Cycling Mob Cycling Forums - View Single Post - New York wants to outlaw iPods for cyclers!?!?

02-10-2007, 06:32 AM

On Feb 10, 7:56 am, "Gooserider" <Gooseri...@mouse-potato.com> wrote:
> "BobT" <robertleetaylo...@MoveThisCox.net> wrote in message
>
> news:arjzh.57293$qy.8057@newsfe16.lga...
>
>
>
> > "Gorgeous George" <gorgeous.geor...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:1171106831.734099.195910@p10g2000cwp.googleg roups.com...
> >> WTF is this...
>
> >>http://tinyurl.com/2mea2m
>
> > My libertarian streak makes me think this is a bad law, however anyone
> > that wears earphones playing music while cycling on a road shared with
> > other vehicles is quite foolish.
>
> > A modest proposal: Perhaps there should be a law that requires anyone
> > injured while engaging in this particularly stupid activity should only
> > get medical treatment if they pay for it themselves. This would achieve
> > the goal of protecting the public at large from this person's poor
> > judgement but would not infringe on individual freedom with the only goal
> > of "protecting people from themselves".
>
> > Please do not respond unless you agree with me.
>
> > Ready, set, and go.
>
> > BobT
>
> Sorry, Bob, but I'm going to respond(and doesn't your request negate your
> 'libertarian' streak?). Wearing earphones while cycling is already illegal
> in most places, but that doesn't mean the activity is "stupid". I fail to
> see how a cyclist wearing earphones removes him from the environment any
> more than a motorcyclist wearing a helmet, or a motorist in a luxury car
> with the radio turned up.

You're not thinking hard enough, then. It's virtually impossible to
use headphones at a reasonable volume when you have to overcome wind
noise, so the vast majority of cyclists wearing 'phones have them at a
volume that's the equivalent of a car stereo that's so loud that it
would get you pulled over. That's right--most sane cities have laws
against egregious car stereo volume as well.

Oh, and Bob, suggesting the withholding of medical treatment to
somebody that's stupid enough to wear headphones and get hit makes you
an *******. Bragging about a "libertarian streak" beforehand makes you
pitiful. Perhaps you should stick to the Ayn Rand and Push-Up
creamsicles, and stay off the Usenet.

The whole headphone debate is not a bit different from listening to a
drunk stagger to the door and slur, "but I'm fine to drive, hic."

02-10-2007, 06:32 AM	#6 (permalink)
landotter Posts: n/a	Re: New York wants to outlaw iPods for cyclers!?!? On Feb 10, 7:56 am, "Gooserider" <Gooseri...@mouse-potato.com> wrote: > "BobT" <robertleetaylo...@MoveThisCox.net> wrote in message > > news:arjzh.57293$qy.8057@newsfe16.lga... > > > > > "Gorgeous George" <gorgeous.geor...@gmail.com> wrote in message > >news:1171106831.734099.195910@p10g2000cwp.googleg roups.com... > >> WTF is this... > > >>http://tinyurl.com/2mea2m > > > My libertarian streak makes me think this is a bad law, however anyone > > that wears earphones playing music while cycling on a road shared with > > other vehicles is quite foolish. > > > A modest proposal: Perhaps there should be a law that requires anyone > > injured while engaging in this particularly stupid activity should only > > get medical treatment if they pay for it themselves. This would achieve > > the goal of protecting the public at large from this person's poor > > judgement but would not infringe on individual freedom with the only goal > > of "protecting people from themselves". > > > Please do not respond unless you agree with me. > > > Ready, set, and go. > > > BobT > > Sorry, Bob, but I'm going to respond(and doesn't your request negate your > 'libertarian' streak?). Wearing earphones while cycling is already illegal > in most places, but that doesn't mean the activity is "stupid". I fail to > see how a cyclist wearing earphones removes him from the environment any > more than a motorcyclist wearing a helmet, or a motorist in a luxury car > with the radio turned up. You're not thinking hard enough, then. It's virtually impossible to use headphones at a reasonable volume when you have to overcome wind noise, so the vast majority of cyclists wearing 'phones have them at a volume that's the equivalent of a car stereo that's so loud that it would get you pulled over. That's right--most sane cities have laws against egregious car stereo volume as well. Oh, and Bob, suggesting the withholding of medical treatment to somebody that's stupid enough to wear headphones and get hit makes you an *******. Bragging about a "libertarian streak" beforehand makes you pitiful. Perhaps you should stick to the Ayn Rand and Push-Up creamsicles, and stay off the Usenet. The whole headphone debate is not a bit different from listening to a drunk stagger to the door and slur, "but I'm fine to drive, hic."