People who drive with headphones on....

Has anyone else noticed this trend of more and more people driving with headphones, earbuds, etc on? I'm pretty sure it's against the law and it just looks retarded. Most vehicles come equipped with speakers and a radio unit, buy and iPod adapter you cheap bastage. The best though, is when you see a whole carload of people whether it is teenagers or adults all sitting in a car, headphones on, listening to their individual iPods. Talk about being anti-social.

I'll take ten people illegally driving with their headphones on over one legally talking on their cell phone.

And then there's the texters, shudder. And they too are usually legal.

Do these people wear glasses?

The reason I ask is that if you wear glasses it's extremely hard to wear a bluetooth headset for the phone. They both are trying to occupy the same real estate.

I've pondered getting me a set of earphones to use for the phone and the radio when I'm driving top down.

I use ear-buds on the bike....

it's more pleasant than wind and engine roar

theres a guy whose afternoon commute runs by my house, and on several occasions i've seen him drive by with a novel pressed against the steering wheel of his mini in the middle of rush hour traffic

have you ever tried texting and driving? its ridiculous how little attention you pay to the road when youre distracted. the few times ive tried texting while driving i end up wondering how i made it the last xx distance without crashing. so no, i dont do that.

In reply to DirtyBird222:

I've noticed the earbud trend more and more as well. I always want to yell at them, but they probably wouldn't be able to hear me.

I often wear earbuds on long trips or even just driving to work. Many of my cars are a bit high on interior noise levels, and so they work as earplugs. The lower noise levels mean I don't get as tired. Also, many of my cars don't have functioning sound systems.

Does it look retarded? I couldn't care less.

Heck, some would say that I look retarded BEFORE I put the ear buds in. Like Keith, I have cars that can be loud, and tiring. Heck, at highway speeds, I can't hear the stereo. If I could, it would be at hearing damaging levels. So, ear buds will help preserve my hearing a bit longer. And whoever said that Miatae were quieter with a hard top on, well, I think that the soft top is quieter IF both windows are down.

mistanfo wrote: well, I think that the soft top is quieter IF it is removed and tossed in the garbage..

EDITED

I Wear earplugs that I've modified into head phones on my bike. In the car I use the stereo, though I guess if there wasn't one there I'd wear earbuds. Honestly I agree that a phone conversation is more distracting, and texting 10 fold. I've done both, I'm no saint. many people don't actually have a bluetooth, they just use the earbud/s that came free with the phone, therefore using their phones hands free.

I know ~20 years ago it was illegal to have headphones on while driving, which always seemed a bit ridiculous since it's not illegal to be deaf & drive.

Oh, and reading a book while driving is nothing. I've seen someone playing the banjo, with sheet music on the steering wheel.

I am wearing earplugs on the longer drives ion the Swift. I appreciate my hearing and listening to that little jewel of an engine droning at 3600rpms for an hour + is not pleasant.

Keith wrote: Does it look retarded?

No. But around here, it looks like a nice fat ticket to the Man.

It is no different than wearing a bluetooth headset, and if you only have it in one ear, it is probably better for hearing what is going on around you than a stereo that is cranked to high heaven. Personally, I like to listen to Radio Le Mans podcasts while I deliver chinese food...my car doesn't even have a tape deck, so I use earbuds...

i don't know maybe i like to listen to engine noises, or for other things around me....like say other motorists, horns honking, etc. But I just like to be aware of my surroundings, and no I don't text while I drive because you honestly can't pay attention to the raod and do that. I wait til I'm at a red light or out of the car.

And you say you like your hearing, but with the decibel level most of those ipods, mp3 players, etc blare at you actually lose hearing. I have the formula around here somewhere, but it's so bad they put a limit on how loud mp3 players can play over in Europe to help save peoples hearing.

The thing is that the volume level of the iPod is adjustable. I'm actually trained as a classical musician, I'm quite aware of hearing loss. Loud music has been a problem for as long as there has been amplified music, and Walkmans were just as bad as iPods are. Damn kids of 25 years ago and their loud music

I recently had to drive the rally car from Laguna Seca to Colorado when another car took my place in the trailer. That's over a thousand miles, I forget just how much. A few hours into the trip, the slip joint at the header, umm, slipped and let the header rest on the front subframe. The car's not that quiet to begin with and this didn't help. I know from experience that after an hour of driving this thing with unprotected hearing it's going to hurt. Doesn't matter how much you like listening to engine noises.

Now, I could have just popped the earplugs in. But instead, I chose to use my earbuds, because then I could listen to music and audiobooks and not go crazy on the long solo drive. On other Miatas equipped with stereos, I have driven long distances with earplugs and the music going. It lets me choose the volume level I'm exposed to. I don't fly without either earbuds or earplugs either.

you should drive ground pounders instead as the lower frequency isn't as annoying nor deafening to your ear's for higher pitches in sound waves.

I could care less how stupid people want to look when they drive as long as they are aware of what is going on around them. Unfortunately, the more electronics crap that gets popular the more distracted most people are.

My stereo works and I'll call or text you when I get where Im going.

foxtrapper wrote: And then there's the texters, shudder. And they too are usually legal.

DirtyBird222 wrote: but it's so bad they put a limit on how loud mp3 players can play over in Europe to help save peoples hearing.

There will always be stupidity. I hate legislation that outlaws "stupidity" and occasionally restricts some freedoms.

I think what really bothers me is when people think stupid things should be illegal. Yes, its stupid, but why should we have to pay 10^10 $ to enact legislation and pay someone to enforce it.

I drive one of my cars with ear plugs in to save my hearing on longer trips. I can still hear the radio and other things such as horns if need be, it doesn't render me deaf.

I did however almost get hit yesterday by a mailman driving and sorting mail at the same time. I know him, he is deaf.

I don't have a radio in the Miata. If I want to listen to music, I'll pop in one ear bud. Why not? It doesn't block sound anymore than listening to a real radio at a respectable volume. I can still hear horns and all the sounds you need to hear.

Most of the time, however, I enjoy the sounds that emanate from the car. I don't know why. Everyone thinks I'm retarded for not having a radio though.

carguy123 wrote: Do these people wear glasses? The reason I ask is that if you wear glasses it's extremely hard to wear a bluetooth headset for the phone. They both are trying to occupy the same real estate. I've pondered getting me a set of earphones to use for the phone and the radio when I'm driving top down.

how 'bout turning the flipping phone OFF while you're driving... no matter what you think, you're not so important that the call can't wait !

I drive with cans on when on the open road in my 96 civic. Even with the 8 rolls of peel and seal I applied to the interior the car is noisy. I can still hear everything around me just fine, it is just all -8 db (or something in that range). Our ears were not made for all this non stop noise and I have some hearing loss at 45 to show for it as do many many people. We are going to be a nation of deaf people pretty soon, so I'll wear my cans on the open road thank you.

daytonaer wrote: There will always be stupidity. I hate legislation that outlaws "stupidity" and occasionally restricts some freedoms.

It's not a big leap to say that texting while driving and driving to endanger aren't basically the same thing. If you're driving and not looking at the road, there's a problem--period.

I'm thinking there's going to be a HUGE increase in accidents as text-obsessed teens get their licenses and think that they can drive and text simultaneously. No one can do that safely--I don't care who you are.

confuZion3 wrote: Most of the time, however, I enjoy the sounds that emanate from the car. I don't know why. Everyone thinks I'm retarded for not having a radio though.

Same here, I only have 1.5 working speakers, a bad casset deck and poor radio reception. Thankfully my engine purrs nice.