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On the Ice => Sitting on the Boards Rink Side => Topic started by: jjane45 on July 22, 2012, 09:13:22 AM

Title: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: jjane45 on July 22, 2012, 09:13:22 AM
Some rinks explicitly ban earplugs and some don't, I've seen public skaters with ears completely covered in large headphones and freestyle skaters with one earplug, although not frequently. Some coaches also choreograph for students by carrying a portable music player around on speakerphone.

There are times when skaters need to practice with music but cannot play them as much over the rink sound system due to rules limitations or capacity issues. I'm sure playing the metronome thru rink speakers for more than a minute would annoy a ton of people, based on the power circle music track comments.

I certainly don't feel comfortable to skate with an earplug on ice with more than 5 people, even with extra low volume and lots of caution, it's just too dangerous. When I practice dance or moves with a metronome (cellphone with speakerphone on), I also feel guilty for being a major noise source moving around - for me to consistently hear the metronome sound, everyone within five feet is forced to hear it too.

What is your take on people skating with portable sound sources? Is there a good solution?
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Sk8tmum on July 22, 2012, 09:31:39 AM
Absolutely not allowed on any rinks in our region; it is a safety issue.  Skaters will earphones on cannot hear other skaters; if they're loud enough, they can't hear rink patrols or rink "emergency" announcements; and it does tend to 'distracted' skaters.  We won't discuss texting while skating :) also a huge no-no.

I know you guys have different setups as you do freestyle/dance etc on public ice.  We don't allow figure skating of any sort on public ice, figure skaters use private or figure only ice with music systems available.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Query on July 22, 2012, 09:54:49 AM
It's very common at my rinks.

Not just for skating music. Lots of them skate during cell phone conversations. Sometimes video conversations.

Wee!
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: AgnesNitt on July 22, 2012, 10:21:06 AM
It's 'verboten' at all the rinks I've skated at.

But on public none of the rink guards enforce it for the (always) adult men in hockey skates who have ear plugs in. I don't remember seeing it in kids, since they're there to socialize.

Freestyle? I've seen it a few times, but it's rare.

Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: icedancer on July 22, 2012, 12:00:36 PM
My rink allows it but they prefer for you to just have one earplug in.  I have been using my ipod to work on my dances during public sessions lately.  I do miss the rinks where you can play your own dance music.

The rink just got a new sound system which is GREAT but sometimes they play it too loud and so I only use the ipod to work on my dances.  I find that if I'm listening to something that I like skating to in general the rink sound-system noise is too powerful and I find it totally distracting.

Just for dance practice then.
 :)
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: VAsk8r on July 22, 2012, 06:22:25 PM
It's not allowed at my rinks, but the rule isn't enforced. I've only seen a couple of cases where the guilty party was a figure skater practicing a program, but what I see more commonly is a coach following a skater around with an ipod or CD player so the skater can hear the music.

Like a lot of rules, this is probably one that exists because many people on a public session lack the common sense or courtesy to realize how dangerous it can be. Most of the people I see with headphones on are also skating very fast, and they just seem to be completely in their own world, oblivious to how their behavior affects other. Your sense of hearing tells you a lot about your environment; lose it, and you're not going to be as aware.

Of course, at my home rink, the music on publics is sometimes so loud you can't hear anything anyway  >:(.

I think a dancer listening to a metronome low enough that you can hear what's around you is perfectly fine. I'd be more concerned about what happens if a little kid going every which way gets right in front of you, or one of the super-fast people cutting you off.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: AgnesNitt on July 22, 2012, 08:09:17 PM
On freestyle if they're not playing music, I can tuck my iphone in my bra and can hear the music from the internal speaker well enough to practice dances to.

I'm not one of the in-crowd, so I don't ever ask them to turn off the non-program classic russian background music. (due to scary russian coaches, who have been perfectly nice to me, but really chew the life out of their skaters, I just pretend they're not there. They just pretend I'm a butterfly they can crush with one glance from their laser eyes).

I hate to put my music on the machine
a. can never find the belt since some kid still has one on from her program and another kid has the OTHER one on so she can run through her program--I am so going to the dollar store and getting a  construction workers vest. I hate the fact that the rink has two belts. I can't tell who's in program, both kids are just skating around waving their arms, doing dramatic poses, and jumping.
b. When I do put my music on the machine, I can't hit the beat. It's embarassing.

Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: jjane45 on July 22, 2012, 08:20:10 PM
b. When I do put my music on the machine, I can't hit the beat. It's embarrassing.

 :'( :'( :'(

On freestyle if they're not playing music, I can tuck my iphone in my bra and can hear the music from the internal speaker well enough to practice dances to.

Keeping phone in the pocket is probably distracting others, and um I do not have the luxury of yours. Really need to play the metronome to work on dance, maybe I could attach the earplug near my neck but not inside the ear.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: aussieskater on July 22, 2012, 08:50:58 PM
jjane, I wouldn't be too concerned about being a "major moving noise source" - a metronome makes less noise than a coach carrying a boombox following a skater around, and you're moving all the time.

I use a clip-on metronome & clip it on my collar/neckline near my ear.  Works a treat.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Seiko-DM-50-Clip-Style-Metronome-/140723371259?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20c3c43cfb (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Seiko-DM-50-Clip-Style-Metronome-/140723371259?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20c3c43cfb)

Mind you, I have had a couple of puzzled looks as I've skated past and people have heard the "BEEP beep beep beep"...  Once they realise what it is, the response has invariably been "What a great idea."  (They don't want to listen to 142 iterations of the 14step music any more than I do!!!)

Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: jjane45 on July 22, 2012, 09:28:16 PM
Clipping an ear plug to neckline I could still hear the dance music to some extent, will give it a try next time. :) Or maybe an armband for my phone, so it could be heard at a lower volume compared to pocket position.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: sk8lady on July 23, 2012, 08:55:43 AM
I routinely wear an ipod with both earbuds in at our 2 closest rinks. If the music is at a reasonable level, you can hear people coming. I also pay attention to others. I only do dances and my programs to the music and I have virtually never had an accident, or even close call, when wearing earbuds. However, I HAVE had to avoid lots of people NOT wearing earbuds who are irresponsible and/or oblivious to others. The 2 worst collisions I have had involved either teenagers or hockey dads who were not paying the slightest attention to anyone but themselves. If you are a responsible person, there is no danger.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Skittl1321 on July 23, 2012, 09:12:03 AM
Our rink it is very normal for skaters to wear ipods.  Most wear both earphones.  I haven't seen any collisions due to this- the clueless little girl on Wed though ran into THREE people.  I don't think she ever looked where she was going, not earphones involved.

The freestyle skaters tend to hold their ipods (it is really hard to spin with something in your pocket) while doing walk-throughs, I don't think I've seen anyone do more than an axel holding them, no doubles.  The dancers seem to put them in pockets.

We are a pretty easy going rink as far as playing your music though.  So it isn't too tough to get something on overhead to practice to.  One coach does follow his skaters with a boombox.  He is pretty well known for playing the same music 5+ times on a session over the speakers, so I think that he decided maybe it wasn't the best idea to do more than that.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: turnip on July 25, 2012, 08:11:46 AM
Its becoming increasingly common at my rink. I don't like it, cause you can't hear other people coming near you if you have headphones in. In my lesson once I had to stop a spiral pattern because someone got in the way with headphones in and therefore couldn't hear my coach calling "excuse me!"

Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: MadMac on July 25, 2012, 08:47:08 AM
Does anyone else share my issue with earphones?  If I put them in both ears it throws my balance off. Also can make my spacial awareness funny. Makes me feel like I'm under water. I really depend on my ears for much more than hearing!
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: hopskipjump on July 25, 2012, 12:24:40 PM
Earplugs are not permitted at our rinks.  It is a hazard.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: icedancer on July 25, 2012, 04:44:05 PM
Does anyone else share my issue with earphones?  If I put them in both ears it throws my balance off. Also can make my spacial awareness funny. Makes me feel like I'm under water. I really depend on my ears for much more than hearing!

I also have this problem and don't put both ear buds in ever - and I only use it for dance as I find it too annoying to enjoy general skating practice with earphones.  I would rather just get the people at the rink to put on some "decent skating music"  :D !!!
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Orianna2000 on July 27, 2012, 07:10:13 PM
I would never try listening to music while I skate, not unless the rink was totally deserted. I have trouble hearing if I just wear a winter headband. The sounds get muffled and I can't hear approaching skaters, or my coach talking to me, or anything. So blocking my ears completely would definitely not work. I do see others at our rink skating with headphones or earbuds, though. I've noticed it during Freestyle and public sessions, both. Of course, I've also seen public sessions with people who are texting or chatting on their cellphones and I seriously want to yell at them for creating a dangerous situation.   >:(
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: jjane45 on July 30, 2012, 06:01:43 PM
What do skaters/coaches do when they choreograph? Normally it's not a good idea to play the same music 10+ times in one session... unless you visualize it perfectly?
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: techskater on July 30, 2012, 06:10:05 PM
We've had the docking station on the boards and work near the boards for the first part then play overhead and do it where it's supposed to be.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Sierra on July 31, 2012, 06:03:00 PM
What do skaters/coaches do when they choreograph? Normally it's not a good idea to play the same music 10+ times in one session... unless you visualize it perfectly?
My coach takes home the music and works out a rough outline of a program for it. Then she'll teach me the choreography. We only play the music maybe twice.
I've never seen anyone at my rink use earphones or carry around boomboxes for program music.

When our highest level girl brought in a choreographer, he had the music playing on repeat. For the entire. hour. long. session.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: hopskipjump on July 31, 2012, 07:00:54 PM
What do skaters/coaches do when they choreograph? Normally it's not a good idea to play the same music 10+ times in one session... unless you visualize it perfectly?

My daughter's coach will break it down into parts.  Then once she gets the idea of that part they play the music - just the part she is learning.  She might play it twice in a session.  More than 2xs in a session is considered rude if there are other skaters practicing.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Sk8tmum on July 31, 2012, 09:44:22 PM
Well, choreography generally take several hours - it's spread out over a few weeks - and yes, the music "chunks" get played over more than once.  But, it's done with courtesy, and everyone cooperates to be sure that everyone's music gets played - and, as most/all of the skaters have a choreographer, it's just understood that during "choreography" season, that's the way it's done. 

We have had choreos on rare occasion bring in boomboxes. Very much frowned upon, as it's highly distracting to the other skaters, confuses right of way too as have a strict "skater in a lesson with music" priority on our ice.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: skatingmum2 on August 01, 2012, 04:28:25 PM
My daughter currently has bilateral ear infections (the doc thought her right ear drum looked about to pop so started quite high dose antibiotics). She hates the deaf and off balance feeling - apparantly worst with camel spins and layback spins when her head is tilted. Couldn't imagine her wanting to replicate the feeling using earphones.

 
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Query on August 03, 2012, 12:44:34 AM
My daughter currently has bilateral ear infections (the doc thought her right ear drum looked about to pop so started quite high dose antibiotics). She hates the deaf and off balance feeling - apparantly worst with camel spins and layback spins when her head is tilted. Couldn't imagine her wanting to replicate the feeling using earphones.

I bet the off-balance feeling isn't common - otherwise ear buds wouldn't be so popular.

I had some ear infections before I learned ways to clean out ear wax, using fingers, ear drops, and warm water bulbs. My ear canals are too narrow for my thumb (which they usually say is all you should use) to be effective.

It's good you are seeing a doc - ear problems are often permanent, so this is one thing where it is really worth seeking really good professional advice, quickly.

Probably didn't help with my ear infections that I was into water sports, in dirty river water. Sometimes cold water, which might have made it worse - there is a syndrome caused by immersion in cold water, called "kayaker's ear" or "surfer's ear", involving an ear bone growth that narrows or blocks the ear canal. So if your daughter is into non-sterile water sports too, you might ask the doc whether she shows any signs of it. (I don't count skating, because I've never seen ice get into the ears.)
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: AgnesNitt on July 22, 2017, 11:00:26 PM
So bumping.

This has changed at my rink at the unofficial level. One earplug in--okay.

The only ones who skate with both plugs in are high school boys and a few grown men.

I've never, not once, seen a woman with both plugs in.

I never use my earplugs except on the rare occasion the music on public isn't playing.

Reason? The rink upgraded the speakers so the sound is loud from some 8-12 speakers around the rink. You cannot get away from it at all. Why bother with headphones.

(Also music is thumpa thumpa--with some occasional melody--Thank you autotune)
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: lutefisk on July 23, 2017, 10:06:07 AM
My ice dance coach has a little Mifa F20 bluetooth speaker which she places on one of my arms and pairs to the music on her smart phone.  The volume is set such that we can clearly hear the  music, when skating partnered, and not be unaware of our surroundings.  Works well even when we're separated (when I'm demonstrating something solo for her so she can see my legs, etc.).  Check it out:  http://www.mifa.net/en/product-id-48.html
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Isk8NYC on July 23, 2017, 12:33:35 PM
I have a Bluetooth cube speaker that I use at the rink.  This is a good suggestion, thanks.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Doubletoe on July 27, 2017, 01:32:27 PM
I think it's acceptable to have an earphone in ONE ear so that you can still hear what's going on around you.  Having said that, it's not always the lack of hearing that's the problem.  Often, the skater's determination to skate to his/her music results in less willingness to yield to other skaters and this creates a dangerous environment.  When the skater's program music is playing on the rink speakers, everyone is expected to yield to the skater, but that's not the case when the skater is the only one hearing his/her music. 
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Christy on July 27, 2017, 09:18:14 PM
Headphones, ear buds, etc. aren't allowed at our rink but every so often you get a newbie who wears them despite the fact that the rules of the session clearly state they aren't allowed.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: dlbritton on July 27, 2017, 09:25:41 PM
My rink has signs stating use of cell phones and iPods on the ice is not permitted but I see several teen/adult skaters with 2 ear buds in obviously skating to their program music.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Christy on July 28, 2017, 03:04:57 PM
At ours one lady was trying to hide them as much as possible, then claimed she didn't know the rules. Might have believed her if they had been more obvious......  :-X
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Query on July 29, 2017, 07:55:19 AM
At ours one lady was trying to hide them as much as possible, then claimed she didn't know the rules. Might have believed her if they had been more obvious......  :-X

I used to skate at one rink where normal very light earphones, of the type that were common with MP3 players (this was some time ago) were allowed, but a rink guard  complained when I wore full size "studio-type" headphones, that covered the ears, to a public session. Perhaps because full size headphones would block out more of the sound? And perhaps it was the rink guard's own rule.

At most of the rinks where I currently skate, people wear small headphones, including ear plug phones, pretty often, during public sessions. But some area rinks, like Capital Clubhouse, do have rules. I don't skate freestyle and dance sessions any more, but I think that is true those places there too.

In the U.S., in general, rinks can make their own rules, and many rinks allow the rink guards some leeway to make rules for safety. AFAIK, there are no insurance, on earphones and headphones from USFSA or ISI, and even if there were, many rinks use other insurance. And AFAIK, there are no federal or state laws. So it should be expected to vary vary rink-to-rink.

But it is hard for me to imagine serious skaters at freestyle and dance sessions desiring a rule that didn't let them hear their own music, so I am guessing that in areas with many skating rinks for skaters to choose from, most rinks will allow them. However, "program dance" sessions, where pattern dance music is played, and where people skating that dance have right of way, and are sometimes not expected to look out for skaters dancing other patterns, might well be different.

At most rinks I have skated at, it is much more likely that someone would complain if you played something with a speaker, like a boom box, so that other people could easily hear what you were playing!
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Query on July 29, 2017, 08:35:25 AM
BTW, as a rink guard, I can be quite concerned when someone skates while talking or texting on a phone, or taking pictures. It is usually the beginners, who are having staying upright, who are most likely to do it.  I feel that to be a major safety issue, very much akin to texting while driving. When it is obvious they aren't paying attention where they are going, I sometimes say something.

Even a lot of the beginning level parents, on the verge of falling down, take pictures of their kids while the parents are still skating, apparently oblivious to the danger, and to the behavior model they are setting for their kids..

Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: AgnesNitt on July 29, 2017, 04:58:02 PM

Even a lot of the beginning level parents, on the verge of falling down, take pictures of their kids while the parents are still skating, apparently oblivious to the danger, and to the behavior model they are setting for their kids..

I volunteer to take pictures for them with their own phone. Usually I couch it as "would you like me to take a picture of the two of you together for you?"

Anyway, most people are delighted,  and that's the end of that, the kid gets to go back to skating and the parent puts the phone away.

I also do this for parents blocking the gate.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Nate on August 05, 2017, 01:16:59 PM
I wear my earphones all the time. I even do my jumps with them, when I'm not annoyed by the pull when rotating. Single and doubles. Spins too.

It's The only time I can run a program without feeling like a magnet. Otherwise it's like everyone has something to do when your music starts.

And I like working on choreography. I can do it for 90 minutes with my iPod or iPhone. That's not possible otherwise (you know how volatile our mental playback speeds can be).
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: sk8lady on September 24, 2017, 09:14:18 AM
Several of us at my rink use earbuds virtually any time we use music. When working on a program, I often work the same section repeatedly to match it to the music. No one wants to hear that, and I'm cautious about watching for others and keeping the sound low enough to be able to hear others approaching. All the close calls I've had have been when I was NOT using earbuds!

For ice dance, I also have a Korg in-ear metronome. It's tiny and I can hear it even if it's at an extremely low volume.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: Ristique on October 26, 2017, 10:00:17 AM
I used to wear Bragi wireless earphones but they're noise-cancelling and wearing only one side became annoying after awhile so I switched to normal Bose earphones. I usually wear both sides and have the volume up quite high but I've never had a problem. When I'm at a busy public skate though I will usually wear only 1 side. Sometimes I wear aftershokz bone conduction headphones.

I have seen all kinds at my rink, and most skaters wear earphones that I can see.
- hockey skaters usually wear headphones / both sides of earphones. I assume they worry less about people bumping into them because of how fast they usually go?
- 1 hockey skate girl almost always wears wireless headphones and does single jumps (I have no idea how they don't fly off her head)
- freestyle skaters also wear earphones/headphones but if you can see if they're working on something new then they usually only wear 1 side
- high level figure skaters usually wear normal wired earphones (both sides). There's a guy who does double jumps with them in but usually he gets annoyed by the wires after awhile and takes them out until he's done with jumps

I don't usually see any random public skaters wearing any but there are plenty that have their phones out taking videos/pictures and surprisingly facetiming (i've actually seen quite a few do this). Usually these are people who are holding onto the boards so the rink guards don't seem to bother with them so much.

All in all I haven't seen anyone been told off for this but then again I do know that the rink guards usually keep an eye on skaters who wear them (if they don't know them already) to see if they know what they're doing or not. I assume if it was a beginner wearing earphones they might tell them not to.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: FigureSpins on October 26, 2017, 10:29:29 AM
I recently acquired a bluetooth speaker from iSound called the "Popdrop."  It was $15 at Home Depot and has a wrist strap so you can hold it.  It's perfect for mapping out programs with a skater.  When I skate for myself, I always wear headphones but often without plugging them into anything - the public session music is pretty loud, so I use them as earplugs to dampen the volume.
Title: Re: earplug danger or speakerphone annoyance?
Post by: lutefisk on October 26, 2017, 02:47:15 PM
Quote
For ice dance, I also have a Korg in-ear metronome. It's tiny and I can hear it even if it's at an extremely low volume.

How do you like the Korg?  I went to their website and it looks like a useful gizmo for practicing pattern dances to the correct number of BPM.  I saw a photo on the website with the Korg clip to the front of what appeared to be a polo shirt.  Is it loud enough to hear the beats when not clipped to the ear?