I hope Rachel doesn't read this, there isn't much encouragement.

she seems happy enough

If you are at all interested, any job where there is a safety aspect involved on the railways you have to have a hearing test, a very stringent one which includes being able to detect frequencies at different amplitudes.

Also the wearing of anything which would  impair your hearing, eg walkman/ipod is not allowed

Without this you are not allowed to work in a safety critical job.

Mike the ability to dtect things coming or going [moving objects whilst moving] must have something to do with the Doppler effect.

I think it's funny that the BBC label Rachel as 'Shropshires DH mountain bike Champion'.

S'funny, I thought she was World Champion...

IMO wearing ear/headphones while doing anything means that you are not able to fully concentrating - and this comes from the experience of the best part of 25 years riding motorbikes and a lot of time commuting.

When my iPod unit wasn't working in the car I found that while I could just put the earphones on, they meant that again I couldn't fully concentrate.

Not sure why, but I'm pretty sure somebody has done a study on it.

I may be talking utter rubbish but isn't it illegal to drive a car with earphones in?  One is ok for hands free phone kits but both is a no-no?

I agree with the concentration thing. I can work when i have music playing through speakers, but if its coming through in ear headphones, then find it difficult to concentrate.

I wear headphones while running, as i really dont wont to concentrate. I would rather just let my mind drift so that i dont notice how much it hurts. Yes its more dangerous in traffic, but i try and pay extra attention to use my eyes to compensate.  Never wear headphones on the bike. but thats because if i am on my bike i am on my way to/ or in the hills and find i dont want to be distracted while mountain biking. the sounds are all part of the experience.

Maybe Rachel considered that the proven training advantage that comes from listening to music  while riding, was worth the slight extra risk from traffic. As a professional mountain biker, you have to understand her decision.

Not sure why, but I'm pretty sure somebody has done a study on it.

We are hunters, our ears and eyes face forward they act in conjunction with each other to form a ridiculously complicated visual map, record makers record in stereo because they can create a visual map of an orchestra 'the sound stage' on better equipment you can literally hear the exact placement of the triangle in relation to the strings.

Also think of some other amazing things for instance, like proprioception where you know where your extremities are or the ability to catch a moving cricket ball as you're running towards it.

To take one of our critical senses away in a situation which requires them is, in my eyes; retarded.

'Atherton was listening to music and had her head down just before the crash, and there's speculation that she may have been on the wrong side of the road.'

well if thats anything to go by, i dunno how anyone other than atherton can have the majority of the blame attributed to them...

music, head down, possibly wrong side of the road...

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

No music on the road for me, in this day and age you need all your senses working over time if your not going to get hurt.

Btw was I the only one to spot Dyl's bit of irony on page 2, I quote

"Logic is on my side sorry!"

Well excuse me but that would be a first ! My gut instinct had me checking it was not the 1st April but was not so I can only assume it was written tongue in cheek.

Any way back the proper thread, I wish Rachel a speedy and full recovery, hopefully she will be a bit wiser once she back in the saddle because she is one extremely lucky girl to have come away with minor injuries.

John Gourette wrote (see)

Very good XCman.