4 ms·

This seems short sighted to me. Playing loud music might make it safer for you to cycle, but will also contribute to the public's general resentment towards cy

This seems short sighted to me. Playing loud music might make it safer for you to cycle, but will also contribute to the public's general resentment towards cyclists. That resentment manifests as opposition to bike lanes, and unfortunately, drivers who deliberately fuck with cyclists.

sudosysgen 5y ago
I understand this, but at the same time, cyclist-pedestrian collisions also contribute to the public's resentment towards cyclists. I'm not sure which is worse, an admittedly small chance of hitting a pedestrian or annoying them with my music for 2-3 seconds. On the balance of my safety as I have unfortunately come close to such accidents many times, the choice is not so hard. I'd like to emphasize that the music is not that loud - when I'm close to a car I can barely hear it.
- speedybird 5y ago
  Anecdotally, I use a bike bell and I've never collided with a pedestrian. And when in the role of pedestrian myself, the only time I've ever had trouble with cyclists is when they didn't ring their bell (or have one to ring) or when a cyclist deliberately passed as close as possible to me (I suspect in some selfish attempt to not lose energy with a more courteous but very slightly longer diversion from their straight line of travel.) I really think a bike bell should be sufficient for your needs. A card in your wheel spokes would also get the job done and be a lot less obnoxious than music.
  - sudosysgen 5y ago
    A card in my wheel spokes is a lot louder than my phone speakers could ever hope to be. I do have a bell. It's useful. But when someone pops out of between two cars there's nothing a bell can do.
sneak 5y ago
Without protected bike lanes and actual enforcement against homicidally reckless drivers, we who cycle have to be shortsighted and obnoxious to live to tomorrow. Making noise and being covered in terrible blinky shit are well within the bounds of reason.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

sudosysgen 5y ago

I understand this, but at the same time, cyclist-pedestrian collisions also contribute to the public's resentment towards cyclists. I'm not sure which is worse, an admittedly small chance of hitting a pedestrian or annoying them with my music for 2-3 seconds. On the balance of my safety as I have unfortunately come close to such accidents many times, the choice is not so hard. I'd like to emphasize that the music is not that loud - when I'm close to a car I can barely hear it.

speedybird 5y ago
Anecdotally, I use a bike bell and I've never collided with a pedestrian. And when in the role of pedestrian myself, the only time I've ever had trouble with cyclists is when they didn't ring their bell (or have one to ring) or when a cyclist deliberately passed as close as possible to me (I suspect in some selfish attempt to not lose energy with a more courteous but very slightly longer diversion from their straight line of travel.) I really think a bike bell should be sufficient for your needs. A card in your wheel spokes would also get the job done and be a lot less obnoxious than music.
- sudosysgen 5y ago
  A card in my wheel spokes is a lot louder than my phone speakers could ever hope to be. I do have a bell. It's useful. But when someone pops out of between two cars there's nothing a bell can do.

sneak 5y ago

Without protected bike lanes and actual enforcement against homicidally reckless drivers, we who cycle have to be shortsighted and obnoxious to live to tomorrow. Making noise and being covered in terrible blinky shit are well within the bounds of reason.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]