Driving with earphones?

big_drive

I know people who make and receive phone calls while driving by using a set of earphones.


not sure if its been asked here before but is this legal?

jca

I wondered that myself too. Yesterday met 3 people driving with headphones in their ears. What makes it even more mysterious is that the cars they were driving were very recent models, 2 151's and a 161 which I'm sure had Bluetooth that their respective drivers could pair their phone to.

livedadream

i think the offence is holding a mobile phone while driving so ear phone would be okay,

the only argument i can think of is you would be accused of driving without undue care and attention.

jca

livedadream wrote: »

i think the offence is holding a mobile phone while driving so ear phone would be okay,

the only argument i can think of is you would be accused of driving without undue care and attention.

Well the 3 muppets I met yesterday were definitely driving without due care etc.

antodeco

My understanding is that the earphones are still illegal. Are you sure these people just werent listening to music?

XrayGolf

It's not the earphones as such that concerns me (given how some people have their car speakers turned up to the last), but how they're operating the device their earphones are plugged into, considering it's illegal to hold a mobile phone.

ironclaw

You can't support the phone with your body, hence ear phones are fine as long as you are answering and dialing use them. They are illegal in some European countries e.g. Spain on certain roads. I'd imagine however if you were acting the fool on the road as a result of them, you'd be leveled with a undue car and attention 'catch all'

Its a bad idea as you are compromising your spatial and situation awareness. You're knocking a few dB's out of your hearing among other factors.

livedadream

XrayGolf wrote: »

It's not the earphones as such that concerns me (given how some people have their car speakers turned up to the last), but how they're operating the device their earphones are plugged into, considering it's illegal to hold a mobile phone.

i have earphones that i use when running that have a button that can answer and hang up a call and turn up and down the volume. its attached to the earphones under the ear buds at around chin level its where the microphone is too.

livedadream

ironclaw wrote: »

You can't support the phone with your body, hence ear phones are fine as long as you are answering and dialing use them. They are illegal in some European countries e.g. Spain on certain roads. I'd imagine however if you were acting the fool on the road as a result of them, you'd be leveled with a undue car and attention 'catch all'

Its a bad idea as you are compromising your spatial and situation awareness. You're knocking a few dB's out of your hearing among other factors.

deaf people drive, not being able to hear is not a problem, why do you think theres flashy lights on railway crossings or ambulances.

ironclaw

livedadream wrote: »

deaf people drive, not being able to hear is not a problem, why do you think theres flashy lights on railway crossings or ambulances.

Being deaf or having compromised hearing for your entire life is entirely different to a standard individual wearing ear phones. In the same manner someone with compromised eye sight will develop techniques and senses that others won't. Its a shockingly poor argument to make.

I spent a good deal of time in the research and development of noise cancellation for headphones, specifically for aircraft and cars. The awareness you lose, even with a few dB's of reduction, is considerable and not to be recommended unless you are highly proficient and aware of your surroundings, a trait very rare in normal drivers.

XrayGolf

livedadream wrote: »

i have earphones that i use when running that have a button that can answer and hang up a call and turn up and down the volume. its attached to the earphones under the ear buds at around chin level its where the microphone is too.

That's fine, since it's an hand free operation to do the above but I have seen drivers wearing earphones using their phones to select what song/track they're listening to and to dial a number/look up a contact.

biko

It's not illegal but if you get nabbed for driving like an eejit I suppose they will use that against you.

imitation

Indeed there are plenty if noise cues when driving, flat tyres, drivers horns, ambulances, mechanical issues with the car etc. I would feel very uncomfortable blocking them out.

irish bloke

If hearing is important while driving, should radios be illegal too?

livedadream

ironclaw wrote: »

Being deaf or having compromised hearing for your entire life is entirely different to a standard individual wearing ear phones. In the same manner someone with compromised eye sight will develop techniques and senses that others won't. Its a shockingly poor argument to make.

I spent a good deal of time in the research and development of noise cancellation for headphones, specifically for aircraft and cars. The awareness you lose, even with a few dB's of reduction, is considerable and not to be recommended unless you are highly proficient and aware of your surroundings, a trait very rare in normal drivers.

just an observation dude...

millington

irish bloke wrote: »

If hearing is important while driving, should radios be illegal too?

It's easier to hear over a radio than earphones. Volume levels may be similar but the earphones block a lot more out than the radio does.

irish bloke

millington wrote: »

It's easier to hear over a radio than earphones. Volume levels may be similar but the earphones block a lot more out than the radio does.

That would depend on how high you had the volume on either the radio or the headphones.
Since there are no regulations or controls around radio volume for driving, I dont accept one is any different then the other in that regard

ShaunieVW

They are very different, even with the radio turned up other noises can be heard such as a flat tyre etc because your ears are not obstructed. Earphones on the other hand are designed to block out other sounds. I've seen people drive with earphones in and never gotten it. Utter stupidity especially in built up areas where hearing comes in for cars in your blind spots. Motorbikes etc.

Alanstrainor

ShaunieVW wrote: »

They are very different, even with the radio turned up other noises can be heard such as a flat tyre etc because your ears are not obstructed. Earphones on the other hand are designed to block out other sounds. I've seen people drive with earphones in and never gotten it. Utter stupidity especially in built up areas where hearing comes in for cars in your blind spots. Motorbikes etc.

I've seen a number of people with closed back headphones on while driving... I just can't understand it at all. And anyone defending it baffles me too.

irish bloke

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I've seen a number of people with closed back headphones on while driving... I just can't understand it at all. And anyone defending it baffles me too.

Are headphones illegal or not? I dont know as this is a question.

If not based on concerns, then why not?

livedadream

irish bloke wrote: »

Are headphones illegal or not? I dont know as this is a question.

If not based on concerns, then why not?

if you mean is there legislation saying you cant wear earphones while operative a vehicle then, no.

but there is legislation covering driving without due care and attention.

the same as there is no legislation saying you cant drive with your feet or your eyes closed its all covered under dangerous driving and undue care and attention.

dr.fuzzenstein

How do I drive with my feet closed?

irish bloke

livedadream wrote: »

if you mean is there legislation saying you cant wear earphones while operative a vehicle then, no.

but there is legislation covering driving without due care and attention.

the same as there is no legislation saying you cant drive with your feet or your eyes closed its all covered under dangerous driving and undue care and attention.

Thank you, so the answer is no.

If its not illegal, then wearing headphones is not driving without due care and attention (in the eyes of the law) and certainly not comparable to driving with your feet.

livedadream

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

How do I drive with my feet closed?

pointing inways, like a ballet dancer one would assume

livedadream

irish bloke wrote: »

Thank you, so the answer is no.

If its not illegal, then wearing headphones is not driving without due care and attention (in the eyes of the law) and certainly not comparable to driving with your feet.

if you are driving with undue care and attention and a member of the Gardai witnesses this to be due to your use of earphones then yes, you are breaking the law, you are driving with undue care and attention.

there are a number of things which are not expressly written into legislation that are still not necessary legal.

common sense stuff...

Doodah7

Saw a guy yesterday with a set of blue Beats over hear headphones on both of his ears... I thought it completely bizarre...

conzy

Driving with earphones is dangerous. Do you ever subconsciously turn down the radio to "see better" when you get into a situation that requires heightened concentration? Sound is helpful in reading the situation. You hear less with the radio too loud and less again with headphones in that isolate sound further.

If you absolutely have to wear earphones pop out the offside earphone

irish bloke

livedadream wrote: »

if you are driving with undue care and attention and a member of the Gardai witnesses this to be due to your use of earphones then yes, you are breaking the law, you are driving with undue care and attention.

there are a number of things which are not expressly written into legislation that are still not necessary legal.

common sense stuff...

Still don’t know where you are going with this.

Is driving with headphones driving with undue care and attention? No..
If your behavior changes because of this action then yes, but this could be said for any driving action. - You are making the relationship between headphones and driving with undue care and attention mutually inclusive, which they are not.

Jesus.

ironclaw wrote: »

Being deaf or having compromised hearing for your entire life is entirely different to a standard individual wearing ear phones. In the same manner someone with compromised eye sight will develop techniques and senses that others won't. Its a shockingly poor argument to make.

I would've thought it was a very fair argument to make

my3cents

Jesus. wrote: »

I would've thought it was a very fair argument to make

If so then it would be OK to take your driving test while listening to music with ear plugs in.

Jesus.

my3cents wrote: »

If so then it would be OK to take your driving test while listening to music with ear plugs in.

The point that was made was that deaf people drive. To then say nobody else should be allowed to do so with the radio up or earphones in doesn't make sense. Yes I'm sure deaf folk have other heightened senses but that doesn't change from the fact they cannot hear. Nor should it as I'm sure they're perfectly good drivers. But then I'm sure people who listen to music are also.

I've never worn headphones myself as I don't see the point but as long as the person is observant I think its just another OTT reaction to something minor.

whiskeyman

One factor that so many keep missing is not the sound volume or act of holding phones, but the impact of being in a discussion while driving should be focused as the main danger.
Your brain simply can not dedicate 100% to driving as a task if you're talking / in discussion / listening at the same time.
You may notice should you be turning a corner / maneuvering while talking, you'll tend to stop and put full focus into it.
This is why *any* use of mobile devices (handfree etc..) is dangerous IMO.

Next time you have a passenger in the car and you're chatting away, you'll probably notice (or if you are a passenger) them stop talking should you execute a maneuver like overtaking etc... this is because they know you need full attention.
By being preoccupied on a call can distract a driver from essential reaction time which could result in many of the fatalities that occur on Irish roads annually.

While on a call, the person the driver is speaking to has no idea on the drivers position / speed / location etc...
I remember seeing a possible invention where the caller would actually see a live dashcam output of the driver so they knew any possible dangers the driver could face.

Jesus.

^^
That's a fair point Whiskeyman

livedadream

irish bloke wrote: »

Still don’t know where you are going with this.

Is driving with headphones driving with undue care and attention? No..
If your behavior changes because of this action then yes, but this could be said for any driving action. - You are making the relationship between headphones and driving with undue care and attention mutually inclusive, which they are not.

im not going anywhere with it.

I'm saying it's situational. If you have earphones in and are, because of this, driving with undue care and attention to the road and other road users then that is illegal. The penalty of which is decided by the Garda that observes you.

ie: a warning, fixed charge, penalty points:

driving without reasonable consideration penalty points: 2,
points on conviction: 4, paid in €28 days: paid in next 28 days €120

apologies i think this is actually called Driving without reasonable consideration or driving while unfit.

irish bloke

livedadream wrote: »

im not going anywhere with it.

If you have earphones in and are, because of this, driving with undue care and attention to the road and other road users then that is illegal. .

Im not disputing this, just like if you driving with the radio up (or any other legal action) with undue care and attention, then this is also illegal.

What I am saying is you are directly linking earphones to driving with undue care and attention, which is wrong IMO.

livedadream

irish bloke wrote: »

Im not disputing this, just like if you driving with the radio up (or any other legal action) with undue care and attention, then this is also illegal.

What I am saying is you are directly linking earphones to driving with undue care and attention, which is wrong IMO.

im not at all, at least thats not my intention,the same as i quipped about driving with your feet or eyes closed.

there are numerous things i do while driving that others cant and vice versa, that doesnt make it blanket safe or unsafe.

the same as all the dad's i knew when we were kids used to the driving with their knees (look no hands) thing, while theres not specific law against it, it certainly isnt safe.

ive seen people be pulled over as recently as last week while driving and eating a 99. presumably they were told they were driving with undue care and attention.

I never said driving with earphones in was unsafe. I dont do it so therefore wouldnt know.

Henry Ford III

The aurally impaired learn techniques to help them whilst driving. Increased attention to certain things such as spatial awareness etc. to attempt to make up for their difficulties in hearing.

Putting on a set of earphones which will deliberately limit or compromise a drivers ability can't be a good idea in any circumstances.

I see more and more people driving with headphones lately and one or two are friends of mine.

Listening to podcasts is the main reason one of them wears them and also for making and receiving calls as the car has no bluetooth.

JoeA3

No idea on the legality of it but it's definitely not clever imo. Headphones drastically reduce your spatial awareness. There's a big difference between listening to the regular car speakers at top volume and listening to earphones even at a moderate volume.
I've even seen a few people driving whilst wearing "Beats" headphones. Drivers like that should be given a very wide berth...

jca

JoeA3 wrote: »

No idea on the legality of it but it's definitely not clever imo. Headphones drastically reduce your spatial awareness. There's a big difference between listening to the regular car speakers at top volume and listening to earphones even at a moderate volume.
I've even seen a few people driving whilst wearing "Beats" headphones. Drivers like that should be given a very wide berth...

If only for their terrible taste in headphones...

ironclaw

Luella Damaged Tutorial wrote: »

Listening to podcasts is the main reason one of them wears them and also for making and receiving calls as the car has no bluetooth.

I never understood how someone can pay a couple of €1000 for a car, a couple of €100 on a phone, but not the €50 it takes to install a cheap handsfree kit. You can retrofit just about any car with bluetooth in anything from 5 mins to an hour at minimal cost. It won't be perfect, but its far more comfortable.

livedadream

Luella Damaged Tutorial wrote: »

I see more and more people driving with headphones lately and one or two are friends of mine.

Listening to podcasts is the main reason one of them wears them and also for making and receiving calls as the car has no bluetooth.

buy him an AUX cable...

thats what i use... iphone mp3 all works,