Missed connection

[GuyContinental]

Don’t get me wrong- thanks in part to participating this forum, I call 99.9% of passes and say thank you whenever someone makes a move to clear the way. It’s just that I get frustrated with the earbud crowd not hearing even shrill announcements and I *consider* not bothering.

Also, I don’t have an issue with a r-ear only bud as long as the left ear is totally clear. I use one myself to hear podcasts and training prompts from my phone. I buy the cheapie ($12) over the ear but not in the ear canal style and immediately clip off the left bud. This means no stereo sound (since I scissor off the left channel) unless you buy a 2-channel single ear bud (which is tough to find)

[bobco85]

@Terpfan 27624 wrote:

But it does beg the point that when making a pass, if you’re not going to use a bell then you need to do it loudly, especially when we’re underneath a highway overpass where it’s naturally noisy. And your answer that I couldn’t hear it because of my earbuds (while amusing to me since they weren’t actually on for once and when they are, they’re on low volume) is sort of a poor argument anyway since the point of calling the pass isn’t for you to hear yourself.

When you leave the trail and enter a roadway, I hope you remove one of the earbuds. It’s illegal in VA, MD, and DC to be on the road with both earbuds in (you’re allowed to have one in because that covers wireless headsets).

I use the trails for walking on occasion, and will wear my headphones (clip-on kind) on a medium volume level where I can still hear outside stuff (like the whirring of bike wheels and passes), so I understand that you can wear them without too much auditory loss to the outside environment. It’s weird, I’m fine with walking with headphones, but find biking with headphones past my comfort zone.

[jhr]

Dear cyclist riding down Washington Blvd (in the actual road) and the GW Parkway toward Memorial Bridge,

I’m impressed by your balls. Please consider donating them to science when a driver you’ve given the finger runs you over in a fit of road rage. I will continue to cheer you on and worry for your sanity from the safety of the path on the path on the side of the road.

[Mikey]

@bobco85 27386 wrote:

To the mother who saw me fixing a flat (thanks Fairfax County for having a 4 inch lip between Braddock Road and Columbia Road, another flat from riding in Fairfax for me) on Columbia Road at 11 at night, turned around (which actually scared me because you don’t know who is going to do what at night), asked me if I was okay, and then said, “My son is a cyclist. I live near here and will send him out to help you if you’re still here.”:

Thank you. That was probably the nicest thing I’ve ever had someone do to a cyclist, especially considering it was 11 pm.

Additional thanks go to her (teenage?) son, who did come by with a flashlight (I had my bike lights, but it did help to have another angle) and offered to bring a pump, spare tube, etc. if I needed them. I was prepared and was able to change the tube out, but did appreciate the concern. Also, if I were still alone at that point I’d be dropping f-bombs and such.

I was able to make it back home without any trouble afterwards, but felt it was definitely worth mentioning the acts of kindness I received last night.

Did he lift your wallet when you weren’t looking?

[Mikey]

As a general rule can we make it a forum foul to mention the word earbuds, helmet, scofflaw, or other such triggers of conversations that have been beat to death. It’ll be fun, like the on-line version of Taboo the board game. i.e.

you – “Blah, Blah, Blah, ya-da, yada, blah, earbud, blah. . .”
Me – “TABOO!”
you – “good form, 2 points”

[ShawnoftheDread]

@essigmw 27659 wrote:

As a general rule can we make it a forum foul to mention the word earbuds, helmet, scofflaw, or other such triggers of conversations that have been beat to death. It’ll be fun, like the on-line version of Taboo the board game. i.e.

you – “Blah, Blah, Blah, ya-da, yada, blah, earbud, blah. . .”
Me – “TABOO!”
you – “good form, 2 points”

New forum readers come all the time, so a continuing dialogue is helpful. I wore earbuds my first two months of commuting (though not loudly), until being convinced through this forum that it wasn’t a good idea.

[Mikey]

@ShawnoftheDread 27663 wrote:

New forum readers come all the time, so a continuing dialogue is helpful. I wore earbuds my first two months of commuting (though not loudly), until being convinced through this forum that it wasn’t a good idea.

Taboo! – 2 pts me!

[rcannon100]

@jhr 27655 wrote:

Dear cyclist riding down Washington Blvd (in the actual road) and the GW Parkway toward Memorial Bridge,

I’m impressed by your balls. Please consider donating them to science when a driver you’ve given the finger runs you over in a fit of road rage. I will continue to cheer you on and worry for your sanity from the safety of the path on the path on the side of the road.

Now that’s an excellent first post! Smug. Snarky. Not Declaring all Cyclists are equated to that ELITE cyclist. Humorous.

[rcannon100]

However we do it, it would clear be a positive contribution to debate and discourse if we turned this forum into a form of a drinking game – to be carried out at the happy hour or perhaps during long rides down the Woe’D.

[Mark Blacknell]

@ShawnoftheDread 27663 wrote:

New forum readers come all the time, so a continuing dialogue is helpful. I wore earbuds my first two months of commuting (though not loudly), until being convinced through this forum that it wasn’t a good idea.

Yeah, I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to rolling my eyes at yet another helmet/earbuds/passing debate, but my solution is just to mostly stay away from them. There’s always someone to whom it’s new and useful. Cycling advocacy certainly didn’t start the moment I first drew a chair to the table, and I’m very glad that the folks who came before were willing to indulge my questions and grappling with the issues.

/leaves to get back to drinking games with rcannon100

[vvill]

@ShawnoftheDread 27663 wrote:

I wore earbuds my first two months of commuting (though not loudly)

I did the same, although mostly only on my commute to/from the metro station, and usually I wore clip-ons (supra-aural). I actually wore earbuds last week during a few laps around Hains and felt so naughty. TABOO!

[DaveK]

@jhr 27655 wrote:

Dear cyclist riding down Washington Blvd (in the actual road) and the GW Parkway toward Memorial Bridge,

I’m impressed by your balls. Please consider donating them to science when a driver you’ve given the finger runs you over in a fit of road rage. I will continue to cheer you on and worry for your sanity from the safety of the path on the path on the side of the road.

Saw one of these guys this morning on my way in. I gave him a thumbs-up.

[KLizotte]

@sjclaeys 27637 wrote:

As someone who also runs on the W&OD in the morning, I can still hear call outs with my earbuds in, so keep them coming. You know that I hear you when I give a little wave with my left hand.

That is so awesome that you acknowledge the calls. I wish all peds did that as it would greatly increase safety for all involved. As someone badly hurt in a recent bike splat, I am now suddenly all too well aware of how easy it is to get hurt on a MUP even if you don’t actually hit anything (other than the ground that is).

[TwoWheelsDC]

Speaking of calling passes…yelling “it’s clear, go go go! passing! passing!” at me as I approach the STOP sign on the MVT coming off the 14th St. bridge doesn’t have the motivational effect that maybe you think it does, sir. Kindly chill the f**k out.

[DismalScientist]

@TwoWheelsDC 27744 wrote:

Speaking of calling passes…yelling “it’s clear, go go go! passing! passing!” at me as I approach the STOP sign on the MVT coming off the 14th St. bridge doesn’t have the motivational effect that maybe you think it does, sir. Kindly chill the f**k out.

I had something similar happen to me as I stopped for a traffic light at Oak on Clarendon. As the road is three lanes wide there, his running into my back didn’t particularly concern me.

[Author]

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