How not to be a jerk listening to music on a ride
If you enjoy driving to music, get this: research shows that listening to your favorite tunes makes you ride happier, harder, and faster. Music in a car is proven to reduce perceived exertion, boost your energy levels, and improve your endurance by a quarter. There've been many discourses on this, and most of them boil down one simple truth:
‘Music is a legal drug for drivers’
However, if you have 'Highway To Hell' blasting out so high you can't hear a damn thing, especially other cars approaching behind you, or trying to pass you, it can ruin your ride - and somebody else - in the blink of an eye.
Here's how to stay safe & sound on the road and be not be a jerk while rocking out.
Use only one earbud
Use one earbud. It's not a big deal which ensures you're gonna hear traffic and your general surroundings. Drive with just one bud to reconcile listening to that new hot track you heard the other day and safe driving. You don’t want to be caught by unawares by a pack of mongrels, a deer, or vehicles, which can appear in even remote settings. If you’re a hopeless audiophile, you can use VOX Music Player and adjust the audio setting to mix stereo channels into one bud so that you don't miss a thing.
Follow the 60/60 rule
Blasting music, even in only one ear, can be rather distracting and even harmful to your hearing. If passers-by can hear Skrillex screaming from your ears, it’s too much. Most headphones' max volume is around 100 dB. Healthy talking is between 40 and 60 decibels. It's recommended to keep the volume on your player to 60 percent and limit it to about 60 minutes a day. Going longer? Just turn it down a bit.
Obey the law
No matter how much you love your top-death-metal-songs compilation, make sure you don't exceed speed limits or cut other drivers off and use turn signals (they were designed for a purpose). Follow the common sense and enjoy the vibes in a car.
Pluck headphones when not alone
By definition, when you're with your friends (workmates/relatives), you have a chance to communicate. Wearing buds, even one, is a bit unfriendly in such circumstances. Leave them at home and enjoy the sights, sounds, and conversations of the ride. And most of all, music.
