Pedestrians wearing headphones…

[CCrew]

Huh? You say something? I had my headphones in, sorry

Thump thump owwwwwwwwww

[off2ride]

Perhaps yellow signs along the bike trails should indicate or say “Please do not obstruct your hearing capability by listening to some BS” or “Please listen for ON YOUR LEFT”.

[txgoonie]

“More than half of the incidents involved pedestrians who were run down by trains.”

Exactly how loud does it have to be for you to get run down by a train!?

[jrenaut]

As The Wash Cycle mentions, without numbers on how many more people are now wearing headphones, this is just meaningless “bad science”. How many people had cell phones with built-in MP3 players in 2004, and how many have them now?

And I assume by “trains” they really mean streetcars?

[dasgeh]

@off2ride 13152 wrote:

Perhaps yellow signs along the bike trails should indicate or say “Please do not obstruct your hearing capability by listening to some BS” or “Please listen for ON YOUR LEFT”.

I would love to see more informative signs on the trails, especially at the entrances where less frequent users come onto the trail — for example the ramp down to the MVT in Rosslyn, the head of the little trail that runs beside 110 and connects Memorial Bridge to the Iwa Jima. I encounter a lot of tourists who just aren’t used to being on multiuse trails — they don’t know to stay right (and sometimes jump left!), listen for cyclists’ calls, stay aware of their surroundings.

[Dirt]

I wrote a long response and just trashed it. It made me sound grumpier than I really am.

Just be careful out there. Nowhere that we’re going is that important that arriving a few moments later and intact is going to make that much difference.

People will behave dangerously. Avoid them with a playful joy and they won’t piss you off so much. Getting mad at them certainly doesn’t change their behavior… In my experience it only makes them more resistant to change. Laughing at them might make them think. Maybe it won’t. Either way I’m happy.

Rock on!

[Dirt]

@dasgeh 13160 wrote:

I would love to see more informative signs on the trails, especially at the entrances where less frequent users come onto the trail — for example the ramp down to the MVT in Rosslyn, the head of the little trail that runs beside 110 and connects Memorial Bridge to the Iwa Jima. I encounter a lot of tourists who just aren’t used to being on multiuse trails — they don’t know to stay right (and sometimes jump left!), listen for cyclists’ calls, stay aware of their surroundings.

I love the sign EXACTLY in that location that spells out the entire local helmet law in small print. LOL Complete waste of a good sign post.

I don’t mean any offense by saying that. I think signage could be a lot better. Not sure that people really read signs though…. even ones with pretty pictures and really small words.

[pfunkallstar]

I just operate under the assumption that every single pedestrian and driver is actually Betty White.

[StopMeansStop]

I wear headphones when I ride all the time. But the trick is to keep the volume down to a level so you can HEAR your surroundings.

[MCL1981]

Asking people not to listen to music while jogging, running, or cycling is unrealistic. If someone is careless and zoned out, they are going to be that way with or without headphones. If I couldn’t listen to music while out riding, I wouldn’t be riding at all.

[Dirt]

@StopMeansStop 13170 wrote:

I wear headphones when I ride all the time. But the trick is to keep the volume down to a level so you can HEAR your surroundings.

@MCL1981 13171 wrote:

Asking people not to listen to music while jogging, running, or cycling is unrealistic. If someone is careless and zoned out, they are going to be that way with or without headphones. If I couldn’t listen to music while out riding, I wouldn’t be riding at all.

I will enjoy playfully avoiding you.

[off2ride]

Personally I think putting earbuds/head phones on while riding/running is not a good thing. Naturally you will hear the wind swooshing around your ears while riding. Put music or some kind of audio output on top of that. You guys know where I’m going with this. Imagine you’re riding and your favorite jam comes on…so you’ll probably going to turn it up more and do a karaoke while you’re riding. Then BAM!!! Lights out. People miss their stop while riding the train because they didn’t hear. Just a friendly advise that benefits us all.

[americancyclo]

I think we sufficiently covered the headphone debate in this thread. Stay safe and alert out there!

[StopMeansStop]

@off2ride 13177 wrote:

Personally I think putting earbuds/head phones on while riding/running is not a good thing. Naturally you will hear the wind swooshing around your ears while riding. Put music or some kind of audio output on top of that. You guys know where I’m going with this. Imagine you’re riding and your favorite jam comes on…so you’ll probably going to turn it up more and do a karaoke while you’re riding. Then BAM!!! Lights out. People miss their stop while riding the train because they didn’t hear. Just a friendly advise that benefits us all.

NPR doesn’t jazz me up like that. Well, Melissa Block might jes a little.

[MCL1981]

My earbuds are loose fitting. I can hear you coming up behind me quite fine. And also, you have nothing to avoid while I”m wearing earbuds because I don’t wildly swerve around the trail. I’m going to be going straight ahead in my lane. If you hit me, it isn’t because I wasn’t paying attention.

[Author]

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