Radio Questions/audio Questions

[Marshall]

That is false.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130606101550.htm

Sorry. People who know they're being monitored behave differently. My experience is that music blaring is associated with erratic and dangerous driving. I suppose low volume music which does not hinder hearing the traffic and things around them that need a response from the driver MIGHT be OK. But high volume isn't one of the parameters described in the base report.

I'm positive that the people with blaring music and/or headphones have no idea of the havoc they cause on the road. So the self reporting would not even realize they had a problem.

 

[Marshall]

From a "Environment and Traffic Psychologist" and at "GROAN" university.

Really? I wonder how much "grant money" he/she got for that?

I wonder how much was from the speaker and boom box industry?

 

[TheAsterisk!]

My experience is that music blaring is associated with erratic and dangerous driving. I suppose low volume music which does not hinder hearing the traffic and things around them that need a response from the driver MIGHT be OK. But high volume isn't one of the parameters described in the base report.

I'm positive that the people with blaring music and/or headphones have no idea of the havoc they cause on the road. So the self reporting would not even realize they had a problem.

You know somebody has no taste when their used Nissan's aftermarket subwoofer is audibly shaking body panels on the car.

I think the correlation would have less to do with the music causing distraction in practice, though undoubtedly there does come a point where it's drowning out other sensory perception, and is more likely associated with a common underlying inconsiderate stupidity on the part of such motorists. That is to say, the same idiots who make you listen to their favorite basslines three cars over are often the same sorts of discourteous scum who believe that they are so important that other traffic should just get out of their way. Don't you know who I am? Why are you in my way?!

Nothing to back that up, just a shot in the dark from some time observing such characters in their natural social environments.

Not to say I'm not a fan of music at a considerable volume, but that I don't play it at people.

 

[Marshall]

You know somebody has no taste when their used Nissan's aftermarket subwoofer is audibly shaking body panels on the car.

I think the correlation would have less to do with the music causing distraction in practice, though undoubtedly there does come a point where it's drowning out other sensory perception, and is more likely associated with a common underlying inconsiderate stupidity on the part of such motorists. That is to say, the same idiots who make you listen to their favorite basslines three cars over are often the same sorts of discourteous scum who believe that they are so important that other traffic should just get out of their way. Don't you know who I am? Why are you in my way?!

Nothing to back that up, just a shot in the dark from some time observing such characters in their natural social environments.

Not to say I'm not a fan of music at a considerable volume, but that I don't play it at people.

It's not the shaking of body panels on THEIR car that bothers me as much as shaking the body panels on MY car from a quarter mile away.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

Somehow this thread took a left turn and turned into distracted driving rather than talking about what the radio is about.

 

[wizard of ahs]

Oh my, how could that happen here

 

[JEBar]

Somehow this thread took a left turn and turned into distracted driving rather than talking about what the radio is about.

agree .... lets refocus on the thread topic

 

[Ty]

These are the point that stood out for me:
1) Experienced motorists between 25 and 35 years of age are perfectly capable of focusing on the road while listening to music or the radio, even when driving in busy urban traffic.
2) I could imagine that music might be too distracting while you're just learning to drive.
3) And at the other end of the scale, people's cognitive capacities diminish as they get older so I'm curious to know how they react to the mental demands of driving at the same time as the listening to music.'

And I can understand why; 25-35 you're good at multi-tasking, and younger and it's all new to you; but try to incorporate everything they learned about driving and you over-do things (some times) other times you don't want to make mistakes; so your brain has to check out to let it rest. Older, you think you have driving down to second nature, but you're mistaken; there is still a degree of learning taking place and assessment that you have to take in.
Basically it still come down to doing what your comfortable with; for some music is still interesting, for others, you don't like what's playing and rather than looking for something you like, it's just as easy to turn it off.

Well, number 3 can explain why, when looking for a house number or street name, you turn down the radio...

 

[Ty]

The dangerous distraction in new cars is the technology. I love my old truck because without taking my eyes from the road, I can adjust the fan speed, temperature, or where it's blowing BY FEEL. Most new cars have an electronic control panel that have to look at to operate it. Scrolling thru modes, searching for buttons, or bumping temp up or down 1° at a time just seems like a big step backward to me.

My Elio sound system came in a box months ago. I'm getting lots of use from my MTX headphones. They turn just about any vehicle into a sound studio. I've got about 3 months of music on iTunes, so I could go 24/7 for the summer and not have any repeats.

Isn't it illegal to drive while wearing headphones? If not, it should be. Well, it's not illegal in a lot of states. But most, even where it is legal have a "If it impairs the driver's ability to control their vehicle, they can be found at fault... etc."

Here's the law in every US state.
Alabama It's legal!
Alaska Headphones and earbuds are not permitted, except when used for navigational purposes. Hearing aids okay.
Arizona It's legal, though not for school bus drivers or anyone transporting children for a daycare facility.
Arkansas It's legal!
California Headphones and earbuds illegal, and that includes bicycles too. The only exception is for hearing aids, and to protect against 'injurious' noise levels.
Colorado Headphones or earbuds covering both ears is prohibited, except for audio systems built into motorcycle helmets. Earpieces in one ear are permitted, for example for speaking on a phone.
Connecticut It's legal!
Delaware It's legal!
Florida Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Hearing aids are exempt.
Georgia Anything that diminishes hearing or sight while driving is prohibited. Though earpieces used for communication purposes are permitted.
Hawaii It's legal!
Idaho It's legal!
Illinois Headphones or earbuds covering both ears are not permitted. The exceptions are motorcycle helmet audio systems, and one-ear headsets and earpieces.
Indiana It's legal!
Iowa It's legal!
Kansas It's legal!
Kentucky It's legal!
Louisiana Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Headphones built into motorcycle helmets exempt.
Maine It's legal!
Maryland Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Hearing aids are exempt.
Massachusetts Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving, unless they are involved in the control of the vehicle itself.
Michigan It's legal!
Minnesota Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Hearing aids are exempt.
Mississippi It's legal!
Missouri It's legal!
Montana It's legal!
Nebraska It's legal!
Nevada It's legal!
New Hampshire It's legal!
New Jersey It's legal!
New Mexico It's legal!
New York Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving.
North Carolina It's legal!
North Dakota It's legal!
Ohio Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Headphones built into motorcycle helmets exempt, as are hearing aids.
Oklahoma It's legal!
Oregon It's legal, but there are some regional exceptions (so check your local laws).
Pennsylvania Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Single-ear audio systems for cellular communication okay, as are hearing aids.
Rhode Island Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving or operating a bicycle.
South Carolina It's legal!
South Dakota It's legal!
Tennessee It's legal!
Texas It's legal!
Utah It's legal!
Vermont It's legal!
Virginia Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Headphones built into motorcycle helmets exempt, as are hearing aids.
Washington Headphones or earbuds prohibited while driving. Hands-free wireless communication systems and motorcycle helmet audio systems are okay.
Washington, DC It's legal!
West Virginia It's legal!
Wisconsin It's legal!
Wyoming It's legal!

Anyway, I hope the Elio will sound decent enough when I want it to. For those who don't care about having a radio in their car, I say nothing beats a good sound system when it comes to receiving directions when driving. I hate having to listen to my phone for directions when in a new part of town. I like to drive with the windows down or at least the sunroof open to, you know, experience the breeze and smells of where I am even if some aren't that pleasant. Anyway, give me some decent speakers so I can hear Google direct me. (Yes, I look at my route before I start to make sure I'm not taking a "short cut" through neighborhoods... That's just rude.)

 

[bighammer]

agree .... lets refocus on the thread topic

Sorry, radio was on and I got distracted.