iPod Etiquette? (Page 2)

BTW--just b/c BT is a wonderful place of unsolicited advice

Just remember in CA it's law you can only wear one earbud if cycling. Up here in the beach cities the cops can get really picky about cycling tickets; not sure how it is in North County.

I didn't restrict it to cycling.  I've done more than one running race where people are taking up the road with ipods, faster people coming behind saying on your left, and the headphone wearers can't hear them to move over, causing the faster person to go of the trail/road/whatever.....

But other than the safety issue on the run and bike, I guess it's the sense of selfish entitlement - I am going to do what I want regardless of the rules or how it might affect others- that baffles me.  What other rules are you going to ignore?  Might as well draft, makes racing a lot easier.  

FTR, I sometimes (50%) train with an iPod running and occasionally use one on the bike.  I don't race with one

I can assure you I'm not someone in your way.  I have never passed anyone in the bike or run (sadly!).  I am quite good at staying on the right!  I do say good job to everyone as they fly by me! 

All I'm saying is, there are sports where there is greater gain by taking a 'penalty' or a 'foul'.  Some sports we see it as part of the game (most of bball), others we see as cheap play (football facemask penalty resulting in personal foul) , and others are completely inexcusable (doping).  But as to which penalties are seen as part of the game, cheap play, or inexcusable...i think will vary from person to person. 

In the end, just like with everything else, you make a decision, and you deal with it.  If you can justify breaking rules in a sporting event, then that's your decision, and everyone will assume that you're able to deal with the consequences of that decision.

Either way, you're the one living with it. 

I'm not talking about me, but you do know that tris have wave starts, yes?  Plausible and perhaps likely that someone faster than you could be behind you on the run?

Wow, "greater gain by taking a penalty"?  nope.  Selfish, pure and simple.  seriously, my bike will be easier if I draft and take a 2:00 penalty.  Why shouldn't I?  What's the difference? To be consistent, your answer should be that I should draft.

Your posts in this thread go against everything about true "sport"

But the way vasriable time penalties work is that the third time an official sees you with headphones, you get DQed.

smilford - 2008-08-13 9:16 AM Never for the bike. I had a tough enough time yelling on your left to people at captext on the bike and they didn't even have head phones on! Still had to pass on the right several times since people didn't pay attention. If it's not a trail or side walk I can't say I care too much about it on the run. But if it's narrow, we can run into the same passing problem as on the bike. Since we don't always run straight.

I find a great solution for this is to get out of the water faster than everyone else! No one to yell at!

Yes, but after you've faced in many times the mental aspect becomes non-existent; the ipod becomes a tool to help you get through a repetitive task.

Hopefully by the time you do a longer race you'll 'get' it.

There are really 2 different discussions going here: 

1.  Ipod etiquette (wearing it in training vs. wearing it in a race) 

2.  The whole idea of sportsmanship.  Which then could be broken down into 2 further categories:

    a.  Personal issues: taking a penalty, experiencing the race, facing the mental battles

    b.  How rule breaking affects other people’s races. 

So, here’s my final comments:

1.   Etiquette (I agree, ipods are really more a training thing.  What other sports are people getting to listen to music?  I’m not going to deny I personally would much PREFER to wear it than not in the run leg of a tri.  Have I ever?  No.  Would I do it if it meant a DQ?  No.  Would I wear it in the run if the only consequence/result was a 2 min. penalty?  Probably.  B/c for me tris are about having fun and I have so much more fun with it.

2.   Sportsmanship…could be debated forever!

a.    Personal side:  different for everyone and no one should answer/judge what someone chooses when it’s something that only affects them personally.

b.    Rule breaking affecting others races:  I think it’s absolutely valid frustration/inexcusable when someone else’s rule breaking affects your race.  

It's not JUST a 2 minute penalty.  It's 2:00 the first time they see you in the race, 4:00 the second, and a DQ the third.  So, YES, using the iPod DOES mean a DQ. 

I do my run training with an iPod about 50% of the time. I don't think I would ever feel comfortable wearing one on a bike. I NEED one if I happen to be trapped on a treadmill or Stationary bike. I just cant get through the work-out if I don't.

I wear one during my run workouts 'cause most the time I am running the same route over and over. My long run routes tend to be multiples of my short run routes. There is only so much of that I can take. so having a MP3 player really helps.

One thing that has not been touched one, in my younger days I was a big time raver. I loved tech-no (House, Breaks, Trance, Etc) dance music. I still do but now I seldom if ever go to clubs. Wearing a MP3 player to me is an awsome way to experience dance music in a much more positive way. By the time my hour training sesssion is over I have had my fix of dance for the week.

Oh, and I would NEVER want to race with one. Like has been said before it isn't even the rule, I want to experience everything around me come race day.

Figure skating. Gymnastics. Synchronized Swimming. That's all I can think of. 

A sport where athletes wear Ipods during competition - Snowboarding, park and half pipe, not slalom.  You see the pro's adjust there Ipods right before they go in all the time.  The venue usually has music blasting through the sound system and they would rather listen to their own music than the music that the MC wants to play.  + it's easier to hide the wires in your winter jacket and helmet so it doesnt get in the way.  Pro Skateboarders and BMXers dont wear Ipods.  For example, Shaun White wears an Ipod snowboarding the pipe but not Skateboarding

Just saw this thread.  I don't trian with headphones or compete with them.  Helps me prepare mentally for not being able to race with one.

Hijack On - 

Now, don't get me started on people who bike while talking on their cell phone.  I was actually passing a guy in the Escape From Alcatrz Triathlon going up the hill by the Cliff House this year and I heard his cell phone ringing in his back jersey pocket.  I just looked at the guy and said "Are you F'ing kidding me" and kept going.  I couldn't believe it. 

Hijack Off -

Or it is like the old saying: It's not cheating until you get caught .