Is it time to start calling out bad cyclists?

Here

I can't think of a single good reason to voluntarily cut off one of your five senses (and I'd rank it above taste, smell and possibly touch with regards to usefulness whilst cycling) whilst using a method of transport which leaves you vulnerable to pretty much everything else on the road.

Personally I don't like riding with headphones on but it's not a problem if you are looking behind as much as you should be anyway. If I ever starting riding more than 5 or 10 miles in a row on my own I might ride with some music on but I doubt I'll start doing that.

Bad riding with headphones on is bad riding with headphones on, not bad riding because of headphones.

So the bit where I said I'd rank hearing above taste, smell and touch when riding a bike means I can't suck a mint and ride? Quite a leap!

I reckon taste could have an effect though... what if a clod of dogshit got thrown up by a vehicle in front and landed in your mouth? Reckon you'd come to a smooth, controlled stop whilst uncontrollably vomiting up a dog egg?

Everyone forgets that proprioception is the most important sense for cyclists.

You did say

I can't think of a single good reason to voluntarily cut off one of your five senses.

Taste is one of those senses, yes you gave a ranking to them, but your initial statement made it clear you can't think of a good reason to cut one off. Strong mints render me unable to taste anything else for a while after eating them, but this would not make me feel less able to cycle.

You did say

Tasting delicious mint isn't cutting it off. You can still taste other things.

Homer drinking wax to eat the chief's chili would be cutting off taste, if we're really arguing this point...

ehrmagerd

I had high hopes the chair was gonna turn into a pair of glasses.

I suspect the issue is that correlation and causation are being conflated.

Cyclists wearing headphones may cycle in a way that suggests that they are totally disconnected from their environment- but this isn't caused by the headphones, it's caused by the cyclist.

However they are a good sign that the person wearing them is likely to be an inattentive cyclist.

In my, admittedly, anecdotal experience, which has not been lab tested etc etc.

What about a blocked nose, does that leave you unable to ride?

tell you one thing, that boris johnson is a cunting genius. everyone's arguing the toss about fucking eargoggles and he's slipped out the back door.

^True

He is. Thats the problem

I correlate head to toe hi viz with poor cycling, especially when the wearers weave in and out of parked cars.

Are we doing this again?

You'd have to be a fucking loon to wear headphones whilst cycling in London

You did say

Taste is one of those senses, yes you gave a ranking to them, but your initial statement made it clear you can't think of a good reason to cut one off. Strong mints render me unable to taste anything else for a while after eating them, but this would not make me feel less able to cycle.

Seriously? I make a semi-light hearted comment mentioning all five sense and ranking them and you come out with this fucking tediously stupid nitpicking argument.

Hearing is useful. On a bike, off a bike, it's a handy sense to have. Can't think why you'd not want to be able to hear something coming up behind you. Stuff can move quickly, stuff can not be present when you shoulder check one second and then ever so present very shortly after (motorbikes coming out of side roads etc, scooters etc).

Why you'd want to rely solely on sight to be aware of and avoid them is beyond me when you have a functioning pair of ears.

...your initial statement made it clear ...
That whitebait was referring to hearing as the sense in question. Your selective quoting of the post and subsequent trolling is of no value to the subject at hand.

Ceteris paribus, wearing headphones while riding a bicycle in town makes you less aware of your surroundings than not wearing headphones.

Any and every argument that has been posited to contrary is fatuous, facile, and disingenuous.

Sorry everyone.

Are we doing this again?

You'd have to be a fucking loon to wear headphones whilst cycling in London

I was formulating a reasoned argument against the use of headphones but Mike has nailed it so I won't bother.

what about air guitar?

Ceteris paribus, wearing headphones while riding a bicycle in town makes you less aware of your surroundings than not wearing headphones.

Any and every argument that has been posited to contrary is fatuous, facile, and disingenuous.

What about the mints, THE FUCKING MINTS???

I don't mints.

I sachet.