Driving with headphones?

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681 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1051353 22-May-2014 20:27

+1 for headphones.

Its no worse than someone cranking their stereo.

I too use headphones sometimes to listen to audiobooks, have on my bike a few times as well. The volume is low, the headphones are not noise cancelling or blocking, and I can hear ambient noise just as well as anyone else. If you can be distracted so easily you should not be driving!

blakamin

4431 posts

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Inactive user

# 1051359 22-May-2014 20:38

Many years ago I saw *light truck food delivery vehicle* driver with full over-ear headphones on. Idiot didn't hear my airhorn, I nearly ran him and his small truck over, so I went to his boss.

Just get some IEM's and put one in so you're still aware of things happening.

*Company was a subsidiary of the one I worked for, and I was driving a semi. Not naming either.

edit: As for having your stereo cranked to the max... how many of those tools think they're bulletproof already?

scuwp

3246 posts

Uber Geek

# 1051361 22-May-2014 20:39

I too cannot see a problem. It's no different to having the stereo cranked up a bit. Modern cars are very well noise insulated so hearing something outside is a mute argument (no pun intended).

Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman, then always be the Batman

Bee

593 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1051366 22-May-2014 20:51

Do people who are completely deaf drive? Really?

mckenndk

895 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1051369 22-May-2014 20:53

Bee: Do people who are completely deaf drive? Really?

Yep, probably get less detracted than those of us that can hear, but still have the same accidents as non deaf people (getting killed at railway crossings etc),

Bung

3082 posts

Uber Geek

# 1051386 22-May-2014 21:31

"A new study from the Monash University Accident Research Center now confirms the risks parents have known anecdotally for years.

Driving with children isn’t just slightly more dangerous; it’s a full 12 times more dangerous, according to the study."

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

PhantomNVD

2572 posts

Uber Geek

# 1051394 22-May-2014 21:43

Bung: "A new study from the Monash University Accident Research Center now confirms the risks parents have known anecdotally for years.

Driving with children isn’t just slightly more dangerous; it’s a full 12 times more dangerous, according to the study."

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Damn!
So by that math I'm in more danger by driving with my kids than wearing 'phones?

Also, they aren't noise cancelling, and don't cut either the kids issues or the traffic noises out, just add "distractive" spoken info to help me deal with "robot no.1" playing incessantly on the stereo...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=INNKbHdgZRc&feature=kp see how long _you_ can last? :)

HowickDota

409 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1051395 22-May-2014 21:46

I'd like to drive with headphones on because my car is quite poorly insulated from noise and a lot of things rattle, but when I wear them I do feel a bit more isolated and not as aware of my surroundings.

Athlonite

1828 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

# 1051485 23-May-2014 04:14

mattwnz: A few days this was discussed on TV when they were talking about people using mobiles when driving, I can't remember if it was fairgo or seven sharp.Anyway, they say listening to an ipod with headphones is legal. However anything that causes a distraction, such as eating cereal in your car while driving, could be considered dangerous driving, which you can get fined for. I don't know noise being blocked is a problem, as they allow deaf people to drive, and they can't hear anything at all.

the difference is that with deaf people is their other senses become heightened unlike non hearing impaired

jonathan18

4349 posts

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Subscriber

# 1051498 23-May-2014 06:42

PhantomNVD:
Bung: "A new study from the Monash University Accident Research Center now confirms the risks parents have known anecdotally for years.

Driving with children isn’t just slightly more dangerous; it’s a full 12 times more dangerous, according to the study."

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Damn!
So by that math I'm in more danger by driving with my kids than wearing 'phones?

Also, they aren't noise cancelling, and don't cut either the kids issues or the traffic noises out, just add "distractive" spoken info to help me deal with "robot no.1" playing incessantly on the stereo...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=INNKbHdgZRc&feature=kp see how long _you_ can last? :)

I guess I understand the desire to be insulated from your kids' music choice (if I hear the Lego Movie's "Everything's Awesome" one more time!), but not so convinced it's ideal parenting to disengage oneself from one's kids in the car. I'll totally admit I'm guilty of this myself if there's something interesting on the radio, but I'll often check myself for doing do and turn the radio off.

Queue the accusations of 'PC parenting' etc...!

MikeB4

14614 posts

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Trusted

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# 1051503 23-May-2014 07:24

vexxxboy: there is no law in NZ that says driving while wearing headphones is illegal, it's just not recommended.

It would come under ' driving without due care and attention'.

Mike
Retired IT Manager.
The views stated in my posts are my personal views and not that of any other organisation.

There is no planet B

timmmay

15589 posts

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# 1051505 23-May-2014 07:31

Listening to audio books on headphones while driving is probably even worse than having a cellphone conversation. I wouldn't recommend it.

floydbloke

2095 posts

Uber Geek

# 1051538 23-May-2014 08:54

One person supports this post

Bee: Do people who are completely deaf drive? Really?

And it quite often seems that blind ones do as well.

"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." - Stephen Hawking

surfisup1000

4472 posts

Uber Geek

# 1051565 23-May-2014 09:38

PhantomNVD:
vexxxboy: there is no law in NZ that says driving while wearing headphones is illegal, it's just not recommended.

Thanks for a clear, unemotional response!

he he, this happens every time you ask a question like that.

You'll get people being your parents telling you what to do.

I've worn headphones while driving before and you do get disconnected from the driving experience somewhat. Whether it is dangerous, check for research.

tigercorp

637 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 1051575 23-May-2014 10:11

I used to have an hour long commute from my small town to the city on a very straight and boring piece of motorway. Even the route to the normal carpark was on the main road to pass through the city so there were no real turns during the entire trip.

Wore noise cancelling headphones for the better part 3 years with no issues or concerns although I do remember feeling a little pensive the first couple of times. The headphones didn't cut out the sound of other cars, just most of the road noise.

Used them mostly for music but they were also bluetooth enabled so were for taking calls as well. I personally wouldn't ever use them for audiobooks as I think that would be too distracting.

Now that I live in the city I never wear them for day to day trips but if there's ever a long drive involved where its just me in the car, I wouldn't drive without them.

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