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

02-10-2007, 10:39 AM

"Gooserider" <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com> wrote in message
news:45cdcef7$0$16997$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
>
> "BobT" <robertleetaylorRe@MoveThisCox.net> wrote in message
> news:arjzh.57293$qy.8057@newsfe16.lga...
>> "Gorgeous George" <gorgeous.georgey@gmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:1171106831.734099.195910@p10g2000cwp.googlegr oups.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. Cyclists are more likely to be hit in
> intersections than from behind. Even IF you happen to hear a car coming up
> behind you---what are the chances one can dodge to the right to avoid the
> hit?
>
I agree that a motorist in a luxury car is sonically insulated from the
environment as much or more than a cyclist, or a runner for that matter,
wearing headphones playing music. On the other hand, I feel that I need to
protect myself from motorized traffic more when I'm cycling on the road than
when I'm in my luxuary car (2000 Dodge truck with 120K miles and major hail
damage). In the ideal world, motorists would watch out for me better and
always be courteous etc., but in the USA where I ride, there's room for
improvement. I want to use all my senses, including my ears, to be aware of
motor vehicles on the road when I'm riding or running.

I don't think we need a law to enforce my personal view on everyeone else.
My "modest proposal" was somewhat tongue-in-cheek although we all should
realize that behaviors that some think don't have effects on others may have
broader effects on society like paying for head injuries in motorcycle
riders that don't wear helments.

My sarcastic comment after the proposal was intended to provoke debate and
perhaps it worked.

BobT

02-10-2007, 10:39 AM	#16 (permalink)
BobT Posts: n/a	Re: New York wants to outlaw iPods for cyclers!?!? "Gooserider" <Gooserider@mouse-potato.com> wrote in message news:45cdcef7$0$16997$4c368faf@roadrunner.com... > > "BobT" <robertleetaylorRe@MoveThisCox.net> wrote in message > news:arjzh.57293$qy.8057@newsfe16.lga... >> "Gorgeous George" <gorgeous.georgey@gmail.com> wrote in message >> news:1171106831.734099.195910@p10g2000cwp.googlegr oups.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. Cyclists are more likely to be hit in > intersections than from behind. Even IF you happen to hear a car coming up > behind you---what are the chances one can dodge to the right to avoid the > hit? > I agree that a motorist in a luxury car is sonically insulated from the environment as much or more than a cyclist, or a runner for that matter, wearing headphones playing music. On the other hand, I feel that I need to protect myself from motorized traffic more when I'm cycling on the road than when I'm in my luxuary car (2000 Dodge truck with 120K miles and major hail damage). In the ideal world, motorists would watch out for me better and always be courteous etc., but in the USA where I ride, there's room for improvement. I want to use all my senses, including my ears, to be aware of motor vehicles on the road when I'm riding or running. I don't think we need a law to enforce my personal view on everyeone else. My "modest proposal" was somewhat tongue-in-cheek although we all should realize that behaviors that some think don't have effects on others may have broader effects on society like paying for head injuries in motorcycle riders that don't wear helments. My sarcastic comment after the proposal was intended to provoke debate and perhaps it worked. BobT