Music while commuting

[tzrider]

There is always a sound track running in my head whether I’m playing music or not. I used to think it would be too distracting to play music while riding but once I tried t, it found it took the place of non riding activity my brain was engaged in anyway. It’s turned into some nice “me” time where I can discover new music.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

Auditioning for a new sound never ends...


youtu.be/DHPDfJK-MjM

 

[Kurosaki]

Let’s see; helmet, wind noise, a dollop of Doppler, electric cars, my age, a helluva lot of concerts in my youth standing in front of speaker stacks...

I’d rather NOT add another layer to that cake.

You said you want to hear the other noises around you and you still can.

Believe what you will. This topic always comes down to personal preference/ability.

 

[GilesD]

To me big part of the reason I prefer to commute on a bike is that it keeps me focused on the task at hand. Never bored and detached enough to need music. It is that focus on riding that allows my mind to disconnect from the stress at work and not bring it home with me. On the days I use the 4 wheels I'm far more comfortable, yet I get home with the exact same thoughts I left work with.
This is why, above all else, even at my age I prefer 2 wheel commuting.

 

[cg_ops]

Conversation topics that start pointless arguments that never get "won"

Religion
Politics
HD vs other motorcycles
ATGATT
Headphones/music
Lane splitting / lane splitting etiquette
Electronic riding aids are good/bad
Loud pipes save lives

You know what they say about opinions and assholes...

 

[Johndicezx9]

You said you want to hear the other noises around you and you still can.

Believe what you will. This topic always comes down to personal preference/ability.

Yeah, I stated mine. :dunno

 

[dravnx]

What's the best oil to use if I'm listening to music?
Will a K&N air filter make my music louder?
What tire should I use so I can still hear them sing if I listen to music?

 

[ViperThreat]

Brain is actually single core. It cannot truly multitask.

Dunno about you, but I can breathe, talk, walk, and pay attention to my surroundings all at the same time. Life would be pretty difficult if I could only do one at once.

No, your brain is not a single core processor. Your brain has various regions that each manage separate tasks. They can be used selectively, or all at once.

 

[KnifeySpoony]

Dunno about you, but I can breathe, talk, walk, and pay attention to my surroundings all at the same time. Life would be pretty difficult if I could only do one at once.

No, your brain is not a single core processor. Your brain has various regions that each manage separate tasks. They can be used selectively, or all at once.

Science says otherwise. Just fyi

 

[Kurosaki]

On my way to work this morning, I listened to Speed Demon, Turbo Lover, and Mad Dash.

It was wonderful.

 

[rodzghost]

Well , I finally got to try it out for myself, and I gotta say, I do prefer riding with music.

Traffic was pretty light this AM, so I only had to split for a couple miles, but overall, I'd say the music wasn't distracting at all.

My headset isn't very loud, so I can still hear everything just fine. Impatient drivers and their horns are still audible. If anything, I feel the music helps me be smoother on the controls... I will have to curate my playlist tho, since some random songs somehow got added in that I didn't really like.

 

[Kurosaki]

Well , I finally got to try it out for myself, and I gotta say, I do prefer riding with music.

Traffic was pretty light this AM, so I only had to split for a couple miles, but overall, I'd say the music wasn't distracting at all.

My headset isn't very loud, so I can still hear everything just fine. Impatient drivers and their horns are still audible. If anything, I feel the music helps me be smoother on the controls... I will have to curate my playlist tho, since some random songs somehow got added in that I didn't really like.

Some days I use a playlist I call Russian Roulette. I pick 5 songs I like and 1 song I hate. Hit shuffle and see if I can get to work before I hear some bullshit.

I Usually lose.

(My commute is about 20 minutes)

 

[rodzghost]

Some days I use a playlist I call Russian Roulette. I pick 5 songs I like and 1 song I hate. Hit shuffle and see if I can get to work before I hear some bullshit.

I Usually lose.

(My commute is about 20 minutes)

So, when the song you hate comes on, do you just say fuck it and pin the throttle til you get to work?

 

[Kurosaki]

haha no. Just adds a little fun to the commute.

 

[ViperThreat]

Science says otherwise. Just fyi

Curious you didn't provide any sources.


I can:

The brain can be divided into the cerebrum, brainstem, and cerebellum:

Cerebrum. The cerebrum (front of brain) is composed of the right and left hemispheres, which are joined by the corpus callosum. Functions of the cerebrum include: initiation of movement, coordination of movement, temperature, touch, vision, hearing, judgment, reasoning, problem solving, emotions, and learning.

Brainstem. The brainstem (middle of brain) includes the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla. Functions of this area include: movement of the eyes and mouth, relaying sensory messages (such as hot, pain, and loud), respirations, consciousness, cardiac function, involuntary muscle movements, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and swallowing.

Cerebellum. The cerebellum (back of brain) is located at the back of the head. Its function is to coordinate voluntary muscle movements and to maintain posture, balance, and equilibrium.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/anatomy-of-the-brain

 

[KnifeySpoony]

Curious you didn't provide any sources.


I can:



https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/anatomy-of-the-brain

That's a little different than what we're talking about I think.

https://radius.mit.edu/programs/mul...in-cant-do-it-and-what-you-should-do-about-it

Here's an interesting talk from MIT. You can listen to the the talk or look at the slides. There's some lay articles on the topic, as well as scientific literature which may be less interesting.

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking

 

[NoTraffic]

Well , I finally got to try it out for myself, and I gotta say, I do prefer riding with music.

Traffic was pretty light this AM, so I only had to split for a couple miles, but overall, I'd say the music wasn't distracting at all.

My headset isn't very loud, so I can still hear everything just fine. Impatient drivers and their horns are still audible. If anything, I feel the music helps me be smoother on the controls... I will have to curate my playlist tho, since some random songs somehow got added in that I didn't really like.

Congrats, see it really isnt' that hard. :ride

 

[reasonable_max]

That's a little different than what we're talking about I think.

https://radius.mit.edu/programs/mul...in-cant-do-it-and-what-you-should-do-about-it

Here's an interesting talk from MIT. You can listen to the the talk or look at the slides. There's some lay articles on the topic, as well as scientific literature which may be less interesting.

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking

Thanks for the links -- interesting stuff.

But...I'd argue that listening to music (at least the kind of listening most of us do) is not "performing a task".

We mostly listen passively and just feel the beat, or maybe sing along with the lyrics. We're not thinking about the meaning of the lyrics, or analyzing the harmony or structure of the music. That would definitely take too much concentration to do while riding a motorcycle (or pretty much anything else).

I think that having light, non-distracting music in the background helps most people concentrate on most tasks. It doesn't require multitasking, it only requires you to be able to maintain focus on what's important (not crashing) instead of what's not important (what DID he do under that bridge?). Prioritizing what to pay attention to is a whole other art form.

 

[MR662]

So Ive always rode sport bikes and only occasionally would ride to work. I just bought a 1250 GS which is also much quieter then any of my sport bikes I've had with full Akra exhausts. So I decided to try music and I love it. Even for my short 25-30 min commute, it is awesome. I found a nice pair of bluetooth earplugs and can still get my helmet to slide over with them in my ears. Its a game changer. lol

 

[KnifeySpoony]

Thanks for the links -- interesting stuff.

But...I'd argue that listening to music (at least the kind of listening most of us do) is not "performing a task".

We mostly listen passively and just feel the beat, or maybe sing along with the lyrics. We're not thinking about the meaning of the lyrics, or analyzing the harmony or structure of the music. That would definitely take too much concentration to do while riding a motorcycle (or pretty much anything else).

I think that having light, non-distracting music in the background helps most people concentrate on most tasks. It doesn't require multitasking, it only requires you to be able to maintain focus on what's important (not crashing) instead of what's not important (what DID he do under that bridge?). Prioritizing what to pay attention to is a whole other art form.

Oh I definitely agree. However I think different people listen to music differently. If it's truly "in the background" then there's no reason why you still can't focus on something else in a dedicated manner. However for some of us, music can indeed be a distraction. And for those that it is, the idea of multitasking definitely breaks down and another sensory input vying for attention can be a hindrance to "ideal" riding. Everyone is different, and every situation is different. Like I posted above, although I feel listening to music while splitting is a distraction, strangely it doesn't affect my ability to operate (I am actually a surgeon). I think for me, it may be the ability to hear everything around me, including the bike, that makes me feel more aware when in heavy traffic. If I'm riding and listening to music, then traffic bunches up, if I turn the music down to be barely audible, then it doesn't bother me.