Cyclists: do you wear a helmet?

[Magdalia]

Engine noise tells you nothing as it's pretty much always there.

That's not correct. Engine noise may always be there but the level of noise is always changing, depending on proximity and direction of travel.

The reason was more about being able to hear marshalls' instructions with regard to road use (e.g. if it was safe to cross) than about hearing actual traffic, though that was relevant.

I have been a competitor and a race marshal, so I know how important this is.

I do wonder whether my use of hearing when cycling actually developed while running. I don't know exactly how I do this, but I do know that I can sense a cyclist approaching from behind without looking, and I'm confident that hearing plays a big part. In competitive running it is essential to be able to sense someone coming up behind you without having to look.

Plus it’s absolutely standard practice to have one headphone in for turn-by-turn directions when using a smartphone mapping app.

Don't get me on to people who, because of reliance on smartphone mapping or satnav, don't know where they are, where they are going or how to get there!

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's not correct. Engine noise may always be there but the level of noise is always changing, depending on proximity and direction of travel.

You clearly have far more acute hearing than me and most others. My directional hearing is not enough to tell me what a vehicle is doing. As someone else says it can be useful in the fairly niche case of being on a small country lane and being able to use it to tell the difference between "there is a vehicle" and "there probably is not a vehicle" but in an urban setting it tells me near enough nothing useful.

I have been a competitor and a race marshal, so I know how important this is.

I do wonder whether my use of hearing when cycling actually developed while running. I don't know exactly how I do this, but I do know that I can sense a cyclist approaching from behind without looking, and I'm confident that hearing plays a big part. In competitive running it is essential to be able to sense someone coming up behind you without having to look.

Almost nobody can do this. I look behind fairly frequently, but most people I find just ignore you, which is frustrating when you want to go past on a narrow track when trail running.

Don't get me on to people who, because of reliance on smartphone mapping or satnav, don't know where they are, where they are going or how to get there!

When cycling or driving in an urban area, satnav is an excellent safety feature as it means you don't need to worry about where you are and thus have more attention to give to the traffic.

 

[stuu]

It absolutely, categorically is not. Hearing is not directional enough to make safety judgements on it. One must always turn one's head to be sure what is or isn't there, or fit a GOOD mirror (a bad one resulted in me misinterpreting what was going on behind which nearly resulted in my death).

What you might benefit from is hearing something which unsettles you (e.g. a horn or emergency vehicle siren) and prompts you to look when you would otherwise not see a reason to do so, but hearing is not an adequate substitute for looking. But unless you wear noise reducing over ear headphones you will still hear that when wearing earphones.

Engine noise tells you nothing as it's pretty much always there.

Absolutely disagree with that, the average person can surely tell if a vehicle is coming from behind or in front of them. Obviously irrelevant on busy roads, but it's not just country lanes where it is useful - it works on quieter urban roads too. I find the idea that cyclists would block themselves off from their surroundings using headphones absolutely unfathomable

 

[Bletchleyite]

Absolutely disagree with that, the average person can surely tell if a vehicle is coming from behind or in front of them.

There are a lot of blind cyclists here. I use my eyes to see if a vehicle is present, its exact location and the manner in which it is driven. In urban traffic my ears tell me that vehicles are present, not in itself useful information.

And if there's a vehicle in front of me I can see it.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

When cycling or driving in an urban area, satnav is an excellent safety feature as it means you don't need to worry about where you are and thus have more attention to give to the traffic.

Precisely. And a good route-planner will find you a route away from traffic in the first place.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Precisely. And a good route-planner will find you a route away from traffic in the first place.

And it also means that if e.g. you end up in the wrong lane and miss your turn it will re-route you so you needn't stress about it.

I've driven around the Arc de Triomphe once (just for the sake of doing it, really, as I happened to be nearby) - satnav was a must!

 

[Stewart2887]

I don't cycle now as i haven't got a helmet. Never thought I'd need on on the thousands of miles i did in my youth. Mostly back then in a city, now I live in open countryside but falling off now could be a disaster. Had a couple of big crashes in Edinburgh back in the day

 

[tornado]

I wear a helmet when I go on a weekend cycle ride and I know that I'm going to be descending a hill at >30mph (even 40mph last week )

I don't wear a helmet when cycling 3 miles to work in an urban area where there are many cars, all slow moving.

Also worth bearing in mind that wearing a helmet will make cycling a bit more tiring as your head cannot cool as effectively, and so will decrease your alertness to the road slightly. And furthermore, it actually inhibits skull rotation which is an important protection mechanism in some accidents, but not in others.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Also worth bearing in mind that wearing a helmet will make cycling a bit more tiring as your head cannot cool as effectively, and so will decrease your alertness to the road slightly.

I used to think that, but when I started wearing one I spent a decent sum (£80) on a well-designed, well-vented one and don't find it to be the case with that one at all. It is true of the kind you get for a tenner at Tesco, which like the cheap "bike shaped objects" they sell probably puts people off for life.

And I'm someone who overheats easily when doing exercise.

And furthermore, it actually inhibits skull rotation which is an important protection mechanism in some accidents, but not in others.

That's what the MIPS thing is about - it allows the head to rotate within the helmet without the helmet coming off.

 

[SCH117X]

Always - its been on the short journeys where the benefits have shown up with tree branches on urban cycle routes and notably an accident where I stayed on the bike but its front wheel damanged beyond repair from hitting a wall; my collar bone broken by an overhanging tree branch, and a cut ear and grazed nose from facing directly into the tree trunk / small branches off it; my glasses along with the helmet precluding further impact issues. Possibly the only cyclist to have broke a collar bone still sat on the bike. I did manage to wheel the bike home, change my shirt (ouch it hurt) and take the bus to A&E.

 

[stuu]

There are a lot of blind cyclists here. I use my eyes to see if a vehicle is present, its exact location and the manner in which it is driven. In urban traffic my ears tell me that vehicles are present, not in itself useful information.

And if there's a vehicle in front of me I can see it.

You are aware that there are things called bends? There are many locations where you can hear something coming the other way before you can see it, which is very useful information. If you can't tell which direction something is coming in from hearing alone, I would respectfully suggest a hearing test (and that isn't being sarcastic)

 

[Bletchleyite]

You are aware that there are things called bends? There are many locations where you can hear something coming the other way before you can see it, which is very useful information. If you can't tell which direction something is coming in from hearing alone, I would respectfully suggest a hearing test (and that isn't being sarcastic)

I've never had good directional hearing, ever. I can hear stuff in both ears but not particularly well where it's coming from other than side-to-side based on one ear being louder than the other. Being able to analyse the input from both ears into directional hearing is done in the brain and is not fixable.

 

[Techniquest]

Time for me to weigh in with the hearing thing, having spent too much time out cycling this week with wind blowing into my ears and doing its best to tip me over in places yesterday. That was before it got proper rough in the afternoon too!

Not by choice, I go out cycling on rather windy days quite often. Regardless of direction, it can be really tough to hear where a motor sound is coming from, given I am usually as focused as possible on avoiding pot holes etc. Not that I managed to do so a few times today, but that's a different story. With a focused pair of eyes and brain, scanning the road for the best line to take which is especially important on narrow wheels, it is difficult to also focus the ears sufficiently on picking up noise from a particular direction.

That can be hard enough to do on a fairly calm today, adding in the wind blowing into your ears and it gets much harder. I am sure some individuals are better at that than me, likewise I am sure people like the honourable gentleman from Bletchley struggle more than I do. My memory of human biology certainly has me in agreement with him, the processing of sounds is a neurological process much like translating what the eyes see. That reminds me actually, I must get around to booking an eye test in the near future, just to keep a check on things. Mental note made!

So, hearing while trying to furiously pedal along and keep out of the way of traffic, it can be tricky when you factor in the wind as well. Especially so when preparing to turn off at a junction, make an appropriate and safe arm signal etc.

How so many people manage to cycle while texting etc on their bikes, let alone block out their hearing with music, I have no idea. My cheap JVC Gumy earphones have some level of noise isolation, which is amazingly helpful for knocking out background noise while playing music. I can keep the volume normally at perfectly safe levels as a result, not something I'm used to! I suspect those with full, over-the-head headphones, ear buds etc must have some crazy kind of death-defying ability!

Oh, and when I say I cycle a lot, I mean that. So far this week, in 3 days, I've done 128.5 miles. Next month is Tour de France and the Commonwealth Games, so my mileage will drop off a cliff for a month, but I think it's clear how serious I take my cycling! This month I am something like 750 miles, a new personal best with some more due to come tomorrow.

Would I dare do that sort of cycling without a helmet, or with hearing-blocking earphones? 100% *no chance*. My view is that one should give themselves the best chance of hearing and seeing, as well as trying to protect their head as much as possible. It's just sensible, although I appreciate other people have different views.

 

[JohnMcL7]

Time for me to weigh in with the hearing thing, having spent too much time out cycling this week with wind blowing into my ears and doing its best to tip me over in places yesterday. That was before it got proper rough in the afternoon too!

Not by choice, I go out cycling on rather windy days quite often. Regardless of direction, it can be really tough to hear where a motor sound is coming from, given I am usually as focused as possible on avoiding pot holes etc. Not that I managed to do so a few times today, but that's a different story. With a focused pair of eyes and brain, scanning the road for the best line to take which is especially important on narrow wheels, it is difficult to also focus the ears sufficiently on picking up noise from a particular direction.

That can be hard enough to do on a fairly calm today, adding in the wind blowing into your ears and it gets much harder. I am sure some individuals are better at that than me, likewise I am sure people like the honourable gentleman from Bletchley struggle more than I do. My memory of human biology certainly has me in agreement with him, the processing of sounds is a neurological process much like translating what the eyes see. That reminds me actually, I must get around to booking an eye test in the near future, just to keep a check on things. Mental note made!

So, hearing while trying to furiously pedal along and keep out of the way of traffic, it can be tricky when you factor in the wind as well. Especially so when preparing to turn off at a junction, make an appropriate and safe arm signal etc.

Those are my thoughts as well as I find it hard to pick out other noises when the wind is roaring in my ear and one of the reasons I find the Garmin Varia radar system so helpful since it can immediately flag when a vehicle is approaching from the rear (outwith hearing range) and it can also tell me how many vehicles are approaching and at what speed. I certainly make sure I can hear what's going on around me but it's my eyesight and the radar system that I use more for spotting traffic.

 

[Techniquest]

Those are my thoughts as well as I find it hard to pick out other noises when the wind is roaring in my ear and one of the reasons I find the Garmin Varia radar system so helpful since it can immediately flag when a vehicle is approaching from the rear (outwith hearing range) and it can also tell me how many vehicles are approaching and at what speed. I certainly make sure I can hear what's going on around me but it's my eyesight and the radar system that I use more for spotting traffic.

That sounds like an incredibly clever piece of technology. I haven't heard of such a thing before, and I definitely want to keep an eye on such a thing. I might not necessarily feel the compulsion to get one yet, but I will look into that. Thanks for the tip, I need to learn more about this sort of thing!

 

[JohnMcL7]

That sounds like an incredibly clever piece of technology. I haven't heard of such a thing before, and I definitely want to keep an eye on such a thing. I might not necessarily feel the compulsion to get one yet, but I will look into that. Thanks for the tip, I need to learn more about this sort of thing!

I've had one since they were first released (they're currently onto their third generation) for pretty much exactly the reasons you mentioned, the wind noise reduces your hearing and especially on the road bike you need to be focused on the road at times to ensure you don't hit a pothole or something unexpected which could knock you off the bike. You still do your usual lifesaver over the shoulder checks but the radar can sit there passively watching all the time for you with the additional benefits it can tell you how many vehicles are coming and how fast. I can hear what sounds like one car but if the Varia is showing me there's a line of cars I know to be careful not to swing out (such as to avoid something on the road) and if it's coming really fast and there's oncoming traffic it's likely they're going to do a very close pass so I'm going to need to get out of the way. A lot of the time I'm on single track roads with passing places and since the radar pings the moment a vehicle is in range it gives me more time to choose where I'm going to pull over, there might be a passing place nearer so I'll immediately pull over. Whereas if I'm relying on hearing a vehicle they'll be a lot closer and I may have already missed a suitable place to pull over so the vehicle will squeeze past anyway, I need to travel further to get to a passing place or pull over on the single track.

It's also a light which I think is useful to have on during the day and I usually run a front light as well to improve visibililty.

 

[Techniquest]

I've had one since they were first released (they're currently onto their third generation) for pretty much exactly the reasons you mentioned, the wind noise reduces your hearing and especially on the road bike you need to be focused on the road at times to ensure you don't hit a pothole or something unexpected which could knock you off the bike. You still do your usual lifesaver over the shoulder checks but the radar can sit there passively watching all the time for you with the additional benefits it can tell you how many vehicles are coming and how fast. I can hear what sounds like one car but if the Varia is showing me there's a line of cars I know to be careful not to swing out (such as to avoid something on the road) and if it's coming really fast and there's oncoming traffic it's likely they're going to do a very close pass so I'm going to need to get out of the way. A lot of the time I'm on single track roads with passing places and since the radar pings the moment a vehicle is in range it gives me more time to choose where I'm going to pull over, there might be a passing place nearer so I'll immediately pull over. Whereas if I'm relying on hearing a vehicle they'll be a lot closer and I may have already missed a suitable place to pull over so the vehicle will squeeze past anyway, I need to travel further to get to a passing place or pull over on the single track.

It's also a light which I think is useful to have on during the day and I usually run a front light as well to improve visibililty.

Impressive stuff that, I don't currently have lights on my road cycle. A Carrera Zelos, got it second hand a few weeks ago for £255. She's a thing of beauty, and so fast! My Ridgeback Speed, a hybrid, is much heavier and significantly slower, but the extra mass is absolutely essential when cycling out in the strong wind that was had here this week. 28mph gusts at its peak in the morning, I ended up walking to work when it passed 30!

Before anyone comments, I don't ride in anything close to the hours of darkness on my road cycle, so the lights are not currently essential. As the year goes on, I'll get lights for it.

Having lights on in the daytime just seems weird to me, but I see where you're coming from on the visibility thing. The knowing in advance where to pull over on single track roads, that would be incredibly useful. I've been pretty lucky in that respect so far, especially when a chicken lorry went up a single track road I was on yesterday. Taking a HGV up such a road is just madness, it's fair to say it was a surprise but thankfully we were both going fairly slowly and I had enough room next to the hedge without getting caught on anything sharp/stingy.

I am due a decent length journey or two this morning, so I'll look into that radar thing. Is it quite bulky, or perhaps just as importantly is it something you need to charge often? Actually I might PM you about it later, if that's OK with you

 

[Bletchleyite]

Would I dare do that sort of cycling without a helmet, or with hearing-blocking earphones?

I'd not wear sealing over-ear headphones while driving or cycling. Sometimes you do need to hear e.g. a horn if you've made a mistake putting yourself in danger or need to be aware of an idiot!

All I was saying was that I don't find engine noise and subtleties useful, so e.g. a podcast on a pair of Apple Airpods (say) is fine. If earphones are banned cycling, then car radios should also be banned. (I don't think they should by the way!)

 

[JohnMcL7]

Impressive stuff that, I don't currently have lights on my road cycle. A Carrera Zelos, got it second hand a few weeks ago for £255. She's a thing of beauty, and so fast! My Ridgeback Speed, a hybrid, is much heavier and significantly slower, but the extra mass is absolutely essential when cycling out in the strong wind that was had here this week. 28mph gusts at its peak in the morning, I ended up walking to work when it passed 30!

Before anyone comments, I don't ride in anything close to the hours of darkness on my road cycle, so the lights are not currently essential. As the year goes on, I'll get lights for it.

Having lights on in the daytime just seems weird to me, but I see where you're coming from on the visibility thing. The knowing in advance where to pull over on single track roads, that would be incredibly useful. I've been pretty lucky in that respect so far, especially when a chicken lorry went up a single track road I was on yesterday. Taking a HGV up such a road is just madness, it's fair to say it was a surprise but thankfully we were both going fairly slowly and I had enough room next to the hedge without getting caught on anything sharp/stingy.

I am due a decent length journey or two this morning, so I'll look into that radar thing. Is it quite bulky, or perhaps just as importantly is it something you need to charge often? Actually I might PM you about it later, if that's OK with you

I've not used the newer radar units but they're not bulky to use, batterylife on mine is around 7-8 hours so I need to charge it pretty much each time I use it and will need to top it up on super long rides.

I think it was a study in Spain I was reading recently that found daytime running lights were effective on bikes and given cars now have had DRLs for a while I think it makes sense, I find it particularly noticeable in strong sun light when cyclists are backlit or in shade.

I'd not wear sealing over-ear headphones while driving or cycling. Sometimes you do need to hear e.g. a horn if you've made a mistake putting yourself in danger or need to be aware of an idiot!

All I was saying was that I don't find engine noise and subtleties useful, so e.g. a podcast on a pair of Apple Airpods (say) is fine. If earphones are banned cycling, then car radios should also be banned. (I don't think they should by the way!)

I'm the same and find listening to podcasts is a good solution because with a single voice speaking I can still easily hear ambient noise but also hear the podcast. I find it helps a lot to have something on for long rides in quiet areas especially when it's dark and there's not much you can see apart from the small pool of light ahead of you.

 

[Bikeman78]

It absolutely, categorically is not. Hearing is not directional enough to make safety judgements on it. One must always turn one's head to be sure what is or isn't there, or fit a GOOD mirror (a bad one resulted in me misinterpreting what was going on behind which nearly resulted in my death).

What you might benefit from is hearing something which unsettles you (e.g. a horn or emergency vehicle siren) and prompts you to look when you would otherwise not see a reason to do so, but hearing is not an adequate substitute for looking. But unless you wear noise reducing over ear headphones you will still hear that when wearing earphones.

Engine noise tells you nothing as it's pretty much always there.

I'm not sure I agree with this. It depends on the road. Newport Road has constant noise for most of the day although I can still hear a lorry approaching from behind. On less busy roads it's usually easy to tell if someone is catching up slowly or driving like a nutter by listening to the engine noise. The most stealthy vehicles are the electric buses. I've had them creep up on me a few times.

 

[Techniquest]

I'd not wear sealing over-ear headphones while driving or cycling. Sometimes you do need to hear e.g. a horn if you've made a mistake putting yourself in danger or need to be aware of an idiot!

All I was saying was that I don't find engine noise and subtleties useful, so e.g. a podcast on a pair of Apple Airpods (say) is fine. If earphones are banned cycling, then car radios should also be banned. (I don't think they should by the way!)

I'm not singling you out here, trust me. I had in mind all the people I see around here with full headphones blocking every sound from around them. To me, that is as clever as standing outside in the rain and wondering why one is getting wet. That is to say there's some people around here seriously looking for a Darwin Award!

My personal belief is that there is no need for blasting music into the ears, or a podcast or whatever, when cycling. I believe if the ride is that boring, then increasing the risk with putting music/whatever on is just not worth it. Before or after a ride, while not basically in control of a cycle, absolutely. I do that all the time.

Obviously, everyone is different, but I cannot see how it's safe to play audio in one or both ears while cycling. I am also absolutely sure it is against the Cycling Code, and possibly the Highway Code too.

I'm not sure I agree with this. It depends on the road. Newport Road has constant noise for most of the day although I can still hear a lorry approaching from behind. On less busy roads it's usually easy to tell if someone is catching up slowly or driving like a nutter by listening to the engine noise. The most stealthy vehicles are the electric buses. I've had them creep up on me a few times.

Electric vehicles of all types are the sneaky ones, excellent for the environment but not so good for hearing them coming!

Agreed that on quieter roads you can hear the different engine noises that correspond with different classes of driver. Not always, I will grant you that much, as I didn't hear one car earlier straight away today. Inclement weather did not help on that front to be fair, and it wasn't long until I heard it.

I've not used the newer radar units but they're not bulky to use, batterylife on mine is around 7-8 hours so I need to charge it pretty much each time I use it and will need to top it up on super long rides.

I think it was a study in Spain I was reading recently that found daytime running lights were effective on bikes and given cars now have had DRLs for a while I think it makes sense, I find it particularly noticeable in strong sun light when cyclists are backlit or in shade.


I'm the same and find listening to podcasts is a good solution because with a single voice speaking I can still easily hear ambient noise but also hear the podcast. I find it helps a lot to have something on for long rides in quiet areas especially when it's dark and there's not much you can see apart from the small pool of light ahead of you.

DRLs I do see a lot of on cars, and I have to concur they are more visible. Some people seem to drive around on more intense lights all day long though, which can be blinding and most frustrating.

Not too bad for the charge on that radar then, I never did get to looking it up today.

 

[Bletchleyite]

My personal belief is that there is no need for blasting music into the ears, or a podcast or whatever, when cycling. I believe if the ride is that boring, then increasing the risk with putting music/whatever on is just not worth it.

Do you mostly cycle for leisure, though? In that case you can ensure the ride is stimulating and engaging by choosing your route.

If you cycle for utility (which is the kind that needs strongly encouraging as it takes cars off the road), then the ride will necessarily be boring unless you're privileged enough to live in the Lake District or something. Commuting of all kinds is just tedious. After all, I'm happy to chuck the railway hundreds of quid a year for the privilege of sitting on trains for no particular purpose, but the south WCML for the 20th time that month really does drag somewhat.

It also seems to be recognised that listening to music or podcasts (but not anything too engaging) benefits car drivers' attention spans on boring journeys like motorways - that is stops them zoning out. Why not for cyclists?

I'm conscious that I'm in a bit more danger on a bike than in a car. But I don't see that my need for awareness is any different between the two modes, simply because I'm not just driving/riding for me, but rather a key part of it is ensuring that my two tonne metal box doesn't kill someone. Thus, if a cyclist needs all-round hearing, then so does a car driver. And thus if cycling with headphones should be banned (notwithstanding that I wouldn't drive with over-ear noise-cancellers on), so should driving with the radio on.

Of course I'm not seeking for you to be forced to wear headphones if you don't wish to. I'm just saying I don't believe there should be a ban, because the logical extensions from that are (a) that there should be a ban on car stereos, and (b) that deaf people should not be allowed to cycle (after all eyesight is essential for driving, as a result of which we have minimum requirements for it), both of which seem rather silly to me.

 

[Techniquest]

Almost 100% for leisure when it comes to cycling for me. My commute is only 0.85 miles by foot, depending on the route I take it's been 1.1 and 1.3 miles by cycle. If I rode the wrong way down a one-way street, like someone I know vaguely who works near me does, then my commute would be even shorter. Especially if I took to the pavement, which I despise doing unless it's a shared-use one and even then I'm often not a fan because of poor/missing markings and signage. So for me, it's actually not much slower to walk and I can happily put music on while I do so.

As for outright banning the use of playing music while cycling, I still don't see how one's faculties are not adversely affected by the music/podcast/news bulletin/ads/whatever. Perhaps I'm just fortunate that I'm often so busy using the time to plan my route/look at the scenery (I have some nice scenic bits on my commute when I go cycling)/planning my day/whatever that I often don't have time to be bored. My usual choice of route by cycle to/from work allows me time to drop the pace and do all these things, when it comes to cycling on the roads the alertness needs to be high and focus on the task at hand. Having a distraction like music would not help in that respect, and if I had it on then it would end up not getting heard properly as I'd have to choose to listen to whatever was playing or focus on my ride. I'm also fortunate that when I do want music, I often find myself singing a favourite song from memory. That's not too often though thankfully!

Anyway, would I support a ban of car radios? I'm not sure. Enforcing a ban on using phones while driving, actually enforcing it and not just saying that they do it, I'd happily encourage that. Banning car radios? I can't give you a balanced answer right now, I need to think what my view is without bias.

 

[JohnMcL7]

Almost 100% for leisure when it comes to cycling for me. My commute is only 0.85 miles by foot, depending on the route I take it's been 1.1 and 1.3 miles by cycle. If I rode the wrong way down a one-way street, like someone I know vaguely who works near me does, then my commute would be even shorter. Especially if I took to the pavement, which I despise doing unless it's a shared-use one and even then I'm often not a fan because of poor/missing markings and signage. So for me, it's actually not much slower to walk and I can happily put music on while I do so.

As for outright banning the use of playing music while cycling, I still don't see how one's faculties are not adversely affected by the music/podcast/news bulletin/ads/whatever. Perhaps I'm just fortunate that I'm often so busy using the time to plan my route/look at the scenery (I have some nice scenic bits on my commute when I go cycling)/planning my day/whatever that I often don't have time to be bored. My usual choice of route by cycle to/from work allows me time to drop the pace and do all these things, when it comes to cycling on the roads the alertness needs to be high and focus on the task at hand. Having a distraction like music would not help in that respect, and if I had it on then it would end up not getting heard properly as I'd have to choose to listen to whatever was playing or focus on my ride. I'm also fortunate that when I do want music, I often find myself singing a favourite song from memory. That's not too often though thankfully!

If you find music distracting that's fair enough but it's certainly not for me, as Bletchleyite correctly points out if listening to audio caused such a dangerous loss of focus it would never be allowed in cars where you have to be much more focused than on the bike. I find the cycling distracts from the podcast so there's plenty of times I'll pause or rewind what I'm listening to when I've not been paying attention to it, loud music with noise cancelling would be distracting for me but someone quietly speaking definitely does not. For short three to four hour rides I rarely bother with headphones as it's not that long and I don't have them on all the time when on long rides either but there's times when the route is boring or I'm tired or just needing something to help me keep going which is where I find listening to a good podcast is so helpful.

 

[Jimini]

I'm with @Techniquest on this one. Granted, my regular cycle is from South Woodford to London Bridge for work so it's on busy roads for the most part, but why on earth someone would sacrifice their hearing when cycling along roads surrounded by >1 tonne cars and (a lot more!) baffles me somewhat, whether it's a London commute or not.

If you're driving and have a mishap then the most likely outcome is an insurance claim. If you're cycling and get it wrong (or indeed someone else does, as tends to be the case).. well you know the rest.

Examples aplenty here.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If you're driving and have a mishap then the most likely outcome is an insurance claim.

That is rather doing down the risk to others.

 

[Jimini]

That is rather doing down the risk to others.

Nice swerve of the actual point of the post

 

[ashkeba]

If you are a cyclists do you wear a helmet?

[...]
If you don’t would compulsory helmet laws put you off cycling. Research shows that cycling rates drop when a jurisdiction introduces helmet laws so it obviously is seen as an issue for some cyclists.

No and I would probably stop cycling if forced. It is difficult enough getting on with a walking stick without making myself more top-heavy!

I do not understand the obsession with the thIngs while not doing far more important things for cycling safety like junction improvements, lower speed limits where there's no barriered bike lane and, until recently, a hierarchy of users with animals and walkers at the top.

 

[JohnMcL7]

I'm with @Techniquest on this one. Granted, my regular cycle is from South Woodford to London Bridge for work so it's on busy roads for the most part, but why on earth someone would sacrifice their hearing when cycling along roads surrounded by >1 tonne cars and (a lot more!) baffles me somewhat, whether it's a London commute or not.

If you're driving and have a mishap then the most likely outcome is an insurance claim. If you're cycling and get it wrong (or indeed someone else does, as tends to be the case).. well you know the rest.

Examples aplenty here.

Firstly I'm not using headphones in a busy urban environment, I mostly cycle on very quiet roads where I'm rarely seeing many vehicles and there's a lot of wind noise so it's very difficult to hear the odd car over the wind noise. The Varia radar system I use can detect cars well outwith hearing range (even without the wind noise) as well as being able to tell me how many cars are coming and at what speed as well.

It's absolutely not the case that you have to sacrifice hearing to use headphones, as has been mentioned numerous times in this thread you can have headphones on without impacting what you hear around you. It's why I like having podcasts on because it's just a voice talking so it doesn't block my hearing at all, no different to me cycling along and having conversations with other cyclists which I also frequently do. I get the impression some people are thinking big over ear headphones being used to listen to loud music which I know some cyclists do use and I don't agree with and certainly not what I'm doing, I'm careful with safety and if having a podcast on impacted that I wouldn't do it.

Your point about driving is dangerously wrong, if you have a mishap when driving you could kill or seriously injure someone which tragically happens to thousands of people every year so it's a much higher level of responsibility - I find it extremely alarming this is what you believe.

 

[Jimini]

Firstly I'm not using headphones in a busy urban environment, I mostly cycle on very quiet roads where I'm rarely seeing many vehicles and there's a lot of wind noise so it's very difficult to hear the odd car over the wind noise. The Varia radar system I use can detect cars well outwith hearing range (even without the wind noise) as well as being able to tell me how many cars are coming and at what speed as well.

It's absolutely not the case that you have to sacrifice hearing to use headphones, as has been mentioned numerous times in this thread you can have headphones on without impacting what you hear around you. It's why I like having podcasts on because it's just a voice talking so it doesn't block my hearing at all, no different to me cycling along and having conversations with other cyclists which I also frequently do. I get the impression some people are thinking big over ear headphones being used to listen to loud music which I know some cyclists do use and I don't agree with and certainly not what I'm doing, I'm careful with safety and if having a podcast on impacted that I wouldn't do it.

Your point about driving is dangerously wrong, if you have a mishap when driving you could kill or seriously injure someone which tragically happens to thousands of people every year so it's a much higher level of responsibility - I find it extremely alarming this is what you believe.

Maybe it’s a situational thing. I only ever cycle (apart from sportives etc.) in inner London, so I guess the landscape varies somewhat. If I had a pound for every bus that decided to overtake me and then pull into a bus stop etc etc.

My comparison to driving vs. cycling was in reply to the flawed logic around listening to music in a car vs cycling — you’re clearly more vulnerable cycling.

Cycling in town (edit: London) requires a different mindset — to be fair and honest, I’m more comfortable doing that than cycling along rural roads on weekends out. I guess you simply get used to your regular surroundings.

All that said — I’d never wear headphones whilst out on the bike— just my personal stance. Appreciate we all have differing viewpoints on the topic