Until my walk to Hucknall, I had never used my earbuds when out on a walk; the primary reason was because of personal safety. For the past month and a half or so, I have been wearing them on the bus but since I'm not driving the bus, there's less of a reason to worry. So why the sudden change?
The key is doing it safely: I'm more comfortable with certain parts of certain walks, such as the route from my house into Nottingham. When you're walking a long and flat route that doesn't change much for forty-five minutes to an hour, putting on some music helps to liven up the experience a little. Listening even prevented me from tiring sooner!
I am not reckless, however; I can still hear traffic over my music, I pay attention to the road, am careful when crossing roads and I look out for cyclists/other pedestrians. I also do not wear my earbuds when walking deep within Nottingham or on unfamiliar roads. For the most part, my earbuds were off when I was headed for Hucknall.
Overall, I would advise leaving them off when you're out but if you're in an area where you know it is safe, it should be fine. Use careful and considered judgment.
Yeah, I listen to music on my walks... but I make sure I can still hear traffic!
ReplyDeleteIt's important to pay attention to the road! :)
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