Earlier this week, Dansk Folkepari (DF) got rejected and ridiculed for their proposal to prohibit cyclists from listening to music while cycling. Saying that headphones are a danger to traffic, DF sent out a press release stating that listening to music while wearing headphones affects cyclists’ senses and concentration. Apparently, the idea came from a TV2 documentary programme – who said TV cannot inspire change?
Kim Christiansen, DF’s traffic spokesperson, explained the dangers of headphone use in the release.
“The idea for the ban occurred thanks to TV2’s broadcast of 'Station 2', which described the dangers of cycling when listening to such loud music that you cannot hear what is going on in traffic.”
Every other political party in Denmark must have missed TV2’s documentary, as DF’s proposal was unanimously and unequivocally rejected. Rasmus Prehn, the traffic spokesman for Socialdemokraterne, told Politiken newspaper that the proposal was a step towards prohibition and called it a foolish idea, while Jeppe Mikkelsen (Radikale) said that the proposal would result in a waste of police resources. Karsten Nonbo of Venstre seemed to sum up the consensus reaction to the proposal when he told Politiken: "It's a no. A clear no.”
Christiansen later told Politiken that the proposal was misrepresented, and attempted to clarify that a ban on headphones was meant as a last resource in case education campaigns proved unsuccessful. When asked if the proposal was in fact, a mistake, Christiansen explained that it was simply phrased incorrectly.
"No, it is not wrong, because [the ban] may be necessary if education does not help. But we've just phrased it a little wrong there. It should have read 'can be necessary’,” he said.
