I have to say I agree with a lot of what he says:
http://www.visordown.com/editors-blog/cycling-with-headphones-you-deserve-to-die/8147.html
I don’t agree. I’m not sure people deserve to die because they are stupid. Sometimes you have to realise that other road users do stupid things as we (or I) do stupid things ourselves.
I’d imagine that there are a few motorcyclist who wear headphones while riding, and only last week I saw a car driver wearing massive cans while driving. People are idiots.
I agree that you need to be alot more aware of your surroundings if your cycling with heaphones on but you do not deserve to die, disgraceful comment!! I have cycled many times with heaphones on and often use them on the motorbike, you can still hear stuff going on around you as long as you don’t have the volume cranked right up.
+1, am with tiggi on that comment.
the guy that wrote that article is a pleb.
Actually, its difficult more speaking to riders with those ear plug thingys - they can’t make out sh1t your saying lol!!
Personally, I think my ears are my best defence while cycling. I cycle to work most days and wouldn’t ever consider wearing headphones. There are to many nutters on the roads in London and to make sure I arrive at my destination in one piece I have to hear what is going on around me.
I think saying these people deserve to die for wearing headphones is taking things a bit far but they definitely need to think about what they are doing a bit more. The roads are dangerous, particularly for cyclists and anything you can do to make it safer for yourself should be done.
I also wouldn’t consider wearing headphones on my motorbike for the same reasons, anyway, I like the sound of my exhausts too much.
Would you mind repeating that ? 
WHAT!!!:w00t:
I have to wear earplugs on my bike otherwise I get tinnitus very quickly. tis not nice
dont see how it differs to motorcyclists wearing ear plugs tbh!
I think the bottom line is that all road users take chances… peds, motorcyclists, cars, lorries etc… The thing that gets the goat of other road users about cyclists is their unwillingness to take responsibility for their own actions.
I think most motorcyclists would be happy to take the wrap if they were undertaking a lorry (on the left) in the gutter and it turned left without seeing them… because most would accept and appreciate that it would basically be a foolish manoeuvre… where as within the cycling fraternity the only person at fault is the driver…
Their approach to Road Traffic Law is beyond a joke… You see it all the time… I was watching yesterday as a woman who was waiting on the edge of a box junction edged forward in anticipation of being able to clear the junction… she was rewarded with shouting and given the finger by a cyclist that cut through the junction… the fact that he has just jumped a red was seemingly irrelevant to him.
I disagree with the whole dying thing… i listen to music when i ride but i only have one ear in and its not very loud so i can hear what is going on around me,
Also in Poland you have to take a test to ride a bicycle and have a certificate. I think they should bring that into the UK as its never the cyclist fault in either the car driver or biker etc etc etc
Not really sure these are the sort of pearls of wisdom a responsible journalist would/should be imparting to his audience. Not one who wishes to promote responsible/mature attitudes towards riding anyway. This kind of article does nothing for the public attitude towards bikers but merely re-inforces bad stereotypes, without justification and in a sad way says just as much about irresponsible bikers (one in particular…what does the ****** sign achieve!!!) as it does about irresponsible cyclists! Unfortunately in reality you’ll find inconsiderate people in all walks of life if you take a broad enough cross section whether this be by virtue of car, motorcycle, bicycle, ipod ownership, social background, ethnic background, shoe size, favourite colour etc!
I must say I agree with some of the negative comments that have been posted on the article. An unprofessional piece to put it mildly! I’d suggest the author engages his brain next time and use his soapbox to fight bad stereotypes rather then re-inforce them and educate inconsiderate/discourteous road users rahther than incite the kind of militant attitudes that breed more of them!
I was thinking what I should write given my position at LB, but it seems that the responses to this thread, and the comments on the original BLOG post itself, have basically, me echoed my thoughts.
Can anyone truly say that they have never been in the wrong when riding? We all make mistakes for varying reasons.
Deserving to die? Hmmm… It’s not up to you, surely.
It is easy to describe an RTA/ situation from one’s own point of view (especially on the 'net), but then, it is exactly that - one person’s point of view, and without knowing the other side(s) of the story, it is difficult for anyone reading the description to really understand the truth.
Perhaps Mr Cope wrote his post in a moment of anger, as I’m sure it isn’t the view held by the site itself (which his position can lend itself to imply). At least this isn’t a story about a road rage incident where the author decided to mete out his own form of justice (I assume Ben did nothing of the sort being a conscientious rider/ road user).
But then, judging by the rest of his BLOG posts, I doubt it is meant to be taken particularly seriously.
I’ve gotta say I always find it hilarious to watch someone speaking as a motorcyclist of how badly cyclists in general ride.
An unreasonably large proportion of both groups ride incredibly badly, dangerously and discourteously.
As a cyclist, I kept getting annoyed at motorbikes who’d failed to filter, decided to enter the ASL, stopped in the bike lane, overtook in the bike lane, undertook, used the bus lanes, cut me up etc.
As a motorcyclist, I’m now also irritated at the amount of cyclists who don’t look where they’re going, wobble along the road, make illegal and dangerous turns, don’t signal, apparently intend to be invisible.
Neither of us, as a group, can claim to be anywhere near angels of the road.
And I completely understand the wearing of headphones on a bike. I hardly cycle without them.
Hmmm, I’ve always thought that his magazine was utter tripe when it was TWO and now I realise why…the editor is an idiot!
I’m guessing by his article that he is and angel on his bikes, both pedal and engine powered and if not does that mean that he deserves to die for doing something stupid?
The guy is obviously a numpty who’s anti-cyclist rant makes him sound like a second-rate Jeremy Clarkson.
wot a twat!
i think its worse wearing headphones on a motorbike, at least cyclists have not got a crash helmet muffling out the rest of the sound.
earplugs and headphones- totally different
Your Damn Skippy! thats nail on the head.
visordown = 
I agree with not wearing headphones, a guy I work with wears his on his motorbike while passing through from Wimbledon to Stratford. I’ve given him a few warnings about how dangerous it is. He is always telling me about other accidents his seen, but given time I reckon he might become a statistic. He can’t even get 300m without remembering to turn his indicator off!!
Frankly in London people cross the road with their mobile strapped to their ear on the same side traffic is approaching and couldn’t give a toss what’s coming their way. So nobs all around.
Personally I don’t have a problem with cyclists. I do find some scooter riders scary as hell though. I took a ninety degree turn into a side road the other day with an idiot on a scooter overtaking on my right coming around the corner forcing me to go over the pillow hump instead of between it. I don’t know how he didn’t wrap himself around the bollard. I tried to catch him so I could stick my boot in his front wheel but gave up after he almost sandwiched himself between a passing car and another reversing out of a driveway!! He was an absolute nutter. Some ride the white line in my blind spot approaching a buildup of traffic I have no idea what they’re going to do so I let them pass before following them in. Plus they sit on the arses of bigger vehicles with virtually no stopping distance.
I keep thinking I’m going to see that fellow again with something much larger parked on top of him.
Before everyone gets cracking at me…no I’m not an anti-semetist, homophobic scooter hater it’s just something I’ve noticed on my ride in.
BM