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Comment by teekert | Hacker News Reader

I listen to podcasts usually, makes my bike commute of 25 min seem to go much faster while I'm listening to No Agenda or the Linux Action Show.

I do notice though that whenever I take them off, usually because I already have a head full of thoughts, there is a soothing effect. I think the constant flow of information is nice as a distraction but makes one much less mindful of other things. The brain does not seem to get the periods of wandering thoughts it craves from time to time. Constant information intake seems to make me less friendly to people, makes me stare and smile less. It makes me enjoy the beauty around me less. So I started to take them off more often, but it feels like I'm fighting an addiction when I do.

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Personally I prefer to be able to hear cars and people when I'm cycling, so that I'm less likely to hit anything or be run over.

Do you not feel it makes you more likely to have an accident?

Well we do bike mostly on biking lanes here in the Netherlands (no chance of contact with a car) and we have a very biking oriented culture in general. Also here the cars are guilty (car driver can claim the damage with the bikers insurance afterwards though) unless proven that they had no responsibility what so ever (bikers and pedestrian are so called "weaker traffic participants"). It may make car drivers more cautious, or perhaps the fact that almost everybody is on a bike at some point makes them more careful. Also, on roundabouts (there are a quite some) bikes always have priority as well. In any case, I have never heard of any accidents. It is known though that here, when the schools start after a holiday there is an increase in accidents, this is probably related to car drivers needing to become used again of the high amount of bikers on the road.

Here is a nice example of a typical rush hour, the red lane is only for bikes, of course everybody is very careful at intersections :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-AbPav5E5M (by the way the bus also has it's own lane in this example, and everybody knows: bus drivers don't mess around.)

Similar feelings. Podcasts in particular are tricky because they do require active participation, in a way. Even if it doesn't feel like it, parsing and paying attention to what people say is work

I've found that listening to random music ("I'm feeling lucky" on Google Music) is much more soothing than listening to any podcast...

But walking around and listening to your surroundings are a good way to cool off, and kinda forget about difficulties. Listening to the traffic go by can be hypnotic....

Both ears? isnt biking with headphones dangerous?

Sometimes it's impossible understand a podcast with only one ear. Though traffic signals like honking are important. So if it's not too loud otherwise I use only one ear.

Worse are the radio stations playing honking/emergency sounds or jerks screaming suddenly as they pass, just for 'fun'. Creates unnecessary anxiety.

In some places, it can be illegal, as well. In Virginia (U.S.), it's illegal to operate a vehicle while wearing headphones/ear buds. The statute calls out motor vehicles, bikes, electric bikes, and mopeds.

I am the opposite. My 45 minutes of bike commuting, are about as close as I get to tech free time all day long. I like the sound of the outside, even the ugly city sounds, over listening to rubber coated bluetooth speakers belting out someone else's musical tastes, phone conversations, you name it.

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