People driving with headphones on

[Eighteeteewhy]

I'm talking full on, over the head headphones, not ear-buds. I've seen three already this morning.

Legal?

[sday12]

Nope.

[Steve-B]

We have Peltor intercom headsets we use with boom mics and those are, last I checked street legal. Is there a difference to headphones -- if so what?

[Brigand]

I tried it once whilst driving a Land Rover with no stereo, using the bud type earphones.

Hated it - I lost all spacial awareness, and it just felt wrong, couldn't concentrate properly, so took them out after a few minutes.

[LimaDelta]

How about rally cars on road link sections? Or on-bike intercoms with iPod connectivity?

[russy01]

Brigand said:

I tried it once whilst driving a Land Rover with no stereo, using the bud type earphones.

Hated it - I lost all spacial awareness, and it just felt wrong, couldn't concentrate properly, so took them out after a few minutes.

You saved me typing it. Same here.

[sawman]

I sometimes use bud type phones if I am am going a long way in the morgan - you cant really hear the radio over 50mph, and they help to reduce some of the wind buffeting if the roof is off, I keep wondering if noise canceling phones would be better although I wouldn't say using them particularly detaches me from the environment - its pretty noisy anyway, and at least I can pick up traffic news

[juansolo]

Had a Westfield once with a straight cut gearbox, plate diff and not the quietest engine in the world. Drove that with earplugs in...

[MDubyaB]

On my GSX-R I always use earplugs or in ear headphones. All you can hear at moderate speed is wind noise anyway.


(Arai RX7 - amazing lid but LOUD)

[Dodsy]

Steve-B said:

We have Peltor intercom headsets we use with boom mics and those are, last I checked street legal. Is there a difference to headphones -- if so what?

Same here - if I am on my own then its ear defenders (for long journeys)

Edited by Dodsy on Sunday 25th March 09:16

[rumple]

I use my IPod classic in my car, in my company wheels where the stereo isn't as good and dosnt have Ipod connectivity I use Bose overear headphones , is this illegal?, dosnt cause me any problems only really do it on the motorway though.

[Astra Dan]

Can you drive if you're deaf?

[davepoth]

Astra Dan said:

Can you drive if you're deaf?

Yes you can.

[Astra Dan]

Been wondering that for a while as I've been having problems with ear infections and tinnitus for a few years now and it got me wondering what would happen in the worst case.
So if you can, earphones must be OK?

[rumple]

My IPod is a 6th generation with euro volume limit, at full volume you can hear what's around you.

[rumple]

sday12 said:

Nope.

Wrong, there is no law against it, although the highway code states that listening to loud music is a distraction, so headphones and decent stereos are illegal ?.

[Ozzie Osmond]

If Bib feel so inclined they will nick you for Driving Without Due Care and Attention.

The point about deaf people driving is irrelevant. One-eyed people are allowed to drive but Bib can nick a two-eyed person driving in a comedy pirate's eye-patch.

[Astra Dan]

No, I was asking purely for my own reasons.

[SubaruSteve]

Ozzie Osmond said:

If Bib feel so inclined they will nick you for Driving Without Due Care and Attention.

The point about deaf people driving is irrelevant. One-eyed people are allowed to drive but Bib can nick a two-eyed person driving in a comedy pirate's eye-patch.

I'm sure if they claim they belong to a religion that encourages the wearing of eye patches they would get away with it!

[HustleRussell]

I thought a portable music player was a 'hand-held electronic device' and therefore it's use while driving is illegal?