every picture in the newspaper depicts an everyday event, anyway. Some pictures are taken of usual events.
That picture was not taken 40+ years ago, assuming that 40+ means more than 40. And riding with a Walkman wasn't a common sight even 40 years ago.
It took a while for sales to take off for any use, at least outside of Japan. Perhaps the cost, in today's terms, at USD 500+, played into the initial adoption rate. After a while, like the iPod, it became popular anyway. But never popular for people riding bikes, anywhere I saw.
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Can we get some expert opinions in on the age of the groupset and bell? Should take about 5 pages to clear that up I guess.
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Otherwise, that wind noise... DANGER!
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Yes, someone sometime took a picture of someone else riding with a pair of foam covered headphones lightly resting over their ears. And then someone edited the image so that we see it on the internet today in black and white and thus it looks old.
Not every picture in the newspaper depicts an everyday event, anyway. Some pictures are taken of usual events.
That picture was not taken 40+ years ago, assuming that 40+ means more than 40. And riding with a Walkman wasn't a common sight even 40 years ago.
It took a while for sales to take off for any use, at least outside of Japan. Perhaps the cost, in today's terms, at USD 500+, played into the initial adoption rate. After a while, like the iPod, it became popular anyway. But never popular for people riding bikes, anywhere I saw.
Not every picture in the newspaper depicts an everyday event, anyway. Some pictures are taken of usual events.
That picture was not taken 40+ years ago, assuming that 40+ means more than 40. And riding with a Walkman wasn't a common sight even 40 years ago.
It took a while for sales to take off for any use, at least outside of Japan. Perhaps the cost, in today's terms, at USD 500+, played into the initial adoption rate. After a while, like the iPod, it became popular anyway. But never popular for people riding bikes, anywhere I saw.
I for sure was using a transistor radio with an earphone in the late 70's early 80's as I drove the tractor cutting hay and such.
But seriously, just having some fun with your comment. Took maybe 2 seconds to find that picture. Wanna see more?
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I am still at a loss on how earbuds which let sound through or in the case of iPod Pro transparency mode actually amplify external sounds changes my risk on the roads even minimally. I guess one could get so carried away listening to the Macarena and break out into spontaneous dance moves thus causing an accident or getting mowed over from a car.
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My point is that cyclists were getting hit by cars long before they started riding with earphones/earbuds. If a car is going to hit you, not having earbuds isn’t going to save you. Wearing earbuds does not increase your chance of getting hit. The two are unrelated.
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And how would it help the driver’s case? “Your honor, I didn’t intend to hit the cyclist. His earbuds made me do it.”
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Here are a couple, for whatever it's worth. We just don't seem to have a consensus on this site about this topic.
Warning on headphones as cyclist ruled to have caused own death - Sticky Bottle - Sticky Bottle
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-...clist/11605292
Warning on headphones as cyclist ruled to have caused own death - Sticky Bottle - Sticky Bottle
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-...clist/11605292
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Here are a couple, for whatever it's worth. We just don't seem to have a consensus on this site about this topic.
Warning on headphones as cyclist ruled to have caused own death - Sticky Bottle - Sticky Bottle
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-...clist/11605292
Warning on headphones as cyclist ruled to have caused own death - Sticky Bottle - Sticky Bottle
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-...clist/11605292
The first one had a defective front brake and they don't know if she was listening to music or not.
“I cannot determine if she was on her iPhone listening with earphone at the time, but if she had been, it could have caused a distraction and could have contributed to the cause of the accident.”
The second one the driver pleaded guilty
"pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death in the Victorian County Court sitting in Bendigo."
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Wireless earbuds while riding?
I promised myself that I wasn’t going to reply to this perennial popcorn thread, but these two paragraphs by @velopig had some unique comments that I have posted about previously:
Especially in Winter with my ears completely covered.
I promised myself that I wasn’t going to reply to this perennial popcorn thread, but these two paragraphs by @velopig had some unique comments that I have posted about previously:
In my humble opinion, a cyclist needs all his senses to be at 100% while riding. If there’s anything preventing that, even ever so slightly ...you’re really not doing all you can to be the safest possible.
I use both left and right rearview mirrors, in my case Take-a-Look eyeglass mounted ones. I got the idea from a cycling companion who used only a right hand mirror. The additional right hand mirror affords a pretty good rearward view, but is particularly useful:
Reasons #1...#7...
My main argument for a mirror, particularly in the urban environment is summarized by Jim’s Law of the Road: “No matter how well paved or lightly-traveled the Road, a vehicle is likely to pass you on the left as you encounter an obstacle on the right.”
One other situation where hearing is ineffective, even on rural roads, occurs when being passed by one car, and I'm never sure that another one is following the first. No problem with a mirror…
Reasons #1...#7...
My main argument for a mirror, particularly in the urban environment is summarized by Jim’s Law of the Road: “No matter how well paved or lightly-traveled the Road, a vehicle is likely to pass you on the left as you encounter an obstacle on the right.”
One other situation where hearing is ineffective, even on rural roads, occurs when being passed by one car, and I'm never sure that another one is following the first. No problem with a mirror…
…I am still at a loss on how earbuds which let sound through or in the case of iPod Pro transparency mode actually amplify external sounds changes my risk on the roads even minimally.
I guess one could get so carried away listening to the Macarena and break out into spontaneous dance moves thus causing an accident or getting mowed over from a car.
I guess one could get so carried away listening to the Macarena and break out into spontaneous dance moves thus causing an accident or getting mowed over from a car.
"What do you do to avoid bike boredom?"
...So the OP requests suggestions for avoiding boredom,yet @robnol disparages (with double negatives) the suggestion by @I-Like-To-Bike, of a common modality used by many on BF, risking morphing this thread into another wearsiome popcorn thread...
Admittedly in my recommendations about boredom on a bike I don’t suggest listening to audio devices, for fear a gum-chewing impaired cyclist might follow my endorsement.
Nonetheless, I have previously posted, not as a recommendation but a justification:
...So the OP requests suggestions for avoiding boredom,yet @robnol disparages (with double negatives) the suggestion by @I-Like-To-Bike, of a common modality used by many on BF, risking morphing this thread into another wearsiome popcorn thread...
Admittedly in my recommendations about boredom on a bike I don’t suggest listening to audio devices, for fear a gum-chewing impaired cyclist might follow my endorsement.
Nonetheless, I have previously posted, not as a recommendation but a justification:
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....
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....
...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.
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.
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).
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).
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 11-30-19 at 05:36 AM.
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Those are interesting links. You should read them.
The first one had a defective front brake and they don't know if she was listening to music or not.
“I cannot determine if she was on her iPhone listening with earphone at the time, but if she had been, it could have caused a distraction and could have contributed to the cause of the accident.”
The second one the driver pleaded guilty
"pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death in the Victorian County Court sitting in Bendigo."
The first one had a defective front brake and they don't know if she was listening to music or not.
“I cannot determine if she was on her iPhone listening with earphone at the time, but if she had been, it could have caused a distraction and could have contributed to the cause of the accident.”
The second one the driver pleaded guilty
"pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death in the Victorian County Court sitting in Bendigo."
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Here are a couple, for whatever it's worth. We just don't seem to have a consensus on this site about this topic.
Warning on headphones as cyclist ruled to have caused own death - Sticky Bottle - Sticky Bottle
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-...clist/11605292
Warning on headphones as cyclist ruled to have caused own death - Sticky Bottle - Sticky Bottle
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-...clist/11605292
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Wireless earbuds while riding?
I promised myself that I wasn’t going to reply to this perennial popcorn thread, but these two paragraphs by @velopig had some unique comments that I have posted about previously: Especially in Winter with my ears completely covered.
I promised myself that I wasn’t going to reply to this perennial popcorn thread, but these two paragraphs by @velopig had some unique comments that I have posted about previously: Especially in Winter with my ears completely covered.
It's a shame that this thread has gone so off topic, but that's what happens when the A&S crowd starts preaching, and refuses to answer the OP's question."Does anyone use a single wireless earbud while riding, and if you do, how is the microphone performance?" Those cyclists that never wear a wireless earbud while riding, because they feel it's unsafe, have nothing useful to add to this thread.
I wish there was a forum just for people that can't stop preaching about bicycle safety.
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#121
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Ever wondrous is the flawed logic of the anti-headphone crowd. So if you wear headphones, you're going to get hit by a car. What about all the folks that don't wear headphones and get hit by cars? What senses were they not obeying that "allowed" it to happen?
Might as well not wear sunglasses, because they reduce the amount of incoming light and therefore compromise your vision. Drivers hit bicycles because they don't see them, they're not looking for them, or they simply don't care. Whether I'm listening to music or not has zero impact.
Might as well not wear sunglasses, because they reduce the amount of incoming light and therefore compromise your vision. Drivers hit bicycles because they don't see them, they're not looking for them, or they simply don't care. Whether I'm listening to music or not has zero impact.
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Ever wondrous is the flawed logic of the anti-headphone crowd. So if you wear headphones, you're going to get hit by a car. What about all the folks that don't wear headphones and get hit by cars? What senses were they not obeying that "allowed" it to happen?
Might as well not wear sunglasses, because they reduce the amount of incoming light and therefore compromise your vision. Drivers hit bicycles because they don't see them, they're not looking for them, or they simply don't care. Whether I'm listening to music or not has zero impact.
Might as well not wear sunglasses, because they reduce the amount of incoming light and therefore compromise your vision. Drivers hit bicycles because they don't see them, they're not looking for them, or they simply don't care. Whether I'm listening to music or not has zero impact.
Might as well not ride while the sky is blue. Might cause a collision.
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Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'll never ride without them again.
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I just realized something. Virtually every single cyclist involved in a collision with a car was wearing clothing. The only reasonable conclusion is that riding nekked is the only safe way to ride! Makes one wonder if even sunscreen would be safe.
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