human curiosity By puddle jumper (Read 386 times)

[puddle jumper]

So today I went out to pick up the scooter from the shop(I wont even get into what I had to pay) anyways I brought up the question about riding a scooter with an ipod or other form of music. It was like I was read the riot act and I quote " to even think of putting that on a scooter was asking for an accident using ear piece's, speakers or anything else should never be used." I was completely blown away and with that I left and went home. After much deliberation I came to the agreement that maybe they are right. I put a pair of head phone's on then my helmet and its true I couldn't hear a thing except what was blasting into my ears( I'm a classic rock man and had Zepplin playing and the level was about 8 with a cheap sansa clip mp3 player. I can truely understand what the guy was talking about you can't hear whats around you I couldn't even hear the motor running on my scooter. Now mind you I have a 80cc motor so the noise is probably louder than what most of you Docs ride and I didn't have a decibel meter just playing it by ear. I did a little more reasearch and I came up with this article www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051216191834.htm . There is one thing I forgot to mention I have significant hearing loss in my left ear from years in the factory standing beside machine's that was as loud as a jet' engine at full throttle for 12hrs a day. They did however start using ear plug's about the last half of my last year there. They to started testing but it was to late for me I had loss my high pitch hearing and to an ENT its rare for someone like me to have this happen to the cost of $3000. So you tell me about installing a radio,mp3 or any other device simply isn't worth it. I sure woke me up and I may install a GPS but that is about it at least that wont cause hearing damage.

[Alleyoop]

Puddle Jumper,
Yes, I also think riding with your ears plugged to a JUKE BOX is not safe. Its bad enough you have to be extra vigilante of your surroundings or get run over then add not able to hear whats going around you is just asking for trouble.
Alleyoop

[wolfhound]

So far as I am concerned riding with such a distraction is just asking for trouble. I rarely
even play the radio while driving my car. Reason? too distracting. And I am totally deaf
with out my cochlear implant. My hearing is near normal when it is in place and I want to hear
what is going on around me while riding or driving. Your dealer gave you the right info, PJ!!

[puddle jumper]

I can't lie about this idea at one time I did do a search on Ebay for one and almost put a bid on it. Something told me that it wasn't a good idea. I even went as far as buying from a local store a wire harness so i could hook one up but took it back the next day. I'm like some people, ya get a crazy idea in there head and you spend time looking for ways to make it work then sit for a while then make the decision not to do it. Thank goodness I didn't.

[mcalli]

I agree. My scoot (the new one that doesn't work), comes with a radio and mp3. I will not use it while I am riding, ever. The only thing that will be going into my ears is the gps unit into my bluetooth helmet. I am already almost deaf in both ears, and to cut down on the little I can hear by blasting music into my ears seems stupid, if not lethal while on a bike.

[wolfhound]

Mac, you are correct! Also, at least in the two Tanks that I had the remote starter and the
radios that they came equiped with would drain the battery over night even tho both were
off. After I disconected them i had no more trouble with dead batteries.
I presume that you wear hearing aids.

[mcalli]

Wolfhound, yep. you assume correctly. My father, aunt, grandfather all were deaf. I started losing my hearing at about 30. Used a special stethoscope (my own digital) at work. It had adjustable sound and every doctor in the hospital used to come into CCU and ask if they could borrow my stethoscope for a minute. It was terrific for hearing all lung and heart tones. Any way, by the time I got to 50, I didn't feel comfortable in nursing because my hearing had deteriorated so much so I retired. I still have my license but don't really want to go back. Almost 30 years of practicing was enough. Anyway, at 62, I have to be watching your lips (even with my hearing aids in) to tell what you are saying. My phone has special equipement on it that really magnifies sound so I am still ok with the phone as long as people speak clearly and slowly. Eventually, I am going to need TTD but not until I absolutely have to.

[benellibob]

i listen to tunes when riding until my phone battery dies. i dont keep it loud enough to drown out horns or my own motor tho... my motor is pretty loud tho.

i dont find it distracting because i dont pay more attention to the music more than my surroundings. i am constantly looking about for other drivers, and coppers. habit

when driving i look at everything... even down to the movements of people's heads checking their mirrors to change lanes (while cutting me off) it has saved me many times paying attention to people's movements more than the turn signals they dont bother using.

radio is a secondary thing. i never pay more attention to what song is on. roads are for driving. i do like to have a bumpin stereo tho. its not like my stereo is going to be any worse than anyone in a new car that cannot hear anything outside of their soundproofed rolling mansions.

[wolfhound]

Mac, I started losing my hearing on my 30s also.No one else in my family had ever had hearing
problems. Got my first hearing aids in 1991 and slowly but surely my hearing deteriorated. My
present Audiologist keptme going as long as she could and then reccomended a cochlear
implant. At first I refused but the longer it went the worse it got. I had the proceedure done
2 years ago this coming May and it is the best thing I ever did. Medicare and tricare covered
the expense. I was totally deaf in my left ear so that was the side I elected to have the implant done on. I have 5% hearing in my right ear and wear a hearing aid in that ear. What
it picks up the brain enhances and I hear in sterio. I use a cap-tel phone so that I can read what the caller is saying if I miss a word. Dont rule out the implant as it sounds to me like you are ready for one.