Worried About Loud Traffic: Does Covering My Ears with My Fingers Protect My Hearing?

[katekat]

I live in a really loud city. Sometimes I don't have my earplugs in because I forget, or because I'm new to bike riding and want to make sure I can hear properly. But there are some insanely loud car engines that blast by, along with motorcyclists whose bikes are unbelievably noisy. It really startles me when I hear them, and I always worry that it's going to damage my hearing.

Every time one zooms past, I cover my ears with my fingers. I press my tragus down so it forms a seal. Does anyone know if that actually helps? I couldn't find any clear information about it online.

 

[Jammer]

I stick my fingers in my ears. It works well for me during an acoustic emergency.

 

[Regis]

Hi @katekat, you can try a small experiment like I did. Play some music at around 35–40 dB, then put your fingers in your ears, followed by earplugs, and finally earmuffs if you have them. You will notice the difference. In my case, I could barely hear the music with my fingers in my ears or while wearing earmuffs (Peltor X5A), but I could still hear it quite clearly with my 19 dB earplugs. Since then, when I hear an ambulance or motorcycle approaching, I prefer to briefly put my fingers in my ears rather than rely only on earplugs.

By the way, you might consider using earplugs designed specifically for biking in the city, as they are made to reduce engine noise:

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