Listening to music while cycling is a lot of fun. Telephone calls, audio books and podcasts are just as popular. However, Georg Zeppin from the cycling magazine “Karl” advises against listening to music or making phone calls while cycling: “It is a great distraction and increases the risk of accidents, as the surroundings are only perceived to a limited extent.” Only when driving slowly He considers headphone sprinkling to be harmless in fields or meadows with no significant traffic. For this scenario, cyclists should then choose in-ear headphones with a Bluetooth connection: They do not completely cover the ears and no cable interferes with movements on the bike.
Another possibility to have a short chat during the tour: special brackets or cups on the handlebars. Cyclists can then make phone calls using the hands-free function. Disadvantages: the environment listens. And listening to music through smartphone speakers is more of a stopgap solution.
Small Bluetooth boxes that can be mounted on the steering wheel or simply find space in the bottle holder bring more sound and volume. Here, too, the environment is also exposed to sound, and control via smartphone while driving is often problematic. Driving with one hand is generally allowed if you have full control of the bike. The road traffic regulations (StVO) forbid driving hands-free, however, there is a risk of a fine.
Making calls with a smartwatch is possible
Wearing headphones while cycling is generally allowed. According to the StVO, cyclists are allowed to wear headphones and make phone calls as well as listen to music, audio books or podcasts. But you have to make sure that you can see the traffic and hear warning signals clearly. Loud music lacks an important sense of the perception of noises and signals, which are important for assessing traffic processes, says Uwe Lenhart, lawyer for traffic law.
In the event of violations, there is a risk of ten euros for a fine. If the cyclist ignores emergency vehicles such as the police or ambulance and does not make room, there is a risk of a warning fee of 20 euros, explains Lenhart. If the cyclist’s distraction results in an accident in which others are harmed, it could result in negligent bodily harm.
As in a car, it is forbidden to make calls with the cell phone in hand. Anyone caught doing this pays a fine of 55 euros. The situation is different when the cyclist uses the hands-free function to make a phone call using a smartwatch on his wrist.
Hartmut Gieselmann from the specialist magazine c’t also generally advises against wearing headphones while cycling. “Regardless of whether they are over-ear headphones or in-ear headphones, they seal the ear and hinder the hearing of ambient noise.” This applies even to models that offer an acoustic transparency mode. And if you want to make a phone call, it is best to pull over to the right and hold the conversation while standing. In-ear plugs without safety clips or straps could also fall out of the ear while driving, which can lead to accidents.
An alternative that does not seal the ear are so-called bone conduction headphones. These lie directly on the skull bone near the ear and guide the sound in the form of vibrations to the inner ear. The ear remains free and can continue to pick up outside noises including important directional information.
Compared to conventional headphones, however, they only offer a mediocre sound quality and lower volume, says Gieselmann. “They will not be enough for enjoying music, but usually for conversations.” (Dpa)
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