I phones I pod road dangers?

[jeff oakley]

We have just had a number of cyclist killed in London and it would appear that most of these were ordinary commuters not the evangelical anti car nutters.

 

It got me thinking and whilst walking around Bath yesterday, it struck me how many people were in a trance bumping into people whilst using these devices. I then saw probably 75% of cyclist wearing them on the road.

 

These items seem to be so distracting that the users were not aware of their surroundings and although annoying, when walking, it is an inconveniance to bump into someone on the road fatal.

 

Some cyclists I have seen all over the place, but especially in London, are unaware or don't care about being in a bus or lorries blind spot leaving no escape route between them and the steel fences. The outcome of such an error can be fatal, should cyclists be banned from riding with these on? Would it save lives?

 

Already it has been reported that pedestrians are walking out into the path of cars more but to ban them for pedestrians is probably a step too far.

 

What are others thoughts?

[Captain Colonial]

I'd go further and ban them for all motorists completely.  Many headphones completely isolate the road user from outside sounds like horns, engines sounds and sirens, which can prove fatal.  One earpiece is fine, but both ears is a real hazard where music is concerned IMO.

[Stuart]

Do a fair bit of recreational/exercise cycling myself and try to steer clear of busy roads, but my biggest problems on designated cycle paths and canal towpaths are cyclists and pedestrians with headphones on.  I'm quite quick (but never inappropriately so) and it's difficult to overtake another cyclist on a fairly narrow pathway if there is no way to let them know you are there.  Sometimes I will be up behind them ringing my bell and shouting 'excuse me' but the music is on so loud they still can't hear.  Worst pedestrians will have headphones on, be facebooking on their mobiles and also have 2 or 3 dogs running around.  Totally oblivious to anything going on around them.

[Kevin Wood]

I wear ear defender headsets when driving long distances in the Westfield, occasionally with a bit of music playing, and find them a great help (and I think some kind of ear protection is essential for a motorway journey of any length) but I'll generally remove them in towns and built up areas. Anything I could normally hear above the engine and road noise will probably be audible with them on anyway.

 

On a cycle or on foot, though? Nope. There's a world out there! Surely you partake of outdoor pursuits to interact with it?

 

If I want to shut myself off from the world and listen to music I have a comfy sofa and a nice Hi-Fi system at home.

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

Back in the eighties I briefly had a CB radio in my car and soon realised that holding a conversation could put me on 'auto-pilot' and I found I'd done a significant distance with no recollection of the road I'd driven. Obviously I came to no harm but I wondered how attentive to road conditions I had been. On a similar vein I always switch off the car radio when in demanding situations because any distraction can be the difference between a crash and avoidance. Perhaps it's because I tend towards speech radio mainly, but I suspect that any extraneous input is distracting to a degree. Combine this with removal of important senses - hearing in this case - and you have the recipe for disaster IMHO. The debate about hand-held 'phones ignores the fact, again IMHO, that the telephone is a very big distraction anyway and the holding of the handset is the least aspect of this. I am of the view that any telephone whilst driving is dangerous. Even chatty, demanding passengers are a hazard - I am sure I drive at my safest when alone, pressing on, and with no in-car distractions at all.

[Rory's Dad]

It seems people are tending to live increasingly in a bubble.  When I'm outside I hear people on their mobiles having potentially private and personal conversations when they can be overheard by anyone.  This isolated 'bubble' life seems to explain why cyclists use headphones without thinking of the consequences.

 

Martin

[cast iron]

Let Darwin sort it out...

[M444TTB]

These are of particular annoyance to me when I take part in running races. I remember at last years Swindon half marathon a wheel chair racer being stuck behind someone with headphones on and music loud enough to hear 6ft behind them. This was after being told you couldn't wear them. Organisers need to clamp down on it and actually disqualify people as they threaten to do.

[ianstewartshouse]

I remember (too many years ago) not having enough dosh spare for a radio for the car using headphones to listen to music and the old bill pulling me over and threatening to prosecute me for it. Maybe modern world is different. I do feel anything which insulates you from the outside world is a problem when you are out and about in general

[Norman Verona]

Agree with all above. I said so this morning when it was on BBC Breakfast.

 

I also said that I never put myself, in a car, by the side of a lorry for any longer than I need. I hang back, wait for the lane in front to clear and then accelerate as fast as possible (quite fast) to get past and clear. However I see cyclists in London pedaling along by the side of artics and long lorries completely oblivious to the danger.

[pistonbroke]

Let Darwin sort it out...

Did someone call 

[stu999]

I was so engrossed in this thread, I nearly crashed on the way home:-p

[s2rrr]

I'm rather old fashioned as you are probably aware and whilst these new fangled gizmos are very trendy I would suggest that driving, riding or being in charge of any other potentially dangerous operation whilst using the loud ear pieces constitutes gross carelessness.

A colleague of mine who cycles like a complete t*at and has been told so by me( one day you will have an accident if you continue like that) managed to isolate himself so much from the real world that he cycled, head down ar*e up straight into an obstacle at the roadside. It was only a broken down Range Rover and he managed to damage the rear screen and also had 40 odd stitches in his head. He was very lucky but contributed massively to his own incident. His new wife was totally distraught and his stupidity has now been glossed over, cos that's what the yoof do. He could have died in that accident. I suspect every day there are countless thousands no only putting there lives at risk but also ours who blissfully are unaware of any issue as its cool.

 

Dinosaur Bob

[GoSloGem]

I agree with Bob. I was brought off my bicycle last year by a tw~t wearing headphones who was being shouted at by me and several others in a group, as they meandered across the road, but oblivious to what was going on around them (on the highway).  I wound up in A&E with stitches, they got away scot free. I have no sympathy for riders who evangelise about helmets and high vis uniforms and then put themselves in sensory isolation with these devices. Stupid.

[peet]

Try driving a fire engine with people like this about!

I was using a bus lane on blues and there was an idiot on a bike wired for sound just riding along not a care in the world. He didnt notice a big red fire engine sat dawdling with blue lights and sirens on a few feet behind - how loud was his music!

Pooped himself when he finally spotted me!!

Still can't believe that one!