Cyclists urged not to listen to music while riding due to “vulnerability”

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The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has urged cyclists to be mindful of their vulnerability on the roads and to desist from listening to music while cycling because of their status as vulnerable road users.

“Cyclists need to remember they are amongst the most vulnerable road users, so we recommend wearing a helmet, always using front and rear lights, not listening to music and keeping aware of their surroundings,” the PSNI said.

While headphones are not banned and helmets are not compulsory, the PSNI is urging cyclists to enhance their own safety by ditching headphones and using a helmet.

It’s not the first time the PSNI, or indeed the authorities in the Republic, have advised against cyclists using headphones. Indeed the then minister for transport in the Republic, Pascal Donohoe TD, claimed in 2015 that gardai had been given the power to fine cyclists wearing headphones.

He said the wearing of headphones fell under the offence of cycling without care and consideration under the fixed charged notice system covering cyclists. However, he was soon forced to backtrack and concede that using headphones was not a cycling offence.

In 2017 when the Irish Road Haulage Association called for a ban on cycling with headphones, Cycling Ireland responded by saying while it did not believe such a ban should be introduced it would encourage cyclists not to use them while on the bike.

“Cycling Ireland recommend that cyclists don’t use headphones while on public roads, however, we do not believe that this should be an offence subject to penalty points,” the cycling federation said in at the time.

“The onus of safety on the roads does not lie solely with the cyclist; due care and caution should be taken by all road users.”