Radios for Commuters: FM? Shortwave? Scanners?

are you planning to have your mobile fax and cell phone plugged in, too? i wouldn't wish your driving anywhere close to the route by which i commute. headphones in any car are a stupid idea. just as they are on bicycles or any other vehicle expected to make way for emergency vehicles.

CFB

great to hear from you and thanks for your concern. (And dont worry, my next thread will not be asking to hook up an X-Box fax machine and satellite TV.)

The subject of safety with headphones has been hotly debated in another one of my recent threads.

In this case, I am commuting on a motorcycle which presents a different set of issues. The "headphones" in question are custom designed , silicone ear pieces which then go over etymotics headphones.

Like ear plugs, they reduce ambient noise to a non hearing damaging level, but can then accept an input - in this case, beeps from a radar detector, and possibly the radio in question.

As long as it is not too loud, I feel that my awareness of my surroundings is not terribly compromised.

With nothing in my ears, the mere wind and engine noise from the bike are almost as loud as my geeked out setup, but it is a totally different kind of noise with the added problem of causing fatigue and discomfort which is also potentially unsafe.

So not trying to do anything stupid and would still appreciate any advice on portable radios.

Best wishes

cwlondon

It is not only the noise/or sound, it is the fact that you would be concentrating on the content, and not the driving. That is why cell phones are being banned, not because they are difficult to operate, but because people become distracted even with hands free operations.

That being said, many radios come with a weather band, but, these broadcasts have a lot more detail than you probably need. Otherwise, why not a cheap am/fm; you can most always find traffic reports every 10 min.