\u2014 It\u2019s an \u201cextremely divisive subject\u201d but little to suggest it\u2019s more distracting than a car radio.<\/p>\n
The chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport is seeking the public\u2019s views on wearing earphones or headphones while cycling \u2014 a common complaint about cycling even when motorists are cocooned in soundproofing and loud sound systems. <\/p>\n
The committee chairperson, Michael Murphy, who is a Fine Gael TD for South Tipperary, said: \u201cDo you think cycling with earpods and headphones is dangerous? I want your opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, I want to seek your views on something I\u2019ve noticed more and more \u2014 cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, and we have a real duty of care to protect them on Irish roads, but I regularly see cyclists wearing headphones or earbuds and for me that raises a really important question: Does the use of headphones or earbuds reduce your awareness around you?\u201d he said in a video posted to Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cSo should cyclists avoid wearing earbuds or headphones on public roads, or do you think it is perfectly safe?\u201d<\/p>\n Some people cycling \u2014 like those driving \u2014 listen to the radio, podcasts or music, but some people cycling also use headphones to overcome sensory overload or just the loud volume of traffic, while still being able to hear. <\/p>\n When a possible fine for cycling with headphones was raised in 2015, Keith Byrne, the then chair of the Dublin Cycling Campaign, said<\/a>: \u201cI know plenty of people who cycle with earphones on, and they can still hear traffic while listening to music or drive-time radio. Someone can legally drive while talking on their phone with their headsets plugged in. You could argue this causes the same level of distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n Researchers have repeatedly \u2014 for decades \u2014 found that talking on a phone hands-free while driving is just as distracting as holding a phone, but it has been a blind spot for lawmakers and the public. In 2023, a survey by a Swiss member<\/a> of the European Transport Safety Council found that a tiny proportion of drivers understand the dangers of talking on the phone hands-free while driving. <\/p>\n Gemma Briggs, an applied cognitive psychologist with a specific interest in attention and perception, explains the issue in a 2022 article<\/a>.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cDecades of research has demonstrated drivers on the phone are\u00a0four times<\/a>\u00a0more likely to be involved in an accident than undistracted drivers, regardless of whether they\u2019re using a hand-held or hands-free system. This increased risk lasts for around\u00a0five minutes\u00a0after the call has ended, suggesting that interacting with the technology isn\u2019t the only issue. It seems that phone conversations take the driver\u2019s focus away from their primary task of driving, even after they\u2019ve hung up. People are largely unaware that their minds wander like this, or that it can affect their driving.\u201d<\/p>\n Phone use is seen as generally more distracting than in-car conversations, as passengers can more easily react to situations on the road or prompts from drivers.<\/p>\n Research funded by car company Ford suggests<\/a> that when listening to music, both cyclists\u2019 and drivers\u2019 reaction times are delayed by 4 seconds.<\/p>\n On cycling with headphones, RideOn, an Australian cycling magazine, conducted an experiment and found<\/a> that people cycling with earbuds playing music at \u201ca reasonable volume\u201d hear much more outside noise than a car driver, even when that driver has no music playing.<\/p>\n