France bans headphone devices in cars, bikes, and bicycles

[VirginiaJim]

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/using-headphones-on-a-motorcycle-becomes-illegal-from-1st-of-july-2015-97244.html

[MAN OF BLUES]

I kinda agree, but not fully... I think the whole earplug thing, includingnthose just to reduce ambient sound, is a dangerous mode on a motorcycle... even if I am gonna go deaf... and I guess loud pipes still.save lives.. go figure...
I,ve tried tonride with inserted sound plugs in my ears, and get really paranoid after about ten minutes... I dunno... just me...
but, I do have speakers gleaned from quality headphones, inserted in my helmet and can run amplified music thru those at a level I find acceptable, and can still hear ambient road sounds and emergency vehicles without problems... disconnecting my eras from hazards, is kinda like wearing the darkest face shield made, on a foggy night... not smart, buyt still not against the law here...


I just remind folks again, and I had a bumper sticker on my truck years ago next to the "loud pipes save lives" generic sticker, which I hd to add "?" in bold after the statement, and below it I had a bumper sticker that in bold capitol letters said "DEAF PEOPLE DO DRIVE ... OR HAVENT YOU FIGURED THAT OUT?"

now, tell me why when you drive into the AUTO teller bank machine, all the buttons have "braille" bumps on them... really

[VirginiaJim]

I've seen drivers acting as if they are blind...  I think this is for ear plugs and not speakers built into the helmets, though.

[B.D.F.]

Well, saying as you said "really".... Silly man, because they are the same ATM they put in kiosks, which are the ones blind people would use. It is easier and cheaper to manufacture one version of a device than two, even if one is slightly chaeaper. So the Braille machines are all they make and are used as needed.

BTW, that leads to the other, obvious question: why are ATM's inside banks, kiosks, etc. all waterproof? See above for answer. 

Brian

<snip>

now, tell me why when you drive into the AUTO teller bank machine, all the buttons have "braille" bumps on them... really

[B.D.F.]

Oh man, and here I was 'this close' to going to France and riding around on a motorcycle.

I was in Germany this one time and mentioned I would like to see some of the archaeological digs in the area where my ancestors were found, as well as those places where they drew on the walls- 30,000 + years ago. A German mentioned that the caves with the drawings were not all that far.... when I politely pointed out that those caves were in France and therefore entirely unacceptable to an American..... It took him a few seconds but he caught it and laughed like crazy :-)

I ride with earplugs in at all times. I really do not care what the various state laws are, I will pay the ticket if / when I have to. I cannot ride for more than a few minutes in comfort without ear plugs. Besides, I want to tone down all that screaming when I set myself on fire while fueling my bike- no need to be burned and deafened at the same time, right? 

Brian

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/using-headphones-on-a-motorcycle-becomes-illegal-from-1st-of-july-2015-97244.html

[Strawboss]

Ear plugs don't plug all the sound as many who don't wear them think, plugs may be a misnomer of sorts. I am of the opinion that they are safer than NOT wearing them as they reduce the "white noise" so you can more readily hear other sounds more important and they reduce fatigue, this has been proven time and time again in study after study. I too wear them all the time riding no matter the laws of various states and cities. I think France is referring to a different style of "plugs".

[VirginiaJim]

+1

[stevewfl]

"France" <---'nuff said

[redzgrider]

We do remember that without France there wouldn't have ever been a U.S.A.?

[B.D.F.]

Without the New World there would not be syphilis. What is your point?

 

Brian

We do remember that without France there wouldn't have ever been a U.S.A.?

[gPink]

Without the New World there would not be syphilis. What is your point?

 

Brian

,,,and without the Old World there would't be ebola.... ...Now back to your regularly scheduled French bashing thread....

[VirginiaJim]

We do remember that without France there wouldn't have ever been a U.S.A.?

Some of us do..

[B.D.F.]

Yeah, it is true: All base English speaking peoples around the world love to pick on the French. Not sure why- maybe it goes all the way back to the time when the only real enemies each of them could have was each other? Anyway, an Australian, an American, a South African, and all the other English speaking folks all love to pick on the French.

Brian

,,,and without the Old World there would't be ebola.... ...Now back to your regularly scheduled French bashing thread....

[sherob]

[maxtog]

I would never ride without either earplugs or earphones.  There is simply too much ambient noise (most of it wind).  Over time, that type of noise will cause ear damage.  And blocking out THAT noise very much improves the ability to hear other noises, like sirens and horns.

Modern cars are very well sound insulated.  I see absolutely no difference between riding a motorcycle with earplugs and being in a car with windows up, or riding a motorcycle with earphones listening to music and being in a car listening to music on the stereo.   I hear outside noises at nearly the same levels, and neither is overly distracting.

Are there people that listen to music too loudly with earphones?  Of course.  And there are people that blast their car stereos at totally unreasonable levels, too.  Both will cause hearing damage and safety issues... I do neither.  Like Brian says, I don't care what the laws are, I am going to do what is right- and that is protect my hearing and increase my comfort.

Oh, if one is deaf,  are banned from driving in France, then?

[B.D.F.]

The deaf are probably not banned, they just cannot wear earplugs.

 

Brian

<snip>

Oh, if one is deaf,  are banned from driving in France, then?

[maxtog]

The deaf are probably not banned, they just cannot wear earplugs.

 

Better yet, maybe they are allowed to drive and are EXEMPT from the law and CAN wear earplugs?

[Rhino]

Spent 3 months in Grenoble in 2012. Amazed me that when commuting, hundreds of bikes that would pass between me and another vehicle with only inches to spare at high speed. Lane splitting is accepted everywhere and anytime, but don't have earphones...