Is it right for a motor cyclist to listen to an ipod under a helment while riding?>?

Answer 1

In most states it is against the law to cover both ears. If you listen with just one ear and the other is not covered then it's probably alright.

Answer 2

Well I am going to buck the trend here and say that it is not specifically a bad thing to do. There are intercom systems available that allow you to plug your music system, GPS, blue tooth telephone etc into them and deliver the associated audio straight your crash helmet. You of course need to be sensible here and not have it so loud that it is obtrusive or distracting. Your attention must at all times be on the road and what you are doing but it is no different having the speakers inside your crash helmet than it is to people in a steel box having them playing music as they drive their cars. Honda Goldwings, some BMW's and Harleys etc have on board stereos that play music through their own speakers and that is also no more distracting.

Use your common sense here and enjoy your music whilst still being safe. If you have half a brain in your head then it is quite possible to do. As for the folks who are saying that it will stop you hearing sirens and horns - well just how loud would have it to be to really do that? If it was that loud then you would have the danger of the blood pouring out your ears, filling your eyes.

Haley D - answer below is not correct as there are many high class intercoms such as Starcom1 Advance that has two speakers installed as part of the head set delivering full stereo sound.

Answer 3

Lets look at the arguments against:

Not being able to hear. You're wearing a helmet which covers both your ears anyway. Most of what you hear is going to be wind noise. Ear plugs help this, in fact the use of earplugs is encouraged by bike schools. Listening to music instead of just the wind is not dangerous.

Being distracted: Not really. Cycling through the play list whilst going along not a good idea though.

:Legal: Chatting with a policeman who stopped me for doing 110mph (empty straight road, he saw sense), was actually quite impressed with my velcro'd in ear phone, he was a biker himself (part of the reason he let me off) and wanted to know where he could get a pair. Also on the bike test, you have an instructor talking in your ear..that's a lot more distracting than music, but not illegal

Answer 4

"Right" is such a vague term.

Is it legal? depends on state laws
Is it morally right? I do not know
Is it a good idea? depends on many factors

Where are they riding. What is the riders skill level? How loud is it? ... etc.

For example, a veteran rider, on a cross country trip, riding through the middle of the desert, with no traffic in sight, is a lot different than a new rider, in downtown San Francisco.....


Personally? I choose not to listen to music when riding. Or Driving a car.

I like the Keith Code analogy of attention as a dollar. you pay out cents on that dollar for everything you do.

10 cents to watch weather
20 cents for road conditions
50 cents for bike handling
etc etc

when you spend your dollar? you are done. and your risk level goes up?

in my mind, listening to music, cell phones, distractions, etc, is worth 40 cents of that dollar.

I feel when you are on the road, you should concentrate on driving/riding.

When in a car, you can spend 80% of your attention on driving.

When on a bike? it should be 100%


The mom in the minivan, with kids yelling, putting on make up, yapping on the phone, eating macdonalds, is NOT driving. She is doing a million other things. in a ~4800lb bullet flying down the road.

I want to be sure 100% of my attention is ON the road, so she does not take me out, while I am fast forwarding through my playlist, cause, well, you know, Brittney Spears is SOOO Out, why is that even still on my playlist. Where are the White Stripes..... skid skid crash.

Answer 5

I think listening to the radio depends on where and when your riding. if youre riding thru rush hour traffic or city streets then NO bc you have enough to keep you awake and alert. Now if youre on a long trip and driving thru endless fields and rarely a car in sight then definetly, those 200+miles trips on a bike tend to get very drawn out and you lose alertness and you can catch yourself thinking about nothing which is bad. Now im riding to Sturgis this year for the first time and ive been tol that in some parts of the 1100 trip there are parts where it can get somewhat boring, so i know listening to Born to be wild or Wanted:dead or alive, will keep me motivated and alert.

Answer 6

You should just be asking "is right for a driver of a vehicle to listen to an ipod while driving."
It's not safe for anyone to be using headphones while driving.
You can also say really loud stereos in cars, or even on motorcycles are a bad idea, since you can hear sirens and all that jive.

But you also have to remember deaf people can drive.

Answer 7

I think it's fine, just put in one earphone and you can still hear the traffic. I have been doing it ever since the ipod came out. The only thing, having an ipod and riding is additive. I can't ride anywhere without it.

Answer 8

Hearing is an additional aid when safeguarding his life.

Sound (a horn tooting) may be the first alert to danger, it may also assistant an abulance if you hear him and get out of the way so he can pass and possibly help save a persons life.

No I do not think it is right. It will be at his own risk and perhaps the risk of anothers life.

Answer 9

It is illegal to ride or drive with headphones.
The comparison to '' Deaf drivers" really does not apply as their entire life has been spent without hearing and they are well practiced in working around it.
The intercom systems have " One " ear phone leaving one ear open to hear the outside world.
There are clip on amplified speakers that run off your Ipod, so you can legally listen to tunes.
All that said I personally see little problem with it as it is mostly yourself you place at risk, but when there are other options they should be considered.

Answer 10

Its no different to those dicks in cars with the big woofers in the back. If you can ride or drive without hearing then go for it.