Is it illegal...........

Doylers

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in your ears?

D-Generate

Might not be illegal but its incredibly dumb and inconsiderate for the safety of other users of the roads.

mink_man

nope, sure some bluetooth headsets have headphones.

oh wait, headphones/earphones different things?

Doylers

D-Generate wrote: »

Might not be illegal but its incredibly dumb and inconsiderate for the safety of other users of the roads.

True that.

mink_man wrote: »

nope, sure some bluetooth headsets have headphones.

oh wait, headphones/earphones different things?

Well headphones/earphones are different,one goes on your ears and the other goes in your ears, we can just say for the sake of this there basically the same thing.

McSpud

I don't understand why this would be illegal or dangerous.

Tea 1000

D-Generate wrote: »

Might not be illegal but its incredibly dumb and inconsiderate for the safety of other users of the roads.

Incredibly dumb? Left lane on a roundabout taking the right exit is dumb. Driving in the fog at 80mph is incredibly dumb. Wearing earphones while driving? I wouldn't even put it on the scale. It's about the same as listening to the radio. I listen to the radio all the time. I don't see how listening to my favourite songs is putting anyone else at risk.

EPM

McSpud wrote: »

I don't understand why this would be illegal or dangerous.

That's quite scary

tricky D

McSpud wrote: »

I don't understand why this would be illegal or dangerous.

Wow. Of course it's dangerous, that's obvious.

The Rules of the Road page 39 state:

As a road user you should avoid using personal entertainment systems through earphones. These, systems, for example personal radios and MP3 players, can distract you, and may prove dangerous when driving or crossing the road. Cyclists in particular should avoid using these systems, as they rely on their hearing while on the road.

If you do use a personal or in-car system, play it at a volume that does not distract or prevent you from hearing emergency sirens or car horns.

So while not explicitly illegal, a Garda would have a certain amount of discretion in prosecting for dangerous or inconsiderate driving if he/she reckoned usage impaired driving.

MagicSean

It could be classed as driving without due care and attention

Gophur

Why do people keep referring to the Rules of the Road? They are not the Law.




Oh, and deaf people are allowed drive too

biko

Let's just say there's an ambulance behind you on a sunny day.
The sun may be so bright you don't see the blue lights, and then you cannot hear the siren either.
Or someone shouting or beeping or just about anything.

If you insist then maybe just use one ear bud.

Doylers

But we constantly see people going around with the radio on full tilt and you can hear it a mile away, whats the difference between that and headphones? Assuming there not noise cancelling headphones.


What about travelling on a motor way? What if you wish to enjoy you music in better quality and better sound? You wont have to face roundabouts or ambulances or anything.

I agree that around town it is quite stupid especially if there was an ambulance trying to get by

Tea 1000

biko wrote: »

Let's just say there's an ambulance behind you on a sunny day.
The sun may be so bright you don't see the blue lights, and then you cannot hear the siren either.
Or someone shouting or beeping or just about anything.

If you insist then maybe just use one ear bud.

Time to get the eyes tested then if that happened, cause if you're that blind then maybe you should check under the wheel arch for human remains.
Typical Boards PC-Brigade coming down in spades on a trivial matter. If you're not paying attention cause you're listening to music then you're the sort to not pay attention no matter what.

tricky D

Gophur wrote: »

Why do people keep referring to the Rules of the Road? They are not the Law.

Because they comply with and reflect the Law and promote safer driving. They're obviously Good Practice.

Gophur wrote: »

Oh, and deaf people are allowed drive too

Subject to medical report.

Tzetze

Deaf people can hold a driving licence in Ireland. I think that invalidates the argument for not being able to hear horns/sirens.

Viper_JB

Tzetze wrote: »

Deaf people can hold a driving licence in Ireland. I think that invalidates the argument for not being able to hear horns/sirens.

Yer that's all I could think of when reading this tread, I'd be of the opinion that if you can't see the other traffic hearing it ain't going to make all that much of a difference, now in saying that I wouldn't drive with ear phones on....but my radio would be pretty loud normally. I'd like to think that people drive off of what they can see over what they can hear.

bazzachazza

Simple answer is NO it's just plain stupid if it inhibits your ability to hear emergency vehicles approaching etc or distracts you.

Also goes for having your radio up too loud.

robbie_998

Tzetze wrote: »

Deaf people can hold a driving licence in Ireland. I think that invalidates the argument for not being able to hear horns/sirens.

yup very true... i have come across one deaf driver in my life.

for the purpose of this thread.

i believe it to be fine to have just one earphone in... (blue tooth headset and what not)

but two in at once i believe to be stupid.

EPM

Tzetze wrote: »

Deaf people can hold a driving licence in Ireland. I think that invalidates the argument for not being able to hear horns/sirens.

No it doesn't. To be in complete control of a car you need to rely on all your senses. If you can't hear what's going on around you your driving is impared. Then take into account the distraction of messing with your iPod or whatever and ear buds dangling about or maybe falling out.

Jokesetal

Took a call on my mobile and got pulled over by the Gardai (and rightly so), given a warning and told to use handsfree/headphones if I had them.
I can see the arguement for cyclists but not for motorists to the same extent.

But how about this: I often have to stop fully before taking left turns while Joe Soap walks across off the footpath at small junctions with headphones on and doesn't bother looking! I can see him, but they can't hear me.

EPM

Jokesetal wrote: »

But how about this: I often have to stop fully before taking left turns while Joe Soap walks across off the footpath at small junctions with headphones on and doesn't bother looking! I can see him, but they can't hear me.

Could just as easily happen to someone with headphones changing lanes into an oncoming ambulance that was in their blindspot...

Viper_JB

EPM wrote: »

Could just as easily happen to someone with headphones changing lanes into an oncoming ambulance that was in their blindspot...

I would be of the opinion that you should always check your blind spot before changing lanes, in saying that I agree that headphones on while driving just seems like a bad idea...and just doesn't really make sense.

EPM

Viper_JB wrote: »

I would be of the opinion that you should always check your blind spot before changing lanes, in saying that I agree that headphones on while driving just seems like a bad idea...and just doesn't really make sense.

I know, but many people just give a quick glance. If you cant hear a danger...

Jokesetal

EPM wrote: »

Could just as easily happen to someone with headphones changing lanes into an oncoming ambulance that was in their blindspot...

Could as easily happen without headphones either? My agruement is that some drivers/walkers (not all) seem incapable of turning their necks to play it safe. It's only when you've been hit that you'll remember it! (our car was written off because a car coming from a junction on the left didn't look and drove straight out!)

EPM

Jokesetal wrote: »

Could as easily happen without headphones either?

Well you'd be able to hear it better without your ears blocked;)

Jokesetal

My final 2 cents: A driver/cyclist/pedestrian must be used as their eyes as the primary sense IMO.

djimi

Im pretty sure it is illegal, or if its not it could at least be construed as driving without due care and attention. Either way its not something that you should be doing.

Is it any different than driving with the radio turned up full tilt. When I'm on a journey alone I always have the radio very loud and I wouldn't hear any more than if I had head phones in. I don't do it myself and cant see a reason to drive with head phones but I dont think its much different to the radio.

I would not be using sound for anything on the road tbh, you should be spotting emergency vehicles and hazards with your eyes.

djimi

Dominick Clever Toaster wrote: »

Is it any different than driving with the radio turned up full tilt. When I'm on a journey alone I always have the radio very loud and I wouldn't hear any more than if I had head phones in.

I would not be using sound for anything on the road tbh, you should be spotting emergency vehicles and hazards with your eyes.

Youre sitting at traffic lights, you cant see the road to the right, there is an ambulance coming full tilt down the road but you cant hear it because you have your earphones in/radio up full blast so you just take off when the lights turn green. Sounds like a far fetched scenario? Try sitting at the lights in Naas when approaching from the Newbridge road; happens at least once a day.

Its not safe to rely on just your sight when driving, hence its not safe to drive with headphones in or with the radio at an excessive volume.

kildare.17hmr

djimi wrote: »

Youre sitting at traffic lights, you cant see the road to the right, there is an ambulance coming full tilt down the road but you cant hear it because you have your earphones in/radio up full blast so you just take off when the lights turn green. Sounds like a far fetched scenario? Try sitting at the lights in Naas when approaching from the Newbridge road; happens at least once a day.

Its not safe to rely on just your sight when driving, hence its not safe to drive with headphones in or with the radio at an excessive volume.

Defo I drive that junction everyday
droppin the young1 to school, goin to and from work and i see this happen alot

Tea 1000

djimi wrote: »

Youre sitting at traffic lights, you cant see the road to the right, there is an ambulance coming full tilt down the road but you cant hear it because you have your earphones in/radio up full blast so you just take off when the lights turn green. Sounds like a far fetched scenario? Try sitting at the lights in Naas when approaching from the Newbridge road; happens at least once a day.

Its not safe to rely on just your sight when driving, hence its not safe to drive with headphones in or with the radio at an excessive volume.

In built up areas that's true, but out in the open road if you can't see an ambulance coming up behind you, then it's not your hearing that needs to be checked. I just see ambulances, they're very hard to miss. They appear in your rear view. How can you say that loud music would cause you to miss one? Set the feckin mirror correctly.