Around 15 years of cycling around London with my music on and no problems here.
Once you have ridden around with music playing on your phones and are acclimatized to it, you will realize it is the very least of your safety problems.
Taking your phones off will not stop a pedestrian walking out in front of you looking the other way, it will not stop a car turing into your path, nor a sudden stop from a driver who realises he has missed his turn, nor will it stop you loosing your front wheel on a wet white line.
And now it is time to suggest something controversial !
With music playing you tend to be much more aware of the traffic around you, you tend to look over your shoulder when making any move and the lack of (or reduction in) audible clues to your environment gives you a heightened visual awareness. Of course I could be wrong about this, but for me at least the loss of audible clues really sharpens up your senses.
Around 15 years of cycling around London with my music on and no problems here.
Once you have ridden around with music playing on your phones and are acclimatized to it, you will realize it is the very least of your safety problems.
Taking your phones off will not stop a pedestrian walking out in front of you looking the other way, it will not stop a car turing into your path, nor a sudden stop from a driver who realises he has missed his turn, nor will it stop you loosing your front wheel on a wet white line.
And now it is time to suggest something controversial !
With music playing you tend to be much more aware of the traffic around you, you tend to look over your shoulder when making any move and the lack of (or reduction in) audible clues to your environment gives you a heightened visual awareness. Of course I could be wrong about this, but for me at least the loss of audible clues really sharpens up your senses.