Accidents due to listening to music - Page 2 - General running

Beware Of The Fish

30/11/2011 at 16:09

I nearly got run into a lampost during a race when someone I was just about to overtake suddenly veered to the right for no obvious reason. I managed to step right as well and went the other side of the post, missing it by a fraction.

Intermanaut

30/11/2011 at 16:26

@Beware Of The Fish - as you were overtaking it was your job to do so with due care regardless of what the person in front was doing.

James Joy

01/12/2011 at 12:11

I was marshalling a race and was warning people about a speed bump they may not see. Lady wear headphone was aware I was saying something so looked at me removed the headphones and was about ask me what I was saying when she tripped over the speed bump

chubby bloke

01/12/2011 at 12:32

James Joy - so if you hadn't said anything she would have been focused on where she was going and not tripped over the speedbump?

Peter Collins

01/12/2011 at 13:07

What I want to hear about is runners strangled by their own headphone cables, or strung up by other runners by their headphone cables... can anyone help?

Beware Of The Fish

01/12/2011 at 13:55

Intermanaut wrote (see)

@Beware Of The Fish - as you were overtaking it was your job to do so with due care regardless of what the person in front was doing.

I agree entirely, but when you're about 3 feet behind them on a straight pavement and there is nobody within 20 yards of the person you're overtaking you don't expect them to turn right!

Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records

01/12/2011 at 15:25

There are only 3 certain things in life; death, taxes and Intermanaut staunchly defending his right to make a right pain of him/herself at races.

Intermanaut

01/12/2011 at 15:30

@Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records - at which races have I made a pain of myself by listening to my iPod?

You missed the fourth certainty off your list: nurses.

Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records

01/12/2011 at 15:35

Any race you have used an iPod at.

You won't have noticed though, that's the whole point!

Straycelt

01/12/2011 at 15:35

Have frequently seen trips, spills, almost fights due to music listening during races. As an occasional pacer have sometimes struggled to get by i-podders, who have been known to get irate when gently tapped on the shoulder by a pace stick.

Intermanaut

01/12/2011 at 15:43

@Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records - that's exactly the answer I predicted, and is the one that shows that your point is weak, and is why I hereby declare you a troll and claim my £3.

Stevie G .

01/12/2011 at 15:59

Luckily it's only the non serious back of pack runners who wear headfones in races

(tiptoes away quietly)

Intermanaut

01/12/2011 at 16:05

The simple fact is that iPod-wearing runners don't cause problems - inconsiderate runners cause problems, and many of those are running without music.

PhilPub

01/12/2011 at 16:40

Stevie G . wrote (see)

Luckily it's only the non serious back of pack runners who wear headfones in races
(tiptoes away quietly)

Moonlight

01/12/2011 at 17:29

'The simple fact is that iPod-wearing runners don't cause problems - inconsiderate runners cause problems, and many of those are running without music.'

I largely agree with this. I think that music can enhance an already existing problem (lack of consideration), but is by no means solely to blame. Mind you, I doubt many would claim that music is exclusively to blame for all ipod-related accidents! Jennn's post is a good summary of how it should be done when running with music, I reckon.

Edited: 01/12/2011 at 17:31

Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records

01/12/2011 at 17:47

Re SG...

When I ran my HM PB I was in the top 2% of finishers (and ahead of the first lady) yet I still overtook a joker running down the middle of the road with half a mile of tooting cars behind him.

Didn't cause me a problem, but I remember it very well because he was the big showoff at school who won the annual cross country every year.

Of course, "top 2%" isn't remotely competitive, but for the first lady finisher, said joker did not represent a "non serious back of pack runner". The clowns do infect all sections of the race.

I love a good iPod thread!

Stevie G .

01/12/2011 at 17:59

Stats are a funny think Artie. For instance, I came top 2.4% in a half marathon with 7500 runners, yet only top 16% in a 4miler the next year.

And of course my comment was tongue in cheek, as I actually lost my proud record of not losing to someone wearing headfones at a 10miler in October this year....he did smack a 57 though, which is alright!

At least you beat the show off....there's something amazingly satisfying about the tables being turned from school...the kids who beat me back then (ie everyone), are now bloated non running boozy layabouts

Also I've heard they use ipods in races

Edited: 01/12/2011 at 18:00

Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records

01/12/2011 at 18:14

Absolutely! I did consider what to say to him as he limped over the line. "Oh well done" in as patronising a voice as possible came to mind, but I elected for the shower and the moral high ground instead.

Piers

02/12/2011 at 19:10

Whilst it can never be proved behind doubt a runner local to me died and at the time it was considered that her MP3 player impeeded her situational awareness.

Tragic loss of life.

BBC Obituary

Polly-Polly

02/12/2011 at 23:15

It does make me wonder how the Hell we all manage to drive with radios/CDs in the car. Maybe they should be banned, too? And, before a queue forms consisting of people who would ban them, consider that we would also have to gag children, too!!! iPods/MP3 players do NOT cause accidents. It's the misuse of them that does. It's rather like saying speed kills. Wrong. Inappropriate driving kills. But some people will always look for mitigating circumstances.