Wearing earphones while driving?
Discussion
While giving my car a drink at Winchester services this afternoon, I was parked up next to a scamera van (or at least I guess it was that - blank white with tinted glass and chevrons on the back). Anyway, BiB comes back from paying and climbs aboard. When I go in to pay, I see he is popping earphones into each ear before he drives off. I was under the impression this was a no-no, or have I heard wrong? Is it just another small example of "do as I say, not as I do"?
Not a massive offence obviously, I was just curious.
Not a massive offence obviously, I was just curious.
Well, you learn something new every day. If you'd asked me, I would honestly have believed deafness would have stopped you from being able to drive. I don't know why, I guess i'm just basing on the idea that I would find it more disorientating if I couldn't hear the engine etc. Of course, a deaf person will have learned to cope with that in all situations though, so I am shown up for the ignoramus that I am.
flemke said:
i want an aero said:
wasted years said:
Nothing to say you can't drive with earphones as long as it doesn't affect your driving.
bloody should, not able to her sirens for a start
Earphones ok. Earplugs ok. Except that they get a bit waxy after a while.
Nothing illegal about them, and very sensible if you are on a bike.
Of course, illegal to not be in control of your vehicle if you are incapable by listening to loud music.
Also you can probably get a S59 for music. You can for everything else...
Nothing illegal about them, and very sensible if you are on a bike.
Of course, illegal to not be in control of your vehicle if you are incapable by listening to loud music.
Also you can probably get a S59 for music. You can for everything else...
I'm partially deaf and I can say, without fear of contradiction (unless it is shouted), that it does not affect my driving. I'm quite deaf in one ear and a little in the other.
My Chim blocks out what sound would have got through in any case. On a long run or with the roof on I wear ear plugs to lower the sound level.
There was a wierd proposition from a cabinet minister some years ago to ban cyclists from wearing headphones as it made them more dangerous. I am not sure how. The suggestion was binned, I am told, when it was pointed out that there might be questions as to why music was allowed in vehicles and motorcyclists allowed to wear crash helmets over their ears. Also, when cycling at anything like a sensible speed, I couldn't hear anything above the roar of the wind even when my ears were more or less adequate.
Further, bluetooth headsets block sounds and render most people more or less level with me. Also, take a drive in a newish S-Type Merc. Little or no sound filters in.
Most lightweight headphones do not block out much sound in any case.
My Chim blocks out what sound would have got through in any case. On a long run or with the roof on I wear ear plugs to lower the sound level.
There was a wierd proposition from a cabinet minister some years ago to ban cyclists from wearing headphones as it made them more dangerous. I am not sure how. The suggestion was binned, I am told, when it was pointed out that there might be questions as to why music was allowed in vehicles and motorcyclists allowed to wear crash helmets over their ears. Also, when cycling at anything like a sensible speed, I couldn't hear anything above the roar of the wind even when my ears were more or less adequate.
Further, bluetooth headsets block sounds and render most people more or less level with me. Also, take a drive in a newish S-Type Merc. Little or no sound filters in.
Most lightweight headphones do not block out much sound in any case.
stewie732 said:
no, I dont think deaf people should be allowed to drive.
Earlier this evening,stewie732 said:
paranha said:
Wait untill the slime have gone into the store ,then let the tyres down, or spray windscreen with WD 40, works a treat.My wife has one new knee joint and the other is a knee-in-waiting--both Very painfull.
We have to park sometimes out of the disabled areas due to selfish people who can walk without the agony of pain for every step, it makes me question the point of the Blue.s --who monitors the system in supermarkets?.
just leave the We have to park sometimes out of the disabled areas due to selfish people who can walk without the agony of pain for every step, it makes me question the point of the Blue.s --who monitors the system in supermarkets?.
Edited by stewie732 on Sunday 13th January 21:49
MonkeyHanger said:
stewie732 said:
no, I dont think deaf people should be allowed to drive.
I don't think arseholes should be allowed to post on here but you seem to manage ok.Since deafness is a progressive condition from birth and therefore stewie has already heard his best days, i am just wondering at what age his opinion will change my guess between 30 and 45...
Hope he does not have a noisy job, speak on the telephone much or spend too much time on a motorbike or in racing cars, go to disco's etc cos its all bad..
Hey what ?
BTW - I use earplugs in the car on motorways and used them on the bike, very sensible and i know its very common amongst mature bikers to use them.
Edited by Pork_n_Beem on Sunday 13th January 23:34
MonkeyHanger said:
stewie732 said:
no, I dont think deaf people should be allowed to drive.
I don't think arseholes should be allowed to post on here but you seem to manage ok.big name caller wooooo!
he dosent agree with something I have said so you have to call me an arsehole? what a big intenet tough guy.
p.s please stop calling me names it really hurts so much reading this verbal abuse.

/sarcasm
Edited by stewie732 on Sunday 13th January 23:46
Edited by stewie732 on Sunday 13th January 23:47
i want an aero said:
wasted years said:
Nothing to say you can't drive with earphones as long as it doesn't affect your driving.
bloody should, not able to her sirens for a startstewie732 said:
no, I dont think deaf people should be allowed to drive.
I won't call you names, just say that in my opinion that is an incredibly narrow-minded and prejudiced view.I have a kit car that that is incredibly noisy to drive with the hood up. In view of the comments in this thread, I shall be getting some proper earplugs and I reckon they will improve the whole experience and my concentration whilst driving it.
stewie732 said:
MonkeyHanger said:
stewie732 said:
no, I dont think deaf people should be allowed to drive.
I don't think arseholes should be allowed to post on here but you seem to manage ok.big name caller wooooo!
he dosent agree with something I have said so you have to call me an arsehole? what a big intenet tough guy.
p.s please stop calling me names it really hurts so much reading this verbal abuse.

/sarcasm
I use to regularly pop earphones in when cycling- often without music, I just found it more comfortable to nto have the wind blowing directly into my ears.
stewie732 said:
[
what?
big name caller wooooo!
he dosent agree with something I have said so you have to call me an arsehole? what a big intenet tough guy.
p.s please stop calling me names it really hurts so much reading this verbal abuse.
/sarcasm
You're not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you?what?
big name caller wooooo!
he dosent agree with something I have said so you have to call me an arsehole? what a big intenet tough guy.
p.s please stop calling me names it really hurts so much reading this verbal abuse.

/sarcasm
Edited by stewie732 on Sunday 13th January 23:46
Edited by stewie732 on Sunday 13th January 23:47
i want an aero said:
bloody should, not able to her sirens for a start
Vaux said:
So, you'd ban deaf people from driving then?
Deaf people or people with an hearing impairment know they have to impairment and will therefor use their other sences more, so you'll find eventhough they might not be able to hear anything, they will therefor use their mirrors even more and therefor will be able to spot the emergency vehicle before cars around him/her would hear the siren.On the other hand, the muppet without a radio in his/her car and who therefor uses an mp3 player with earplugs will usually not use his/her mirrors more eventhough they can't hear shit.
Those second group of people are the ones we tend to get stuck behind and who really annoy us.
RDE said:
I see he is popping earphones into each ear before he drives off.
Might have been for his digital radio and the other one for his phone.Most police forces use the same radio's as we do, who all come with a little earpiece.

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