A girl I work with lives in Blanchardstown, she drives daily to Summerhill in her car. Why t f?
What’s wrong with a modest hatch back?
She’s unmarried and no kids. What the f does she need it for?
In short, the law does not state it's illegal to wear headphones while driving and at the time of writing, no one is aware of anyone ever having been prosecuted for it.
Uh. You did. You answered a question about what law 'specifically states' it's illegal to wear headphones by saying it was covered by the 'driving without reasonable consideration' law.
So we're debating you having misunderstood the question, unfortunately.
Nobody said there was a specific law. It's covered under the "without consideration" part.
The source provided on eating being specifically banned under the driving without due care and attention law, would also then state that talking to other people in the car was banned by the law. Unless you're referring to a different source article, it's comical that the article in question could be used as a guide to what the law is.
Or in short, we need a better source on the law than some Garda on a radio show talking about what can constitute distracted driving. (He was not stating what was illegal or legal)
So again there's no specific law that states , wearing earphones is illegal.
There is no reason why anyone couldn't drive with care with headphones on. Same as a deaf person driving.
If your convicted of driving without due care that's different.
"it's comical" in relation to an actual law. What do you mean by it's comical, my interpretation of that is that you don't take it seriously or don't agree. But I could be wrong about what you think, maybe you explain it.
Will have to look into getting an X Trail (joke) that is serious sound reduction.
I don't understand your question. What do you think am I not agreeing with?
So you don't agree with the law.
That's not what the question was (which wasn't my question originally). The question was does the law specifically ban driving with headphones. It doesn't.
The question 'if you were to be done for driving with headphones, what law would probably be the one used' is not the same question.
The law is designed to be vague so as to cover most areas and not give people scope to evade prosecution on technicalities.
You wanted to know what law would you be prosecuted under if caught using headphones while driving that is it. If you don't like that, and you're caught, good luck arguing that with the judge.
That post was responding to mulbot.
But if that's what s/he was referring to when stating what was covered by the law, it's comical.
Because then the law also - I quote - covers 'talking to people in your vehicle'.
^^^^
https://www.garda.ie/en/crime-prevention/crimecall-on-rte/crimecall-episodes/2022/25-april-2022/traffic-distracted-driving.html
I did.
If you're stating a claim about what a website says, it's actually easier for all involved if you provide the link.
Distracted Driving.
I didn't say there was a specific law. If you can read you'll see I referred to driver distraction and yes eating, and what you've listed are covered under Driver distraction. You could find that if you look up the Garda site.
So no, you can't stare the specific law which says driving with headphones is illegal.
If someone was prosecuted for "driving without due car". Well that's a different law altogether.
You could also argue that it's a distraction to smoke, drink coffee or eat as well, or even turning the AC on, especially with the newer system that you have to go into a touch screen to access. And I'm sure this is something that you see on a daily basis, However not of these are against the law.
The question was 'specifically states' though and the law you mention does not specifically state anything about headphones.
Driver distraction - covered under the "driving without reasonable consideration".
Can you provide the relevant Law which specifically stats it's illegal to wear headphones while driving or cycling.
I'll wait....
..
https://rideonmagazine.com.au/an-ear-on-the-traffic/
Source please.
Can you provide a link to that research in Australia?
Yes
Because it limits your awareness of your surroundings while driving and limits reaction time and also response to Emergency Service vehicles.
Can you provide a link to the trail results that were performed?
Has that charge EVER been imposed on a driver for the heinous crime of wearing earphones?
Why is anyone who drives a car with earphones a moron?
You're right, listening to a car audio system with the windows up blocks out more sound that listening with earphones on the bike, according to some trials done in Australia some years back
While we are on the subject of wearing headphones, there is a major difference as @SeanW rightly pointed out between listening to a car stereo and wearing headphones. Headphones (particularly, studio style ones) drown out most noise from a wearers surroundings and almost completely if they are noise cancelling. So, it would most certainly cut off any and all important audio cues from an observation perspective. Earbuds? Not so much as they don't cover the entire ear. The only exception to this may be sirens from emergency vehicles.
Unless you are going for a bespoke set of car speakers which you intend to listen to at 70% or more volume (a la Pimp My Ride), most car speakers are situated at a comfortable enough distance from drivers ears so as to not being a distraction. Moreover, they aren't designed to withstand prolonged barrages of high decibel music and can become damaged as a result. When windows are rolled all the way up, they certainly do not soundproof the inside of the car from the outside as they are very thin, brittle and hence, prone to breakage.
Cycling with headphones shouldn't be an issue provided that they aren't noise cancelling or drowning out most of the noise from your surroundings. If they are, then better visual observation is advised to compensate for this. Whenever I go on a brisk walk with noise cancelling headphones, I make sure to make up for this with better visual observation. If, for some god awful reason, you are wearing headphones (especially noise cancelling ones) while driving, I would task you with checking your mirrors and blind spots a lot more frequently. As with my first post in the thread, it is about adopting common sense.
To cut a long story short, as long as your visual cues take the highest priority especially while driving, you shouldn't be a danger to yourself or others. Now, this thread is about the so called issue with the size of vehicles and not about listening to music, podcasts or other material while driving, cycling or walking.
