[Newsbot]

Title: A ban on cyclists listening to mp3 players while riding?
Category: Misc CDN
Posted By: Canuckism
Date: 2011-02-02 23:28:48
Canadian

[andyt]

Good idea, i thought it alread was the law.

[Choban]

Bad idea.
Are they banning the same while driveing? Walking? (there are idiots that can't walk and listen at the same time, including some here that have been killed by c-trains)
2. They don't enforce ANY cycling laws that I see here already so it would just be another useless waste of time, plenty of idiots out there with no helmets on, cutting lanes and not signalling while riding on the road, not properly lit up ect...

[andyt]

They should also be banned while driving. Walking seems a bit extreme, tho I would be happy if they did.

2. Just because they don't enforce the law doesn't make it a bad one.


I see lots of drivers speeding, running red lights, tailgating, failing to signal, cutting off other drivers (and cyclists). Those things are also "not enforced" in the sense that it occurs so frequently the cops can't be everywhere. Should they repeal laws against those things too?

[Guy_Fawkes]

So you're saying that we should ban stereos in cars? Are you saying you can only enjoy music when you are moving under 5 kmph?

Where I live if a Cop sees anyone breaking any of the laws you mentioned they do get a fine.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

What about motorcycle helmets with plug-in or wireless radio capability? Or would the fact you can't hear dick all around you with a full-face helmet on in the first place make it a pointless law?

[andyt]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

So you're saying that we should ban stereos in cars? Are you saying you can only enjoy music when you are moving under 5 kmph?

Where I live if a Cop sees anyone breaking any of the laws you mentioned they do get a fine.

What?

This discussion is about headphones. I thought they already were illegal in cars, turns out they're not - but they should be.

And cops also fine cyclists for infractions, so what's your point. Where I live there isn't a cop everywhere, and they don't spend all their time just enforcing traffic laws. They prioritize, and nabbing someone driving thru a red light probably seems like a higher priority than stopping a cyclist without a helmet. But I still see people running red lights every day. Funning how cyclists breaking the law gets people foaming at the mouth, even tho the cyclist will likely be the one getting hurt, but car drivers doing the same thing seems OK to them.

Cops will stop drivers for running red lights - most of the time. They won't stop them for speeding unless they've set up radar or the driver is going way faster than traffic. Heck the cops themselves are speeding. I've never seen a driver pulled over for failing to signal or following too close, tho I'm sure it happens once in a blue moon. Same with cutting people off - unless they cut off the cop, or course.

If I see a cop, I slow down to 55 or so, and have never been stopped. I just wait for the cop to pass me, ie he's going faster than 55, more like 60 - 65 is the average speed of traffic when it's not too crowded. When I was young and drove a red 240z, OTOH, I would get stopped for doing 31 mph if the cop was looking for something to do.

[Guy_Fawkes]

I see a distinct difference between a 700lbs car and a 15lbs bike and rider. If you cant walk and chew bubble gum at the same time then you shouldnt have ear buds in when you do anytyhing. When I ride my bike Im usually out for an hour and I like the option of listening to music. It no more a distraction than listening to a MP3 player plugged into your car stereo.

[Guy_Fawkes]

Speeding is never really a problem for me anymore Ive started to give like my dad and set the car on cruise at around 5km under the speed limit.

[andyt]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

I see a distinct difference between a 700lbs car and a 15lbs bike and rider. If you cant walk and chew bubble gum at the same time then you shouldnt have ear buds in when you do anytyhing. When I ride my bike Im usually out for an hour and I like the option of listening to music. It no more a distraction than listening to a MP3 player plugged into your car stereo.

It's not about distraction, it's about cutting out ambient noise. Being able to listen for cars is an important part of safe cycling. I mostly know if there's a car behind me without even looking in my mirror. It's even worse if you ride without a mirror, you're not going to be constantly shoulder checking. I knew one guy who would tie a radio to his handle bars - do that if you really can't just enjoy the ride.

Where do you live where cars weigh only 700 lbs? Or bike and rider together only weigh 15 lbs - the moon?

Earbuds are for gorbies. Do you ride with your helmet pushed way back on your head too?

[andyt]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

Speeding is never really a problem for me anymore Ive started to give like my dad and set the car on cruise at around 5km under the speed limit.

In town?

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

I see a distinct difference between a 700lbs car and a 15lbs bike and rider. If you cant walk and chew bubble gum at the same time then you shouldnt have ear buds in when you do anytyhing. When I ride my bike Im usually out for an hour and I like the option of listening to music. It no more a distraction than listening to a MP3 player plugged into your car stereo.

I think the question about headphones/earbuds is once they're on, you've blocked out any noise from your surroundings, thusly impairing your awareness.
While the same can be said for a cranked up car stereo, if you turn it down to normal listening volume, your hearing isn't impaired by headphones/earbuds

I'm not defending or agreeing with the law as a whole, just guessing what the argument for it is.

[Guy_Fawkes]

I mainly just pulled the weight out of my ass, the point Im trying to make is that they are two different weight classes. I check occationally when I ride my bike and my music is rarely so loud that it cancels out all backround noise.

Yes I do drive that way in town, I have a hybrid and it just helps that little extra bit with the fuel economy.

[andyt]

Guy_Fawkes Guy_Fawkes:

I mainly just pulled the weight out of my ass, the point Im trying to make is that they are two different weight classes. I check occationally when I ride my bike and my music is rarely so loud that it cancels out all backround noise.

Yes I do drive that way in town, I have a hybrid and it just helps that little extra bit with the fuel economy.

The thing with ear buds is they shut out a lot of noise all on their own. Add music and it's hard to hear anything. I would never do it - I need all my senses operating when I'm riding on the road.

What town do you live in where you can cruise at 5k below the limit? In Vancouver you'd either have a huge angry line of cars up your ass, or you'd be braking every half block as people cut in front of you, turn off or the light changes etc. Not really safe to use cruise in town.

As for weights - there aren't many cars around anymore that weigh less than 3000lbs, most SUVs are going to be well above 4000. An expensive bicycle might weigh in at 14 - 15 lbs, add the rider and you're looking at 150+. But yes, the weight diff is substantial, which is why I worry more about dangerous driving by car drivers than bike riders - it's always going to be the rider who gets hurt. But we have a helmet law to protect riders, we should have this law too. If you must have ear buds in, ride on trails.

[Guy_Fawkes]

Noise Canceling ear bugs yes, but your run of the mill sport ear buds dont. I live on the east coast, everything is around 15 km slower here.

especially the people