Prepare to be shouted at

To all cyclists who choose to plug-in to ear buds/headphones while biking in the city: Prepare to be shouted at by me (and maybe other cyclists catch my drift here).  Do not interpret my shouting as a symbol of my disrespect towards you.  I sincerely appreciate that you've chosen an oil-free form of transportation.  I also respect your right to die or inflict serious pain upon yourself.  But you see, I also respect my right to avoid you colliding in to me.

In a city of 3 million, where cars, buses, pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency & police vehicles are all sharing the narrow public ways, I personally believe that two hands, two ears, two eyes, and one uninterrupted brain are the minimum requirements to avoiding collisions, pain, and death.  Out on an empty country road, go ahead and plug your ears out until they bleed.  But in the city, I recommend you use every bit of your communication skills when using the public way.

Again, my shouting is not intended to disrespect you, so don't get mad when it happens.  I can learn to live with your reckless choice of plugging-out sound, but you'll have to learn to live with some shouting. 

I need to do whatever it takes for you to hear me.  I need you to not collide with me when I pass by you.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on August 4, 2010 at 11:19am
Be prepared to be called a nosy asshole who should mind your own business.
Permalink Reply by Bicycle Poet on August 4, 2010 at 11:35am
You can call me Al for all I care. As long as you hear me, and you will, I think we'll both live out our moment with our health held high.

The fact that anyone actually believes it is safe and appropriate to not use your sense of hearing while biking through a busy city street is, well, a grave sign of the ignorant times of Chicago's young and uninformed cycling community.

Hey, you kids are alright though. I'm grinning at your choice of transportation. Thank you for being a part of the movement.

But do consider this: the lesson of hard pavement can be a truly rockin' experience. Party on.
Permalink Reply by Liz on August 4, 2010 at 11:36am
the headphone riders aren't quite at the level of danger as the ligthless, no hands, talking on the cellphone riders who frequent the lfp at night.
Permalink Reply by Bicycle Poet on August 4, 2010 at 11:41am
> Do you respect the right of the hearing impaired to die or inflict serious pain upon themselves?

I don't believe we're on the same page here, or even the same book. I thought it was pretty clear in my original post: I'm referring people with proper hearing ability who are plugged-out by their use of ear phones/buds. What the cyclist who is hearing impaired does is not of any concern of mine.


>I'll make sure to grin from ear to ear as I see you mime your order at me from my handlebar mirror

I'll be grinning too -- 'cause biking tends to do that to me. And if I see you grinning, then great -- my intention has worked. We are communicating on the road!

Remember, I said my shout isn't a symbol of my disrespect. Think of it as akin to us being at a loud concert, both having a good time, and I just need to get by you. Of course, unlike a concert setting, there's a lot more on the line due to our traveling velocity.
Permalink Reply by pjc jr on August 4, 2010 at 11:56am
After screaming at someone your trying to pass safely half dozen times, do we have the right to run off the trail or road?
Permalink Reply by Bicycle Poet on August 4, 2010 at 12:51pm
Wise guy, eh?

You used the verb "sreaming", pal. I used "shouting". My friends and I shout at each other at loud concerts or bars. We don't scream. Boogiemen scare me, then I scream.

pjc jr said:
After screaming at someone your trying to pass safely half dozen times, do we have the right to run off the trail or road?
Permalink Reply by Bicycle Poet on August 4, 2010 at 12:53pm
>but I'm pro choice.

Way to inject a loaded phrase in to an otherwise placid discussion.
Permalink Reply by Lisa yeah on August 4, 2010 at 2:20pm
I listen to music, and I give way to passing bikes if I have room. Crazy right? But if someone is rude to me, I'm a little less inclined to be courteous. Also, I've wanted to mention to a certain cyclists who passes me with a shout every couple of weeks- it isn't that I can't hear him; It's that I'm not about to bike right up against the parked cars for his convenience.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on August 4, 2010 at 2:23pm
It is illegal to drive a car with headphones, which also means ear-buds, because it is considered a distraction...

Just sayin.
Permalink Reply by Lisa yeah on August 4, 2010 at 2:25pm
It's also illegal to ride a bike with no breaks and no head light, not that I think you do. But I hope nobody on here who's disapproving of bike music is breaking the law themselves.

notoriousDUG said:
It is illegal to drive a car with headphones, which also means ear-buds, because it is considered a distraction...

Just sayin.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on August 4, 2010 at 3:29pm
There's no disapproving of bike music here. It's disapproving of shutting out your sense of hearing while riding a bike.

As for bike music, get a small setup and blast it for all. Some cars that I've passed are rocking out to something that makes me want to start dancing on my bike.

Lisa yeah said:
It's also illegal to ride a bike with no breaks and no head light, not that I think you do. But I hope nobody on here who's disapproving of bike music is breaking the law themselves.

notoriousDUG said:
It is illegal to drive a car with headphones, which also means ear-buds, because it is considered a distraction...

Just sayin.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on August 4, 2010 at 11:09pm
No BRAKES.

I ride with brakes and I ride with a light.

Lisa yeah said:
It's also illegal to ride a bike with no breaks and no head light, not that I think you do. But I hope nobody on here who's disapproving of bike music is breaking the law themselves.

notoriousDUG said:
It is illegal to drive a car with headphones, which also means ear-buds, because it is considered a distraction...

Just sayin.

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