A new study into mobile phone use by bike riders has reassuringly found that using a phone hands-free via headphones does not pose risks even when other distractions or cognitive tasks intrude.
Most jurisdictions now ban having a phone in your hand while riding because of the potential of compromised decision making and control of the bike.
Phones mounted on the handlebars or snuggled in a pocket, together with headphones, are generally accepted.
But concerns have remained about whether a rider's abilities could still be negatively impacted when undertaking more complex tasks when on the bike in traffic.
Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark and the Technical University of Brunswick, Germany, conducted experiments on a simulator where bike riders (using a phone) on different kinds of paths undertook various tasks such as passing other riders, evading pedestrians or obstacles, and stopping at lights.
In none of the situations where the level of concentration might have been challenged by the secondary tasks was any effect recorded.
Interestingly, the riders reported an increased level of subjective distraction, but there was no effect on their functioning.
The researchers indicate that visual-motor tasks, such as looking at and touching your phone while riding, can result in unsafe behaviours. But cognitive tasks that involve the senses, thinking and actions do not.
They say that "the focus of prevention and legal measures against distraction while cycling should be on secondary tasks involving visual-manual distraction".
Texting with your fingers is definitely out.
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