Topic: Should earbuds/headphones be illegal for cyclist?

[quadzilla]

I just heard that its illegal to wear earbuds/headphones while cycling in Quebec.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2011/07/13/montreal-bike-earphones-713.html

Quebec's highway safety code prohibits riding a bicycle while wearing a personal stereo headset or earphones. It's the only Canadian jurisdiction where it's illegal to ride while listening to headphones.

There were four bike-related deaths in the Montreal area last year, but police said none of them was related to cyclists wearing headphones while riding.

When I started to log long miles every day I decided to take along my iPod to help beat the boredom. Mine don't block out much (if any) outside noise and I can easily hear around me. I also keep the volume turned down low and probably couldn't name any song I just heard.

[2latecrew]

I just heard that its illegal to wear earbuds/headphones while cycling in Quebec.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2011/07/13/montreal-bike-earphones-713.html

Quebec's highway safety code prohibits riding a bicycle while wearing a personal stereo headset or earphones. It's the only Canadian jurisdiction where it's illegal to ride while listening to headphones.

There were four bike-related deaths in the Montreal area last year, but police said none of them was related to cyclists wearing headphones while riding.

When I started to log long miles every day I decided to take along my iPod to help beat the boredom. Mine don't block out much (if any) outside noise and I can easily hear around me. I also keep the volume turned down low and probably couldn't name any song I just heard.

If its illegal in a car that operates on the same roads it should be the illegal for a cyclist.

Yes I'm well aware that a motorist could turn the radio up loud so they cannot hear but I see no reason that the laws shouldn't be as evenly applied as is reasonable and this strikes me as one of those cases.

[quadzilla]

If its illegal in a car that operates on the same roads it should be the illegal for a cyclist.

What are the laws for cars?

You can wear a hands free (phone) headset so I'm thinking its allowed.

[my2cents]

That was one of the questions I got wrong on the driving test that was posted the other day.

The question was what was illegal in a car - I said headphones - but the correct answer was passengers watching t.v. as if that's somehow different that watching a dvd. You can't use logic when answering these questions.

I say neither cars nor cyclist and they should turn down that crappy music and close their windows.  Second hand music noise is annoying and distracting.

So maybe earphones should be mandatory?

[2latecrew]

If its illegal in a car that operates on the same roads it should be the illegal for a cyclist.

What are the laws for cars?

You can wear a hands free (phone) headset so I'm thinking its allowed.

Manitobia has a law regarding it for both cars and cycles

MANITOBA
Display Types: television sets
Location & Mounting:
Screen must not be directly or indirectly visible from driver's seat

set mounted/positioned behind driver's seat

no one in vehicle can operate set unless it complies

Act and Section: Highway Traffic Act 214 (3) (4)
Other Devices Regulated: Headphones for radio/recording prohibited for motor vehicle and bicycle operators
Fines: $155 set fine, up to $2,000. Court may impose license suspension up to one year

[Arthur Dent]

That was one of the questions I got wrong on the driving test that was posted the other day.

The question was what was illegal in a car - I said headphones - but the correct answer was passengers watching t.v. as if that's somehow different that watching a dvd. You can't use logic when answering these questions.

I say neither cars nor cyclist and they should turn down that crappy music and close their windows.  Second hand music noise is annoying and distracting.

So maybe earphones should be mandatory?

I believe that question was what was NOT illegal.

Headphones are illegal for car drivers.

[Mike]

That was one of the questions I got wrong on the driving test that was posted the other day.

The question was what was illegal in a car - I said headphones - but the correct answer was passengers watching t.v. as if that's somehow different that watching a dvd. You can't use logic when answering these questions.

I say neither cars nor cyclist and they should turn down that crappy music and close their windows.  Second hand music noise is annoying and distracting.

So maybe earphones should be mandatory?

I believe that question was what was NOT illegal.

Headphones are illegal for car drivers.

headphones hooked up to entertainment devices, but not headphones in general.  They are legal as that is how the non-bluetooth hands free devices work.  It makes the polices job harder these days

[AP]

Legislating against stupid does not address the root cause of the problem, effective though it may (or may not) be.

[Cord]

Avoiding earbuds, etc sounds like a pretty good precaution just for self-preservation. Who cares what the law is for cars? As cyclists well know, the price to pay for a accident is much more severe than for most car drivers.

[my2cents]

That was one of the questions I got wrong on the driving test that was posted the other day.

The question was what was illegal in a car - I said headphones - but the correct answer was passengers watching t.v. as if that's somehow different that watching a dvd. You can't use logic when answering these questions.

I say neither cars nor cyclist and they should turn down that crappy music and close their windows.  Second hand music noise is annoying and distracting.

So maybe earphones should be mandatory?

I believe that question was what was NOT illegal.

Headphones are illegal for car drivers.

I hate it when I do that.

If I hadn't posted it and you hadn't corrected me - somewhere down the road I would have been convinced that I read somewhere that headphones were legal.

I have bluetooth headphones that play music files good and loud and when a call comes in - press a button to answer.

I guess I won't be using them while driving. Not that I did anyway.

[tpl]

^^ what about Music on hold in your Bluetooth earpiece... once in a while that is entertainment

[ajay]

Ear canal headphones can block out all other sound but I would think regular ear buds would be fine .
We get lawed to death .

[stodge]

Avoiding earbuds, etc sounds like a pretty good precaution just for self-preservation. Who cares what the law is for cars? As cyclists well know, the price to pay for a accident is much more severe than for most car drivers.

Sane thinking; I haven't noticed any cyclists wearing headphones (too busy watching them not their heads) but I think anyone who wants to survive the daily fight against traffic should use all of their senses.

[blur911]

We get lawed to death .

Exactly. 
Now, what if you were deaf but also a biker?  Could you then wear headphones while cycling? 
That's why these laws are stupid, they are so specific as to be inane.  The cops had it easier when they could just stop you for driving like an asshat without having to contend with whether or not you were listening to a handsfree call or being entertained by music, both of which look exactly the same.

[Scarecrow]

What about cyclists talking on their hand-held cell phones?  'Cuz that's what I've been seeing around town these days (not earphones, but I'm sure that's happening too...).

[AP]

Now, what if you were deaf but also a biker?  Could you then wear headphones while cycling? 

Think about that carefully for a minute.

[Angry Chicken]

I just heard that its illegal to wear earbuds/headphones while cycling in Quebec.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2011/07/13/montreal-bike-earphones-713.html

Quebec's highway safety code prohibits riding a bicycle while wearing a personal stereo headset or earphones. It's the only Canadian jurisdiction where it's illegal to ride while listening to headphones.

There were four bike-related deaths in the Montreal area last year, but police said none of them was related to cyclists wearing headphones while riding.

When I started to log long miles every day I decided to take along my iPod to help beat the boredom. Mine don't block out much (if any) outside noise and I can easily hear around me. I also keep the volume turned down low and probably couldn't name any song I just heard.

Being stupid should be illegal.  Also not possessing common sense.  Seeing as you don't have any of the former and don't lack any of the latter, I'd say that you're checked out to wear earbuds.  It's the 1d10t5 that bike (and drive!) with their earbuds turned up full blast that almost makes me believe that Darwin was onto something.

[Wolverine]

I always use headphones when riding alone, never had problems because of that. Just keep the volume at a good level that would let you here what happens around.

[johngenx]

I always use my ipod on my bike, but being that I live in Alberta, and riding a bicycle on the roads among the Rig Rockets is pretty much instantaneous suicide, I only ride places I can reach via trails.

[tenpenny]

Ear canal headphones can block out all other sound but I would think regular ear buds would be fine .
We get lawed to death .

I agree, which is why I was against cell phone bans - we already have laws against driving while distracted.

A ban against cell phones is like adding a new law that specifies that murdering someone using a firearm is illegal.  Murder is already illegal.