Who Rides With Earbuds/Headphones [ILLEGAL]

[grim]

As your attorney, I advise you to take a hit out of the little brown bottle in my shaving kit. You won't need much, just a tiny taste.

"Did you see what goooooood did to us man?" "God didn't do that you did, you narcotics agent!"

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I have often wondered whether this would pass constitutional muster on a rational relationship test. Since DMV does not require a licensed driver to pass a hearing test to obtain a license, obviously hearing is not one of those aspects of ones' sensors which they have determined to be important in driving. If one were to wear earplugs, I'm comfortable attacking any alleged infractions based on reducing the volume of sound one hears.

I guess the theory would have to be that the sound/music coming into the head thru the earphones is the issue, not the attenuation of ambient noise for which the State cannot articulate any rational reason to prohibit by means of ear canal clogging. If so extremely loud car stereos like CM points out would easily accomplish that, yet they are not a vehicle/driving infraction/offense where wearing "headphones" is such an offense.

Just brainstorming it...

Exactly. But, the law never has to make sense, does it?

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

The reason its illegal is because it impairs your ability to hear things. Say an ambulance approaching an intersection. Ear plugs are only rated to a certian amount of noise reduction while earphones can be turned up as loud as wanted. It is not just a motorcycle law, its not legal on any road on or in any vehicle.

Hands-free headsets impair your hearing. Loud (C)rap music (or to be fair, any music, but it seems all you hear is that shit nowadays) impairs your hearing. If your speakers are mounted inside your helmet, it's ok but earpieces are not? SRSLY? Makes no sense.

[Sarge]

What about sound-proof vehicles? My loaded SUV had all sorts of sound damping, I can't hear anything except dry loud sounds even with the stereo off.

[Ezzzzy1]

Like I said, I heard an ambulance the other day and had traffic stopped behind me a block before they heard him and 2 blocks before he even got to the intersection. All while rocking out to the soulful voice of Louis Armstrong accompanied by the wailing sax of Duke Ellington.

Well then lets get the law thrown out! Defy logic!

I could care less what people do but I will say that in a group its really hard to communicate with the guys that are "rocking out" but if you must wear your earphones then you gotta do what you gotta do. I would hate to see anyone suffer the pain of not being able to listen to music while riding.

Break away breakers

[Ezzzzy1]

Hands-free headsets impair your hearing. Loud (C)rap music (or to be fair, any music, but it seems all you hear is that shit nowadays) impairs your hearing. If your speakers are mounted inside your helmet, it's ok but earpieces are not? SRSLY? Makes no sense.

It should make sense... There is a difference between something being IN your ear and IN your helmet.

I was on an Ambulance for 6 years, trust me you can tell who has earphones in and who doesnt. Most people start going mirror crazy about a block out when they hear sirens. Often people that had music in their ears didnt notice till I was on their ass honking.

[Wrider]

Well then lets get the law thrown out! Defy logic!

I could care less what people do but I will say that in a group its really hard to communicate with the guys that are "rocking out" but if you must wear your earphones then you gotta do what you gotta do. I would hate to see anyone suffer the pain of not being able to listen to music while riding.

Break away breakers

I don't wear them if I'm riding in a group or with someone. Besides I keep it at a level below highway noise. On the Interstate I can barely hear it, but don't turn it up. I've got several deaf friends, and don't wish to become one of them. I value my hearing. (Granted, if I do go deaf, I already know sign... lol)

[HOTCARCASS]

Let me get this straight -
1) Def guy can get his license to drive a motorcycle.
2) It is illegal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with earbuds
3) It is Legal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with speakers mounted in your helmet
4) It is Legal to prevent defening ambient noise entering your ears with canal plugs

[salsashark]

Let me get this straight -
1) Def guy can get his license to drive a motorcycle.
2) It is illegal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with earbuds
3) It is Legal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with speakers mounted in your helmet
4) It is Legal to prevent defening ambient noise entering your ears with canal plugs

yup... basically sums it up

Excellent example of government thought process.

I've been dealing with this all day today. I've got a webserver upgrade that should take a couple of hours and about $800 worth of software licensing... I'm being told that I need to submit an RFC which takes 8 months to a year at a cost of >$25K.

Got to love it.

[bulldog]

Let me get this straight -
1) Def guy can get his license to drive a motorcycle.
2) It is illegal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with earbuds
3) It is Legal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with speakers mounted in your helmet
4) It is Legal to prevent defening ambient noise entering your ears with canal plugs

What does anyt of this have to do with rap music

[asp_125]

OOooo.. shiny! "wireless" http://gizmodo.com/5898582/plantroni...-for/gallery/1

"Officer they're not plugged into anything, just using them for hearing protection."

[Clovis]

I installed my scala rider Q2s last summer and love it!

I have 2 (so I can switch when the first one's battery dies after 7 hours). They sync wirelessly to my phone so I can stream my music without coards. The battery/control unit is on a quick release from the headset so if I need to I just move it slightly and it breaks the connection.

I've been pulled over twice with it (and ticketed for speeding) but they've never asked about it. That's the way to go, ear buds suck!!

[Ezzzzy1]

Q2 is different than earphones. Speakers in your helmet are LEGAL and still allow you to hear sirens even on the loudest setting.

Im pretty sure that when you dont yield to a cop or pull over right away because you didnt hear them you will be getting a ticket for wearing ear buds. All it really takes is you going through an intersection while an emergent vehicle with its sirens on is doing the same... and it could be a firetruck or an ambulance. Nothing chaps their ass more than someone lost in their own world and doesnt know to pull over or clear the intersection.

[Clovis]

That's true. I can still hear everything going on around me as the speakers don't create a seal between the speakers and your ear canal like earbuds do.

[bulldog]

That's true. I can still hear everything going on around me as the speakers don't create a seal between the speakers and your ear canal like earbuds do.

Except you are still ruining your hearing without earplugs

[Ezzzzy1]

Are earphones legal on the track, during a race?

[Sully]

I ride with one ear plug in and my XBi2 speakers in my helmet to listen to music But I can still hear sirens etc. even without turning down the volume on the helmet control

[Wrider]

Let me get this straight -
1) Def guy can get his license to drive a motorcycle.
2) It is illegal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with earbuds
3) It is Legal to defen yourself while driving a motorcycle with speakers mounted in your helmet
4) It is Legal to prevent defening ambient noise entering your ears with canal plugs

Deaf* And number 1 is a definite yes. The buddy I bought my bike from was born 100% deaf.

[asp_125]

Deaf* And number 1 is a definite yes. The buddy I bought my bike from was born 100% deaf.

What about elderly people with hearing aids? They've got things in their ears??? Huh? Huh? Why do they get special treatment?

It's another ploy by the man to keep a brutha down!!



Whaatt?

[Graphite675]

Are earphones legal on the track, during a race?

As in ipod/music connected earphones? I don't think so (and I sure hope not). Don't need anyone out there getting distracted because there favorite Lady Gaga song just came on.

Ear plugs are a different story, I wear them all the time on the track/racing.

.

[bluedogok]

Im pretty sure that when you dont yield to a cop or pull over right away because you didnt hear them you will be getting a ticket for wearing ear buds. All it really takes is you going through an intersection while an emergent vehicle with its sirens on is doing the same... and it could be a firetruck or an ambulance. Nothing chaps their ass more than someone lost in their own world and doesnt know to pull over or clear the intersection.

Their are plenty of idiots out there lost in their own world without anything plugged into their ears, man y of those people also seem to know little about driving/riding, let alone what to do when an emergency vehicle gets near them.

[Ezzzzy1]

As in ipod/music connected earphones? I don't think so (and I sure hope not). Don't need anyone out there getting distracted because there favorite Lady Gaga song just came on.

Ear plugs are a different story, I wear them all the time on the track/racing.

.

Kinda my point on the street as well.

Their are plenty of idiots out there lost in their own world without anything plugged into their ears, man y of those people also seem to know little about driving/riding, let alone what to do when an emergency vehicle gets near them.

Sure. Should I mark you down for a vote in favor of letting these people put earphones on while they ride and drive?

[Wrider]

I see people almost daily driving their cages with earphones/earbuds in. That's much more dangerous IMO, because not only do you have the sound insulation of the cage, but add the ear buds on top of that, plus some idiot who can't figure out how to make his car stereo play whatever is on his phone/ipod... That's a recipe for disaster.

[Sully]

I see people almost daily driving their cages with earphones/earbuds in. That's much more dangerous IMO, because not only do you have the sound insulation of the cage, but add the ear buds on top of that, plus some idiot who can't figure out how to make his car stereo play whatever is on his phone/ipod... That's a recipe for disaster.

I don't think it's necessarily that they are trying to play a song from their iPod, did you ever think they could be talking on their phone instead?