Poll: ?? ? or ? out on the single tracks?

[lokbot]

I've almost hit numerous people with head phones on. After 20 years of climbing rock and ice fear has never kept me at home either. Riding up a fire road or similar with headphones on is one thing, but in general on a trail - especially a multi use trail one should refrain and be more conscious of what's going on around them. For everyone's safety. I have a helmet on and a 40# bike they're more likely to get hurt than I am.

I'm thinking of others more than my own safety.

It seems to me like you're being a bit hyperbolic in regards to how much the risk is increased when someone uses headphones or listens to music. If a hiker is listening to music or not it's your responsibility as a rider to be aware of them and to yield to them. If you're hauling ass on a multi-use trail and don't have a good sight line and you're surprised by a hiker that's riders error for going faster than they can safely react to an unknown obstacle, not a hiker who is wearing headphones. On the other hand if you're passing someone on the trail and they can't hear you because they have headphones on and they're surprised when you go by them again it's your responsibility on the trail to make sure they acknowledge you before you haul ass by them. There are plenty of hikers that wear headphones on my multi-use trails and I don't "almost hit" any of them. I'm not sure if the hikers in your area are worse than my area or if there's some rider error coming into play.

As far a riders wearing headphones, most of us are more than capable of being aware of what's going on around us than you seem to be giving us credit for. Whether I'm listening to music or not I'm constantly scanning the trail picking my lines, adjusting my body position, jibbing, and playing. The fact that I can't hear someone down the trail is irrelevant because likely they're not making enough noise down the trail for me to notice that before I see them.

So potentially making it more unsafe by not paying full attention to what's going on around us, is good?

You'd be amazed just how much of the world doesn't have to worry about stuff like that.

We don't have much in the way of shotgun-carrying hillbillies telling us that we've sure got a purdy mouth and that they're going to make us squeal like a piggy, either.

No idea where you're going with that: not listening to music has the exact opposite effect to stopping me from enjoying riding...

I understand that you appreciate not listening to music because you feel focused and you enjoy riding more. I think the problem is when you make the logical fallacy that if you're more focused while not listening to music that other people who are listening to music are less focused or significantly unaware of their surroundings.

There are a few things that I could be distracted from when wearing headphones such as signs of a mechanical failure, or a nuanced sounds of my tire breaking traction. Being able to hear that could mean that I'm riding more safely. Also not hitting gap jumps or doing large drops would be safer. I assess the risk to reward and make a judgement call. I think that risk is so marginal that it isn't a concern most of the time. I choose to listen to music on a chill ride. Not when I'm pushing my limit bombing down a hill at race pace.

 

[Rusty]

Just as a side comment - one place I ride has a 'No Earbuds or Headphones' policy and several others are currently considering similar policies.

 

[Shinn]

It is my opinion that if one cannot hear they cannot hear. Period.

Each to their own.

 

[Tim1023]

I've been riding into the office the last couple of days at sub-zero temperatures and discovered that the metal pads that come as standard on Levos scream REALLY loudly until they warm up. A quick dab on those and people know your coming even if they have ear plugs in.

On another note, some people on shared paths may actually be medically deaf, so a bit of consideration wouldn't hurt.

 

[Labrador29]

How are they supposed to know when I'm behind them if they can't hear me!

Before I get too upset, there are some hearing impaired riders out there. They may not be wearing headphones, but they may as well be.
And vice versa of course, those wearing headphones are rendering themselves hearing impaired!

Agree totally Steve, but we are old school. I am slightly hearing impaired due to age, but I have a small rear view mirror so I can keep an eye out for any faster riders coming up behind. Just today, an idiot male pedestrian wearing full earphones, stepped off the footpath into the path of my Honda. Lucky for this half-wit, I was able to throw out the anchors and pull up before launching him into space. He smiled with embarrassment.
Any walker, rider or motorist who uses headphones and the like, is playing with death. My police experience has taught me you cannot concentrate on walking/biking/driving, if you are listening to music or whatever.

 

[Kernow]

Depends where you ride , on my trails I hardly ever see another person so it wouldn’t be a priblem but in busy places or in the road it’s a dum thing to do

 

[Grannyjones]

Very boring local rides yes, riding somewhere newer and better no, the ride should be entertaining enough without the need to

 

[Beekeeper]

Tried some wireless earphones once but the two earphones could not connect to each other through my skull.

My brain is simply too thick to use new technology these days ?

 

[7869hodgy]

Another vote for Aftershokz bone-conducting earphones.

I wear them on 1 in 3 or so rides if I am expecting a call.

Ears are open and listening whilst an Audible book is playing. Rarely listen to music and if I do it’s low volume.

I have a very loud bell yet still don’t get some runners/walkers attention when they have their headphones on. Grrrrrr….

 

[Tim1023]

Nice idea withthe Aftershokz. Look like they'd be crap for people like me who need to wear glasses, though.

 

[The Hodge]

Yeah ..I play music sometimes on solo rides..never in built up areas though ...or on a road .
Spookily I also play fairly loud music while Im driving my car too..but I do try to stay on the road while Im doing that ..?

 

[apac]

I never bud up on rides. But love to when driving. Makes a long car journey so much more pleasant. Especially in my van with noise cancelling on.

 

[Doomanic]

Nice idea withthe Aftershokz. Look like they'd be crap for people like me who need to wear glasses, though.

I wear Aftershokz with glasses, they’re fine.

 

[Jamze]

Always wear mine for solo rides. A podcast or radio plus you get your Garmin prompts through them. Lots of tech in them now, they dip the volume and turn the microphones on if I speak, have an ambient mode so you still hear what's going on.

 

[Akiwi]

I sometimes wear headphones when I am on solo rides where there aren't many or any other people around. I normally listen to an Audible book.
When I am doing adventure riding using Komoot to navigate somewhere I have never been before, then 1 earphone in, and only listening to the Komoot prompts. If you are riding fast down a hill without an ear piece you can miss the audible prompt for a turn off because of the wind noise.