Lord calls for ban on cyclists using earphones

Tried it once.... didn't like the sense of isolation. I felt vulnerable to cars coming up behind. So personally I wouldn't do it.

intuitively it must have some part to play in road safety, but it's hard to prove as a root cause of a particular incident I suppose.

As one commentator said, the eyes in the head of the driver approaching from behind have a much bigger part to play, including their state of mind and attitude towards other road users.

"Excuse me mate I think there's a big crack in your frame/ your rear light has gone out / you dropped your wallet back there/ can you help me me I'm lost?"
- "can't hear you its my right, my right I tell you to listen to nickleback at full volume, stop harsh ing my buzz you crypto-fascist-pig-Nark, ooo Katie Perry is on now"

Almost like the HoL is out of touch - why is it when decisions about cycling are made they are based purely on anecdote and individual perceptions?

As for the headphones, I wouldn't do it in the city but I do occasionally listen to an audiobook/music in a single earphone when putting in longer miles in the countryside.

Regardless, it's a personal choice and if you're looking for ways to make cycling safer then there are about a billion other things that should be done first.

Headphones on a bike is daft. Plain stupid. You need your eyes and ears.
I can't understand why people can't go for a walk, a ride, a bit of shopping, anything without a soundtrack.
It's just another case of disengagement.
People who ride for hours out in the countryside with earphones, geez, what about the birds, trees and rivers man??

If hearing is necessary, I'll have to go without a helmet - can't hear a thing at any decent speed with one on...

Whilst I agree that if you’re listening to Public Enemy at full bore on your cans you are unlikely to hear approaching traffic, I’m pretty sure I can’t hear approaching traffic in my car at all (ok maybe the old Ducati or Harley now and then), so this really does smack of sound-bite politics.

Personally I tend to listen to my radio 4 podcasts on a single earbud, but that’s so I can hear the adoring chants from my public as I ride to work

Arse!

Is the Noble Lord also suggesting that car drivers should be banned from having radios, windows and roofs on their cars so that they might also benefit from the obvious benefits of being able to avoid the idiot about to plough into them from behind as if it were their fault for being there? No? Perhaps because that would just be a bit silly?

Don't do it myself, but frankly even with noise isolating ear-buds in we hear more than the average radio 2 listener in a modern sound insulated vehicle.

Andy

Gladly give up the ear phones if other road users are not going to use their mobile phones and give up listen to their radios when driving.
It's nice listening to music when you're cycling but it really isn't a good idea as you need all your senses to avoid accidents. That said on quiet roads it might be ok to listen to some tunes.

Although I would say it's not so much that you can't hear other cars etc but more the fact that you might be concentrating on the music more than the road. Then again it depends on the music and the person ..... some people might find it easier to concentrate on the road etc with a bit of music.

The idea that there would be a law made against headphones while riding sound a bit too much, I mean where does it end ? Laws against mobile phone users using their phone while they are walking ?

And I am not connected to this company but isn't there a company called earbuds that make ear phones which let in outside noise ? Pretty sure that would be ok.

I can't believe the sheer one sidedness of the responses so far. I'm going against the trend above and say that I agree entirely with banning headphones while cycling. To he honest though its not a big problem in the real world. More confined to the "I'll do what I want", stick it to the man, single speed riding, hipster type infested streets of our capital city. People up here are humble enough to take responsibility for their own safety.

Presumably the good lord will be banning pedestrians from wearing earphones as well? There are lots of them on shared use paths endangering the cyclists, but perhaps he's only interested in saving cyclists from themselves.

Earphones are distracting for all road users, car drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. We all have to be aware of whats going on around.
I used to run and the best sense I had for my own safety at junctions etc was hearing.
In my opinion there's no need for a specific law, it's already there in the guise of 'due care and attention'. I feel the same about the mobile phone law.
At work (desk job) I use a single headphone to enable me to be partially distracted from my surroundings, with two phones I'm totally distracted and no idea whats going on. 'Nuff said.

I have been riding in rush hour traffic for years, often with headphones. I am clearly aware of traffic noise around me. Perhaps some might have an arguement if your music is cranked up high.
I agree with the other reviewer that relates headphone use with car radios.
Often, when I hear complaints like this I question the experience behind the words.

Does his Lordship also suggest that someone who is mostly deaf (like me) shouldn't ride a bike at all ????

So, will Lard Scott of Foscote also argue that regulations should dictate that deaf people be banned from cycling?

Bez has already covered all this in his blog "Beyond the Kerb"

https://beyondthekerb.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/the-sounds-of-science/

As usual makes great reading and great sense.

Or ban motorcycle helmets as they enclose the ear too.

Ignoring the fact that moped and motorcycle training takes place with ear enclosing helmets, earpieces and microphones.

Every bicycle PC / PCSO has an earpiece.

I appear to agree with the transport minister's reply... "I hesitate to tell cyclists exactly what they should do when there is so much scope for us to make improvements in other areas, and I suggest that we pursue those.”

So I guess the good lord wishes to ban car stereos, mobile phones hands free, kids screaming in cars ...

Oh he cycles (cue I am not racist I have a black friend ...)

Sound like common sense to me. We're all responsible for both our own and others' safety. Wear a helmet and don't wear headphones. And stop motorists from listening to loud music too. Britain is best off safe and quiet.

Maybe my hearing doesn't work as well as this lords, but I can't tell the difference between the sound of an HGV about to pass 3 inches from my elbow and one that's going to drive over the top of me.

But I'd settle for a band on headphone, if in return we get presumed liability for drivers.

“If they listen to music, they cannot possibly hear any danger approaching from behind. There are regulations to ensure the use of lights on bicycles in dark or dingy weather. Should there not also be a regulation to prevent the highly dangerous practice to which I have referred?”

Interesting words. If I'd been a Lord, and not asleep, then I'd take the danger to which he referred and agreed that legislation was needed. That danger is the thing coming from behind, right?

In terms of traffic coming from behind if you're proceeding normally down a road then the only thing that your hearing tells you to do is "brace for impact."

Riding with noise isolating headphone/earphones is positively suicidal and anyone who believes otherwise is massively deluded. "I wear them everyday and I'm not dead" hardly constitutes a solid argument.

Hearing plays a massive part in spatial awareness. Listening out for engines/horns/brakes/reversing warning sirens etc gives you a sense of what's around you way before your eyes come into play. When you're cycling down winding single-lane country roads, sometimes your hearing is the only thing that lets you know that there's a speeding car coming round the next blind bend.

That being said, I would strongly oppose any kind of ban. Any time you try to legislate, be it regarding helmets or lights or fluorescent clothing, you discourage people from taking up this sport of ours and getting more people cycling is the only thing that's going to actually make a difference.

The negative externalities of wearing headphones or not wearing a helmet are tiny in comparison to the positives that we gain from getting the country on their bikes.

Riding with noise isolating headphone/earphones is positively suicidal and anyone who believes otherwise is massively deluded. "I wear them everyday and I'm not dead" hardly constitutes a solid argument.

Hearing plays a massive part in spatial awareness. Listening out for engines/horns/brakes/reversing warning sirens etc gives you a sense of what's around you way before your eyes come into play. When you're cycling down winding single-lane country roads, sometimes your hearing is the only thing that lets you know that there's a speeding car coming round the next blind bend.

That being said, I would strongly oppose any kind of ban. Any time you try to legislate, be it regarding helmets or lights or fluorescent clothing, you discourage people from taking up this sport of ours and getting more people cycling is the only thing that's going to actually make a difference.

The negative externalities of wearing headphones or not wearing a helmet are tiny in comparison to the positives that we gain from getting the country on their bikes.

sorry , but this finding is the biggest load of wnak i've read in a long time ..........
I've been cycling for a number of years and i always wear my headphones - i've never found myself in danger nor have i ever caused an accident by listening to the beastie boys.....

If we go down this route then they need to also stop making cars with built in sound sound systems and 'hands free' mobile phone technology

utter utter tosh

Presumably this gentleman is basing his views on cyclists in London. As a cyclist in London I think it is fair to say that 95% of my commutes are spent with a car beside/directly in-front/directly behind me. Being able to hear them would make absolutely no difference. Having said that I do wear cotton wool in my ears to protect my ears because the evidence shows that exposure to noise in traffic can cause long term damage.

The one day I really look forward to is when we have widespread use of electric cars, simply because it should make a massive dent in the noise pollution created by cars. Given the fact that day is around the corner, would a cyclist be able to hear a car coming anyway?