Last night, we were driving into town. It wasn’t late - there was still plenty of light. And so we were heading down the road and there was a cyclist ahead of us on the left side of the lane we were travelling in.
One of the teenagers was driving and thank goodness they had their wits about them because, before we knew it, this cyclist had veered right in front of us as we headed towards an intersection.
They were wanting to turn right - but the first we knew of it was when they were suddenly right in front of us, very close to the front of our car.
We all shared a few colourful words and, as we went through the intersection, I looked to see if this cyclist had any idea what they had just done.
And my assessment would be “no idea at all”. And I realised why. Earpods.
Those little wireless earphone things that some people seem to spend most of their day wearing. Which would drive me nuts. But, obviously, it doesn’t bother some people having those things in their ears all the time.
And so, as we continued into town, I couldn’t help thinking how different things could have been if that cyclist had veered in front of someone else who might have been a bit distracted or not so quick to react.
Just as frightening, was the fact that this cyclist was sailing-on down the road completely oblivious to the danger they’d just been in.
And it got me thinking about how the Police are all over people using mobile phones when they’re driving, but nothing seems to be done about people driving vehicles or riding bikes with all sounds around them blocked out by music, or whatever they’re listening to through the earpods and headphones.
I’m the sort of driver who needs to be able to hear what’s going on around me - and I find it hard to imagine why other drivers and cyclists aren’t the same.
Take emergency vehicles. The fire crews, and police officers and paramedics must get frustrated as hell when they’re screaming off to a job and people can’t hear them approaching because they’ve got their ears blocked.
I think it is so dangerous when people can’t hear other vehicles approaching.
Especially if they’re on two wheels - as our lot saw last night with this cyclist sailing across the lane right in front of us, completely oblivious to the traffic around them because they had the earpods in and the volume turned up.
We’ve checked on what the rules say and, technically, there are three main things you’re not allowed to do when driving. You can’t make or receive phone calls. You can’t send or read text messages and emails. And you’re not allowed to create, send or watch videos
But nothing about wearing earpods and headphones. And I think there needs to be.
January 1994. That was when cycle helmets became compulsory in New Zealand and remember the fuss there was, initially, because people thought helmets were over-the-top and not needed.
These days, generally, it’s only people who steal bikes who don’t wear helmets.
You can tell them a mile off. But what I’m getting at is that even though people thought back in 1994 that helmets weren’t necessary, we now all accept that they are.
And it’s the same with earpods and headphones. Sure, there’d be a fuss from some people if we made it illegal to use them when riding a bike. The same too if we made it illegal for people to use them when driving a vehicle.
But people would get over it and get used to it, and I’m in no doubt it would make things a whole lot safer.
And I’m not just saying this because we nearly collected a cyclist last night.
I’ve thought it for a long time - riding a bike and driving a car, you need your ears turned on when you’re doing these things. I see too many examples of people prioritising the music or the podcasts over the safety of themselves and other road users.
This is something they’ve dealt with in California where it’s been illegal to wear earpods in both ears while cycling or driving since 2016. And, for the past five years, road safety commentator Clive Matthew-Wilson ha...