Music while riding survey

[Smoother]

Not a particularly scientific survey, but I know people are different. I mostly listen to music these days.  When I flew paramotors, I never listened to music, but others didn't get airborne without it. Horses for courses.

im not sure where question 4 went.  Oh well.

[William S Pender]

I dont own a EUC yet but I was going to start a similar thread on music listening while riding, because couldnt it be dangerous to listen to headphones while riding? Do some of yall fasten a bluetooth speaker to the EUC?

[Smoother]

3 hours ago, William S Pender said:

I dont own a EUC yet but I was going to start a similar thread on music listening while riding, because couldnt it be dangerous to listen to headphones while riding? Do some of yall fasten a bluetooth speaker to the EUC?

Some EUC brands have Bluetooth speakers built in; most  kingsong for one. I sometime hook up an app that plays sounds of bicycle bells; it can get as loud as you need it to.

dangerous? Yeah I guess if you're in traffic and you can't hear it coming.  Volume and type of headset controls that, and/or mirror and/ or frequent checks behind you.  Not in traffic, no problem.

 I didn't listen to music until @16bitSprite enquired  about blocking wind noise.  I tried out Bluetooth over ear headphones as an option.  It didn't block the wind noise, but I enjoyed the music, so I kept it up,   Plus, you don't hear all the stupid comments people say as you wheel by.  It's like they see the wheel but don't see a human being standing on top of it, within earshot.  One really fat lady said " it not much exercise". I thought of various replies based on her Physical size but I chose diplomacy and said " I don't need exercise". Which is a lie actually, I'm as unfit as a they get, but my size doesn't give it away. ?

[Cerbera]

No, I don't listen to music while riding because I need my ears to hear what cars are doing. That is a crucial aspect of EUC safety, I would have thought...

Also, IMO there is little less considerate than riding an EUC that blares music from a rubbish speaker

[Smoother]

15 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

No, I don't listen to music while riding because I need my ears to hear what cars are doing. That is a crucial aspect of EUC safety, I would have thought...

Also, IMO there is little less considerate than riding an EUC that blares music from a rubbish speaker

I thought you said you don't ride in traffic.  Yes, no? Remember our meteor discussion? Maybe I'm remembering it wrong.?

consideration, yes.  I rarely play music though my ( excellent ) speakers, I use headphones for that.  When I did use my speakers, it was on long stretches of almost deserted bike paths and beach promenades.  There is a real problem with needing to turn the volume up, and that problem is...wind noise.  You have it, but walkers, etc do not, so to you it's just audible, to them it's blaring, answer, again headphones.  I hear the traffic just fine, the little time I spend on the actual road, you'd have to be stupid to crank it up to the exclusion of ambient sounds.? And nobody suggested that.

[who_the]

I agree with @Cerbera whole-heartedly about the risks of listening to music while riding in traffic.

I confess, though: I do it all the time. 

I listen at moderate volume using headphones I have added into my Gath RV helmet. The Hawk X1 receiver, designed for motorcycle use, attaches to the side of my helmet and connects to my phone's music using Bluetooth.

As @Smoother suggested, I have a Cycleaware Reflex rear-view mirror on my helmet, and use it aggressively to watch cars and bicycle traffic approaching behind me. 

One nice thing about the setup is that the big button on the X1 by default pauses and restarts the music. So just a quick tap on the side of my helmet (even with a gloved hand) silences the music immediately if needed. There are also volume controls along the top edge I can use as well.

PLEASE... if you do choose to listen to music while you ride, select your volume level wisely, and also take aggressive steps to stay aware of your surroundings, other vehicles on the road, and traffic hazards around you.

[Mono]

7 hours ago, William S Pender said:

couldnt it be dangerous to listen to headphones while riding?

It certainly could, however, it could also be the other way around. I started listening to music with headphone on bicycles, no kidding, for safety reasons, namely to predominate the noise of cars approaching from behind. I found myself stressed by this noise, while I figured that I anyway couldn't do anything about it. The noise wouldn't tell me whether a car is going to hit me and looking anxiously back when a car is approach from behind seems not a safety improving solution either. I am still pretty convinced that the stress release from drowning the stressful noise has made my bicycle rides safer.

[Smoother]

35 minutes ago, Mono said:

It certainly could, however, it could also be the other way around. I started listening to music with headphone on bicycles, no kidding, for safety reasons, namely to predominate the noise of cars approaching from behind. I found myself stressed by this noise, while I figured that I anyway couldn't do anything about it. The noise wouldn't tell me whether a car is going to hit me and looking anxiously back when a car is approach from behind seems not a safety improving solution either. I am still pretty convinced that the stress release from drowning the stressful noise has made my bicycle rides safer.

@Mono you never cease to come up with interesting points of views on things.  I hadn't thought of that concept.  I'm really glad it worked for you.  It makes sense when you think about it.

 

[Mono]

1 minute ago, Smoother said:

I hadn't thought of that concept.

I don't think I would have ever thought about it if I wouldn't have faced the actual problem. The solution could generalise: well chosen music which brings drivers into a better attention level, i.e. calming down a stressed driver or pushing up a tired driver, might well improve road safety.