View Poll Results: Earphones: yea or nay? (There's no electoral college here.)
I wear earphones while riding, at least sometimes
37
33.94%
I've tried them, won't do it again
13
11.93%
Haven't tried them, might
10
9.17%
Have never tried them, never will
49
44.95%
Voters: 109. You may not vote on this poll
the earphone* poll
#1
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the earphone* poll
I understand if you've had enough of these threads. The popcorn machine must be almost empty by now anyway. Still...
Whether you're in the "That's crazy! Here's your Darwin Award!" camp or the "Just leave me alone already, mom" one, or somewhere in between ("I listen to AC/DC turned up to 11 in one ear while keeping the other cocked for imminent threats and/or the mellifluous tune of the nightingale, depending which environment I'm cycling in"), here's your chance to vote. Not that voting will change anything.
You might also use this space to lay down your definitive argument pro or con, for the ages. Or not.
* or earbuds, or headphones, or whatever you use to pipe music into your skull
Brought to you by the same entity that gave you HAT Syndrome.
DISCLAIMER: poll of limited value to science.
Whether you're in the "That's crazy! Here's your Darwin Award!" camp or the "Just leave me alone already, mom" one, or somewhere in between ("I listen to AC/DC turned up to 11 in one ear while keeping the other cocked for imminent threats and/or the mellifluous tune of the nightingale, depending which environment I'm cycling in"), here's your chance to vote. Not that voting will change anything.
You might also use this space to lay down your definitive argument pro or con, for the ages. Or not.
* or earbuds, or headphones, or whatever you use to pipe music into your skull
Brought to you by the same entity that gave you HAT Syndrome.
DISCLAIMER: poll of limited value to science.
Last edited by 905; 12-20-16 at 02:55 AM. Reason: Disclaimer added after post #18
#2
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You left out the wear them in one ear option.
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+1. And also spoken word vs. music. I feel very confident that I can hear my surroundings listening to spoken word podcasts at a moderate volume in one ear. If there is a musical interlude, or theme music or some music for whatever reason, even with one ear it seems to make it harder to hear my surroundings. I think this has to do with the way our brains are wired. Also, the primary frequencies for intelligibility of human speech are around 2 kilohertz. with less broad spectrum frequenciesproduced compared to music.
I can better hear and more accurately place environmental sounds around me with spoken word podcasts in one earbud than someone listening to music in both ears, especial with full headphone enclosures.
Your survey doesn't address this.
I can better hear and more accurately place environmental sounds around me with spoken word podcasts in one earbud than someone listening to music in both ears, especial with full headphone enclosures.
Your survey doesn't address this.
#6
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Never tried them but have nothing against 'em. For me, having a mirror seems more important for safety than whether or not I have an ear bud in.
#7
Banned
And there is the not sound isolated old ear bud.. 30 years ago I had a long rural commute between towns ..
Then, @ 18:00 traffic was even lower than other times , & so I had The Public Library's Books-onTape playing..
fitting loosely in the ear, you could still hear approaching cars, + they have headlights [noting backlighting]
(my bike had head and taillights)
...
Then, @ 18:00 traffic was even lower than other times , & so I had The Public Library's Books-onTape playing..
fitting loosely in the ear, you could still hear approaching cars, + they have headlights [noting backlighting]
(my bike had head and taillights)
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 12-18-16 at 10:14 AM.
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Recently bought a pair of Bluetooth earbuds. Have been meaning to try them but haven't bothered yet. Absolutely have to have music on the trainer but never really felt the need doing anything outdoors.
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Live and let live. I might use them 20% of the time, depending on where I am. As with most anything else, safety while using them depends mostly on using your best judgement.
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I used to wear them when riding an MUP and had a close call. I used to wear them when I would ride mountain bike trails and had a close call. That was enough for me. Personally, they remove too much surrounding noise and now that I consider myself a cyclist and no longer just a guy who rides a bike, I won't wear them when I am riding.
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I used to wear them when riding an MUP and had a close call. I used to wear them when I would ride mountain bike trails and had a close call. That was enough for me. Personally, they remove too much surrounding noise and now that I consider myself a cyclist and no longer just a guy who rides a bike, I won't wear them when I am riding.
#13
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I like to have them on longer rides. I generally ride alone, and sometimes the miles seem long. Bit 'o good music seems to help the miles go by.
#14
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Since I am usually riding in some sort of traffic, it is nice to be able to hear when a car is approaching me from behind. I don't need to listen to someone reading me a book or music to distract me from cycling. I don't usually go for casual rides, mostly higher speed commutes, faster rides, or food delivery.
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What.., cycling's not exciting enough for you? You have to "entertain" yourself? How about a nice, compact televison for your handlebars? Sorry, I just can't understand not being totally invested in the experience. One reason I ride is to get away from media saturation.
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More than half the time, I'm just getting to work or back. Being totally invested in the experience isn't really on the menu.
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Another problem with this poll and similar ones is that one can draw an incorrect conclusion based on the results.
Here, one may conclude that folks who don't wear them feel there's a safety issue, since that's what the argument is about. However, some may not wear them simply because there's no appeal, and don't see a material safety issue.
On the flip side, there are probably a few who would like to wear them while riding, but are concerned about possible safety implications.
Here, one may conclude that folks who don't wear them feel there's a safety issue, since that's what the argument is about. However, some may not wear them simply because there's no appeal, and don't see a material safety issue.
On the flip side, there are probably a few who would like to wear them while riding, but are concerned about possible safety implications.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
#19
Cycle Year Round
Mountain biking on the other hand, it is nice to be more invested to the cycling, but I guess you would claim I am not totally invested since I listen to the birds singing while mountain biking.
Even with both earbuds in, I hear emergency vehicles sooner than motorist with their windows up and A/C on.
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#20
Cycle Year Round
Another problem with this poll and similar ones is that one can draw an incorrect conclusion based on the results.
Here, one may conclude that folks who don't wear them feel there's a safety issue, since that's what the argument is about. However, some may not wear them simply because there's no appeal, and don't see a material safety issue.
On the flip side, there are probably a few who would like to wear them while riding, but are concerned about possible safety implications.
Here, one may conclude that folks who don't wear them feel there's a safety issue, since that's what the argument is about. However, some may not wear them simply because there's no appeal, and don't see a material safety issue.
On the flip side, there are probably a few who would like to wear them while riding, but are concerned about possible safety implications.
__________________
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Land of the Free, Because of the Brave.
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Earbuds whilst riding in traffic where drivers might be distracted? No thanks. I tried warning a guy about an imminent collision but because of his earbuds he never heard the warnings shouted at him and he got that run down feeling. Fortunately he wasn't seriously injured let alone killed. Nowadays it's not just distracted drivers; you also need to be alert for electric bikes, cars, scooters or hybrid vehicles running on electric power. Such vehicles are very nearly silent and anything in your ears isd going to reduce your ability to hear them even if you have nothing going through whatever is in your ear.
In my opinion riding with earbuds in your ear and with something being transmitted through those ear buds is like playing a form of Russian roulette.
Cheers
In my opinion riding with earbuds in your ear and with something being transmitted through those ear buds is like playing a form of Russian roulette.
Cheers
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I do a lot of miles on a tandem. There's nothing cryptic about those messages. Hmm, maybe I need to change my vote to considering wearing them.
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Thanks to a crippling injury that prevents me from riding as I used to, I no longer CAN get totally invested. So I listen mostly to talk -- show clips from a little production out of Austin, TX, called "The Atheist Experience". MP3's on the phone, volume can't go painfully high, earphones don't "plug" the ears, I hear traffic noise.