That's one less apprentice

[John Williamson]

Ear defenders (External or internal) cut down the volume at the ear, while earpieces as used by music players and the like mask external sounds such as a shout for help or of warning. There's no comparison, and if noise cancelling earpieces are used, that's even worse.

Only insofar as it should ensure good working practices later on.

I would if he needed to be able to hear warnings or come to the aid of someone who's in need of it when they shout. These are the reasons it's against the law to wear anything of that sort on or in both ears while driving or riding a pushbike, but ear defenders are legal. Ear defenders let you hear the fire engine sirens, but headphones won't.

[SteveW]

Decent ear defenders are also designed to cut down on the damaging noise, but let through the core frequencies for speech, so that users can hear speech or shouting.

SteveW

[Tim Watts]

Ear defenders are OK letting sounds you want to hear through - though point taken the power tool may drown it out. OTOH the power tool lets the site supervisor know someone is still there after the plumber's set the building on fire ;->

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It depends on the level of the headphones if external sounds are heard or not. Exactly the same as with ear defenders. Some will, some won't.

Far too broad a statement.

BTW, if hearing is so important to a cyclist, are deaf ones banned from riding by law?

[PeterC]

That'd be against the law ;-) If hearing is si important, whay are (some) motorists allowed to have such loud moosick[1] that it's unpleasant outside the vehicle even when the windows are closed? No chance of hearing anything.

[1] Approaching a hump-back bridge, I could hear the thumping of moosick from the other side of the bridge, then there was a feeble hoot that was hardly audible above the row, then cretin-can came over the bridge at about twice the speed that was reasonable. No chance of it hearing another hooter, even a loud one.

[Andy Burns]

In the same way that the blind have an increased awareness of sounds, then the deaf have an increased awareness of smells, they can detect an HGV at 100 yards.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Of major concern and one I'd boot his arse for, is safety for himself and colleagues.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Also, there's nothing more dreary than listening to the popular choice of radio station such a workplace radio is inevitably tuned to. Workers' Playtime, anyone? Of even more horror, Steve Wright in the Afternoon. Worse, back then, Radio Two - actually made me feel ill.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

You just made that up.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Hey, it was nice seeing you, too.

[Roberts]

Cyclists are exempt all laws even red lights are optional at least thats how it would appear to me Robbie

[Owain]

On a more contemporary note, I spent a couple of months in an office wanting to tell Florence where she could bloddy well stick her blasted Machine.

Owain

[Hognoxious]

In [e-mail] on Sun, 24 Jun 2012 00:43:21 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) scribbled:

Blind ones aren't.

Or perhaps someone has a better explanation for the fact that the ones around here don't seem to be able to see me, the pushchair with my son in it, my other son walking alongside, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights and on several occasions all of the above simultaneously

Some of them seem unaware that they're riding on the pavement and not the road!

Odd though that they all stop just before entering the crossing stream of cars, buses, trams etc. Must be sensing the vibrations or magnetism or something.

[ARWadsworth]

Ever thought of accidentally getting a long brolly caught in the spokes of the blind ones?

[Bob Eager]

I've thought of moving sideways just enough to make the pavement cycling ones ride into a wall. Frequently.

[Huge]

Indeed I do. It's because they're arrogant, hypocritical scofflaws.

(With, and I say this in anticipation, the complete inability to form an argument that isn't a logical fallacy.)

[Adrian]

In message , Bob Eager writes

The pedestrianised part of the local high street has signs up saying "Cyclists must be dismounted". So tempting.

Adrian

[ARWadsworth]

Only thought about doing it:-)

I have done it.

[Tim Lamb]

Allowing your arm to brush the handlebar can be effective.

regards

[Andy Burns]

Depth perception must be a real bugger for you now ...