Jimaroid
Journeyman Pro
Yeah! Let’s ban deaf people driving too!
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
And blind people. Stuff them.
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
Huge difference between being deaf and choosing to make yourself deaf.
Beezerk
Money List Winner
So did I unless it's one of those urban myths.
Ross61
Challenge Tour Pro
When I started reading this thread I immediately thought about my own situation of being severely hard of hearing, which is made even worse by road noise whilst driving.
I thought the calls for headphones to be banned by many on here was over the top as there are many thousands of people in my situation or worse that would also have to be banned by the same criteria of not being able to hear emergency vehicles etc.
With further thought and reading the post quoted, I think there is a difference when living permanently with lack of hearing as you are used to being more visually aware of what is going on around you.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
I too have always thought it is illegal to drive with headphones on.
Kellfire
Blackballed
It isn’t illegal.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
from a web search this appeared to be the best answer (from the quora.com website)
Ted Logan, Member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), I drive cars.
Answered Dec 6 2016 · Author has 269 answers and 377.6k answer views
In the UK, whilst not specifically illegal it is definitely a bad idea.
It has been known for police officers to pull people over to advise them regarding their poor decision to wear headphones.
If there was an accident - even if not your fault or attributable to the headphones - you could face a charge of “driving without due care and attention†or it might affect your liability.
Ted Logan, Member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), I drive cars.
Answered Dec 6 2016 · Author has 269 answers and 377.6k answer views
In the UK, whilst not specifically illegal it is definitely a bad idea.
It has been known for police officers to pull people over to advise them regarding their poor decision to wear headphones.
If there was an accident - even if not your fault or attributable to the headphones - you could face a charge of “driving without due care and attention†or it might affect your liability.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
Just be aware that if drive abroad it may well be illegal in that country. It seems to vary from state to state in the US.
Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
I couldn't agree more, hence the post; in my opinion there's a vast difference between being used to having reduced hearing all the time and coping with it, and choosing to effectively switch your hearing off. If anyone needs any further proof that deaf people can adapt to overcome their lack of hearing, Google Dame Evelyn Glennie.
Jamesbrown
Head Pro
Why?
I doubt they’re listening to music if anything at all.
It’ll be headphones used as a hands free kit. Not every car comes with Bluetooth, but 99% have a radio.
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
It’ll be music with the vast majority of younger ones , the phone just mutes the music if they get a call.
I wore ear plugs in work for forty years and they deffo interfere with your background hearing , you don’t hear certain frequencies with them in.
But if they are playing music you don’t hear anything in your surrounding area especially if you are cucconed in air tight cars.
I was a crane driver but could not work with headphones or earplugs as your spacial awareness is changed.
Radio on in the cab was fine though.
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
How about noise cancelling head phones? Cancel out engine noise, and road rumble, and then every other noise becomes crystal.
clubchamp98
Journeyman Pro
I thought they cancelled noise from outside so you can only hear what comes out the headphones.
How could the cops tell the difference?
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
You can still here people talk to you. They just phase out droning type noise. In my BMW that would be useful!
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
Every spouses and parents dream.
me too, always thought it was part of the highway code??
