WTF is this?! Headphones while driving?

I was stopped at a light two days ago and happened to glance in my rearview mirror. I saw a woman in a fairly new Toyota wearing headphones and bopping her head to the music. These weren't just some little in-ear headphones that would still enable you to hear traffic somewhat. These were huge, over-the-ear phones that looked to be either Sony or Sennheiser.

I had half a mind to get out of my car, knock on her window, and tell her to take off the headphones, but she'd probably have called the cops, in which case I might be in big trouble (is it legal to get out of your car on the road?).

Have you ever seen someone wearing headphones while driving?

:|

 

[SoylentGreen]

No

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: jumpr
I was stopped at a light two days ago and happened to glance in my rearview mirror. I saw a woman in a fairly new Toyota wearing headphones and bopping her head to the music. These weren't just some little in-ear headphones that would still enable you to hear traffic somwhat. These were huge, over-the-ear phones that looked to be either Sony or Sennheiser.

I had half a mind to get out of my car, knock on her window, and tell her to take off the headphones, but she'd probably have called the cops, in which case I might be in big trouble (is it legal to get out of your car on the road?).

Have you ever seen someone wearing headphones while driving?

:|

Just leave it to Darwin.

 

[Fingolfin269]

That's stupid. The problem with leaving it to Darwin is that her Darwinistic demise could potentially lead to my own.

 

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
That's stupid. The problem with leaving it to Darwin is that her Darwinistic demise could potentially lead to my own.

Yup, I was thinking the same thing. I'd wager a guess that her chance of rear ending me was increased 25% or so by having those damn headphones on.

 

[allisolm]

I'm not sure that she can hear any less of the traffic noise than the driver with the stereo so loud that I hear it through closed windows, across several lanes of traffic, with my own radio on. Or the driver with the bass cranked up so much that my rear view mirror shakes in time to the beat of that music and my ears hurt. Idiots all.

 

[rh71]

I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really. I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... but it was nighttime so I was able to catch the flashing lights in my rear-view just before I got in the way...

Depends exactly how loud with or without headphones cause I can still hear what's going on around me with headphones on usually - loud music w/ headphones just isn't the same.

 

Originally posted by: rh71
I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really. I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... but it was nighttime so I was able to catch the flashing lights in my rear-view just before I got in the way...

Depends exactly how loud with or without headphones cause I can still hear what's going on around me with headphones on usually.

Good point, Allisolm is right too. It just made me mad that she was blatantly advertising to the world that she's an idiot and doesn't give two sh!ts about her safety or that of those around her on the road.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: rh71
I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really. I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... but it was nighttime so I was able to catch the flashing lights in my rear-view just before I got in the way...

Depends exactly how loud with or without headphones cause I can still hear what's going on around me with headphones on usually.

Good point, Allisolm is right too. It just made me mad that she was blatantly advertising to the world that she's an idiot and doesn't give two sh!ts about her safety or that of those around her on the road.

Well, I feel the same way about the loud music in the car thing, regardless of whether you're wearing headphones or not.

Clarification : If your music is so loud that I am forced to listen to it then it is too loud.

 

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: rh71
I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really. I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... but it was nighttime so I was able to catch the flashing lights in my rear-view just before I got in the way...

Depends exactly how loud with or without headphones cause I can still hear what's going on around me with headphones on usually.

Good point, Allisolm is right too. It just made me mad that she was blatantly advertising to the world that she's an idiot and doesn't give two sh!ts about her safety or that of those around her on the road.

Well, I feel the same way about the loud music in the car thing, regardless of whether you're wearing headphones or not.

Clarification : If your music is so loud that I am forced to listen to it then it is too loud.

Ha, reminds me of a a funny story - I had just graduated high school and was headed to a party at a friend's house. I had the Top Gun OST in my car CD player and had it turned up pretty loud (my windows were open too) and the song "Heaven in Your Eyes" by Loverboy came on. I was just having fun, so I started singing it at the top of my lungs, and I happened to glance over at the next car, and the thirty-something couple next to me were absolutely rolling on the floor of their car laughing.

Good times.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: rh71
I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really. I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... but it was nighttime so I was able to catch the flashing lights in my rear-view just before I got in the way...

Depends exactly how loud with or without headphones cause I can still hear what's going on around me with headphones on usually.

Good point, Allisolm is right too. It just made me mad that she was blatantly advertising to the world that she's an idiot and doesn't give two sh!ts about her safety or that of those around her on the road.

Well, I feel the same way about the loud music in the car thing, regardless of whether you're wearing headphones or not.

Clarification : If your music is so loud that I am forced to listen to it then it is too loud.

Ha, reminds me of a a funny story - I had just graduated high school and was headed to a party at a friend's house. I had the Top Gun OST in my car CD player and had it turned up pretty loud (my windows were open too) and the song "Heaven in Your Eyes" by Loverboy came on. I was just having fun, so I started singing it at the top of my lungs, and I happened to glance over at the next car, and the thirty-something couple next to me were absolutely rolling on the floor of their car laughing.

Good times.

Rofl, you should have turned it down and said, in the most polite way possible, 'Would you like to be my wing man?'

 

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: rh71
I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really. I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... but it was nighttime so I was able to catch the flashing lights in my rear-view just before I got in the way...

Depends exactly how loud with or without headphones cause I can still hear what's going on around me with headphones on usually.

Good point, Allisolm is right too. It just made me mad that she was blatantly advertising to the world that she's an idiot and doesn't give two sh!ts about her safety or that of those around her on the road.

Well, I feel the same way about the loud music in the car thing, regardless of whether you're wearing headphones or not.

Clarification : If your music is so loud that I am forced to listen to it then it is too loud.

Ha, reminds me of a a funny story - I had just graduated high school and was headed to a party at a friend's house. I had the Top Gun OST in my car CD player and had it turned up pretty loud (my windows were open too) and the song "Heaven in Your Eyes" by Loverboy came on. I was just having fun, so I started singing it at the top of my lungs, and I happened to glance over at the next car, and the thirty-something couple next to me were absolutely rolling on the floor of their car laughing.

Good times.

Rofl, you should have turned it down and said, in the most polite way possible, 'Would you like to be my wing man?'

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Last I checked, wearing headphones while driving is illegal in many states. Cellphone headsets are okay because only one ear is blocked.

 

[Atomicus]

and the other ear is preoccupied with listening to passengers nagging "are we there yet"

 

[DougK62]

Very common around here in redneck Indiana.

 

[toekramp]

Xiety does it

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Last I checked, wearing headphones while driving is illegal in many states. Cellphone headsets are okay because only one ear is blocked.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Harem184]

Deaf people can get a license. What's the big deal about head phones?

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: allisolm
I'm not sure that she can hear any less of the traffic noise than the driver with the stereo so loud that I hear it through closed windows, across several lanes of traffic, with my own radio on. Or the driver with the bass cranked up so much that my rear view mirror shakes in time to the beat of that music and my ears hurt. Idiots all.

Heh I disagree, with my senn 590's on in my room I can't hear when people bang on the door, plus I become encompassed by the music and pay little attention to anything else. Thats the main thing that bothers me about headphones in a car is forgetting what you are doing. If you have the stereo up all the way you still know you are in a car.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: DaiShan

Originally posted by: allisolm
I'm not sure that she can hear any less of the traffic noise than the driver with the stereo so loud that I hear it through closed windows, across several lanes of traffic, with my own radio on. Or the driver with the bass cranked up so much that my rear view mirror shakes in time to the beat of that music and my ears hurt. Idiots all.

Heh I disagree, with my senn 590's on in my room I can't hear when people bang on the door, plus I become encompassed by the music and pay little attention to anything else. Thats the main thing that bothers me about headphones in a car is forgetting what you are doing. If you have the stereo up all the way you still know you are in a car.

agreed.

 

[allisolm]

"I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really.
I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... "

nuff said

 

[skace]

If your car sucks and all you can hear is everyone elses bass blasting at you, maybe headphones would help you concentrate on driving...

Headphones used to help me concentrate on my school work / etc.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: allisolm
"I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really.
I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... "

nuff said

I was stopped at a red light one time... saw green and accelerated. Turns out it was a green turn arrow for the left lane placed directly above the center lane (wtf is that about?)... so it's not that loud music or cell phones cause things like this... it's just whenever you're not paying 100% attention. All I was doing at the time was talking to my passenger.

 

[Mandos]

it's ridiculous. Its true that you wont be so aware wearing headphones than blasting your car stereo.

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: allisolm
"I drive with loud music all the time and don't see how it's any different really.
I missed a siren a few years ago because of it... "

nuff said

I was stopped at a red light one time... saw green and accelerated. Turns out it was a green turn arrow for the left lane placed directly above the center lane (wtf is that about?)... so it's not that loud music or cell phones cause things like this... it's just whenever you're not paying 100% attention. All I was doing at the time was talking to my passenger.

LOL. First you don't hear the emergency siren because of your loud music then you go through a red light because you're not paying attention. Not looking good for your driving skills.