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Is it dangerous to use headphones with active noise cancelling while driving? (piefed.social)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/ask@piefed.social
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Edit: Thanks everyone. I’ve heard your comments loud and clear. I will not wear headphones while driving.

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[–] 7 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Deaf people live in a permanent state of being deaf, and will develop coping strategies that normally-hearing people will not have.

Even with those coping strategies, it's clearly possible there are still some scenarios in which deaf people would fail to perceive an event or danger while driving, which a hearing person would notice, but we as a society have decided that's an acceptable level of risk because deaf people literally have no choice about being deaf, and it would be excessive to penalise them from being allowed to drive.

On the other hand, when a normally-hearing person blocks out their hearing, they are literally choosing to impair themselves below normal functionality and to drive in that condition, increasing risk.

Deaf people and wearing headphones are not the same argument.

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  • [–] -1 points 1 year ago* (3 children)

    Should we ban radios in cars or limit the volume level of the radio? Should we ban having phone calls whether hands-free or not?

    Totally agree that the risk is elevated whilst wearing headphones for a hearing person but not so much that it should make it illegal or even have to think about it.

    It's stuff like this that causes all the regulation in the world. Modicoddling us all like babies.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    For me, it is about being responsible and limiting your level of risk.

    Listening to music on the car speakers at a normal volume is far better than wearing headphones. You can still hear sirens, horns, your indicator lights clicking, and most other cues in the world that let you know what's going on.

    Silence is obviously better, if we are making that argument, but this discussion is about where we draw the line of acceptable risk. To me, speaker music is below that line, but blocking your ears with headphones is above it.

    I don't want a pointlessly over-regulated world either, but I do believe people should make their choices with consideration for the safety of themselves and others.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    I've spent the last 30 years deep in the deaf community and this conversation does come up now and then because the deaf can feel oppressed at times and I expect most deaf have had the "you shouldn't even be driving" comment thrown at them.

    The problem is, any heightened senses are not going to make much difference, and the deaf have the right to drive like anyone else and would fight for that right should it be threatened. I would fight for their right to drive too, and so at the same time I can't also say "but you can't wear headphones" as its a double standard.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    Given your experience, I appreciete your perspective. For me I don't believe it's a double standard, for the reasons mentioned - deaf individuals have no choice in the matter while hearing people do.

    It's a similar argument to driving with a patch over one eye because you lost your eye, versus driving with a patch over one eye because you enjoy cosplaying as a pirate.

    We should all make sensible choices.

    And by the way, thank you for participating in this discussion with civility.

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