Riding with an MP3 player going - distracting?

[Blossom]

ok... so heres some not so useless info from a woman who was born with total hearing loss in 1 ear and now losing it in the other. I hang with audiologists...a lot of them over the years and heres some of the stuff they keep yelling at me.
1. Not all hearing loss can be fixed with a hearing aid. (mine cant btw)
2. If your ipod is EVER turned up over half way for more than 30mins...it can damage your hearing permanately, not saying it will, but it can. (I was told an ipod reaches 93db after the half way mark, and yes I know it doesnt seem that loud. But it is)
3. A loss of 5 to 10% hearing by age 40 is within the normal range.

I know this thread is about riding and listening so forgive the safety info about hearing loss but today I am having safety police issues as I have just had to quit my volenteer job as a sound tech as I can no longer hear the lead singers... grr... yeah the 80's were hard on a lot of us. Too many bands, too many way too loud bars.

On the other side of the coin, the man rides with my mp3 player on whilst riding, but only when he is cruising in the country side, not round town, not when hes tired and makes sure he can still hear the outside sounds. Oh and he's been riding for 20yrs or so. So yeah buyer beware.

[tbone]

Tried it a couple times with ear phones and found it annoying with taking my helmet on and off, but it also was really distracting.

I found whenever I had the music going, my riding changed and I'd ride to the music (sort of like going wherever you're looking I suppose). Get some hardcore music going, I'd be going a little too fast!

Now, I don't worry about it - I've been on a couple massive rides (in excess of 10 hours) and never missed the music. I'm still a newbie and find I've got enough to concentrate on without having music in my ears!

Total difference when I drove a car though - always needed music going, even if it was only a 15 minute drive, had to fiddle around with the stereo.

[martybabe]

Bear in mind that the US have used ear protection for the noisier jobs in combat since the Vietnam war. The majority of the chaps now in their late 40s/early 50s and older in NZ had their hearing absolutely muntered while doing their CMT by small arms fire, artillery and riding around in vehicles from SWB Land Rovers to UH-1Hs. These people are over represented, along with railway workers and Mow gangers in the damaged hearing stats.
The US probably have more eye injuries and we almost definitely have worse hearing damage stats, from farmers with unmuffled chainsaws through to those damn kids sticking their heads in front of house speaker bins at concerts and dance parties.

I spent a while as an ejector of wayward yoof at various dance venues across Brit land and ear plugs were optional as defence against the unbelievably loud (music). Quite often I would remove youngsters under the influence that chose to (dance) in close proximity to the house size speakers. Although, this was often met with resentment when I explained my reasons, you could literally say my safety warnings fell on deaf ears, I still felt the need to try and save at least a portion of their hearing for future years. At full chat these speakers would blow out a cigarette lighter within 2.5 metres and reconfigure your internal organs through the vibration.

As has been said before, your hearing once gone is gone. If your having to have it painfully loud to overcome external noise you should re-asses and soon.

[fireball]

i have found for me while riding i need the music going as with out music i get distracted..

music helps me to focus on what im doing instead of thinking about other things like "what am i going to have for dinner" or "whats that over there......"

i dont have the music too loud just loud enogh to hear a beat.

[alanzs]

The only thing in the ears are plugs or the radar detector earphone.

I have a screamer on my Valentine 1 that is sooooo loud, you can hear it no matter what speed you're ripping at... Saved me more times than I can remember. Scares people when it goes off...

Here's a link: http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products...sp?Item=RADSCR

[Swoop]

I have a screamer on my Valentine 1 that is sooooo loud, you can hear it no matter what speed you're ripping at... Saved me more times than I can remember.

I have to remember to lower the volume right down for when it comes out of the car and onto the bike...
One earphone is quite enough!

[johns.swifty]

I have been riding for only a couple of years to work and back on the Auckland Motorway. Me personally when I am in trafffic I actually don't hear the music because of the consentration. But I love it when there is no traffic as it gives me something to do so I don't get board. I use my mobile phone, which does not have the max volume that iPods have. (But you can always turn them down)

I think some times I am distracted by the music but that is because I allow it. You could say the same thing about advertising on busses or the good looking chick in the lane next to you.

Motorway and town around traffic you don't have as much road noise as when you are on the open road. The open road is where you might need to ask yourself "Music OR Hearing"

[mstriumph]

yes
distracting

------- wouldn't want to be doing what we blame the cagers for - ie not concentrating on the job in hand ......

[NordieBoy]

Some rock or popular music with a damn good foot-tap to it would be fine I think.

Not whilst out on the adventure bike for a pootle in the hills it isn't

I prefer some Mike Oldfield, Richard Gilewitz, James Wilkinson, Marcus Turner, Flanders and Swan type stuff for adventuring and not making you speed up.

[NordieBoy]

2. If your ipod is EVER turned up over half way for more than 30mins...it can damage your hearing permanately, not saying it will, but it can. (I was told an ipod reaches 93db after the half way mark, and yes I know it doesnt seem that loud. But it is)

Totally depends on your earphones.

My in-ear noise cancelling 'phones (as good as foam earplugs when turned off) only need half volume whereas my in-helmet speakers cranked up to full arn't as loud.

[wickle]

I don't like the idea, just too distracting. But then, I'm easily distracted.

Same, also why dont have cellphone earpiece ( which boss's what me to get) who wants the phone going just as lay into a nice set of corners, could be abit distracking!

[DarkLord]

Same, also why dont have cellphone earpiece ( which boss's what me to get) who wants the phone going just as lay into a nice set of corners, could be abit distracking!

I can just imagine some of the conversations you might have -

"Hi, this is such and such..."

"Oh hi there, how can I help....oooh wait one second, TWISTIES!..... Whoa, feel that power!........ Stupid cage drivers......sorry about that, now what can I do for you?"

[HungusMaximist]

As a avid concert/gig goer and playing in a band, my precious hearing is the most important thing to me and I couldn't bear not protecting my ears.

As for riding, I wear ear canal headphones while I ride on the open road with a little bit of music pumping in the background. My helmet is rubbish in helmet noise so I have to wear em or I go deaf after a while.

But on the topic of 'distraction', I usually have my earphones at 20-30% volume and find it very soothing.

[Winston001]

Pardon?? I wish you lot would speak up instead of mumbling away like that.......

[sels1]

Never listened to music while riding....dont like to detract from being engaged in the experience. And the safety aspect as well.
Started wearing earplugs as a change of bike gave me more wind noise around the helmet - dont need them in 50kph areas.

If I get bored, I sing.....