MP3 players are great. Being able to take and listen to your own music choices can really help you pass the time anywhere. But there are times where you need to pay attention and distractions can put you in harms way. Just like with cell phones, an MP3 player can distract your attention from things going on around you.

When you are in a controlled environment like a work out facility or your own home, there is rarely any problem. If I didn't watch TV or listen to music while I work out, it would be a lot less enjoyable. I have no qualms about being distracted from the exercise and probably would work out less without my distractions.

Any type of travel where you are the passenger is another perfect situation for kicking back and listening to your favorite music or watching a video on your MP3 player. Especially when traveling alone and not being the chatty type who talks to strangers, an MP3 player can really help pass the time.

Waiting in a doctor, dentist, or whomever, is another good place to be distracted. It seems that the wait times are getting longer and longer and anything you can do to pass the time is a good thing. I hate to think of all the time we spend waiting for some kind of an appointment.

Some people work better with a little music in the background. I often have music on in my home office while I work. I'll stop every once in awhile when a song comes on that I like but most of the time it's just in the background. It doesn't distract me from my work and provides a short break every once in while.

But there are situations where there is possible risk, even serious bodily harm, if you aren't paying attention to the things around you. Certain activities are dangerous all by themselves, let alone if you have any distractions. Ask any emergency room doctors about being distracted while doing something that can hurt you.

I cringe when I see a bicycle rider whiz past me on the street with ear buds in and music so loud I can hear it. Getting out on the street with 2-3,000 lb adversaries is enough risk, not paying attention just adds to the risk. But I see it all the time.

Speaking of hearing the music from the bike rider, how loud do you think he has it cranked up for me to hear it inside a care with the windows rolled up? Do you think that can affect someone's hearing over a period of time? Turing the volume up that high is never a good idea no matter how much you like the song.

Even if you are walking down a street or sidewalk, you are around cars that are moving and they can be dangerous. If you have you're MP3 on and cranked up, how would you hear a car horn or oncoming car? Hey, even a bicycle rider can run into to you if both of you are not paying attention. I've seen that happen more than once in my neighborhood.

And although most cars these days have radios, operating any vehicle or equipment while listening with ear buds puts you at a disadvantage. Ear buds have a tendency to wall out any other noise and that increases your risk while driving any type of machinery. If someone is trying to get your attention with noise, like a horn or shouting you are much more likely not to hear it.

MP3 players are great in the right situation. They can help you get through many classic "waiting around times" and even give you something to do in other wise boring activities. But if you are in a situation you need to be paying attention, MP3 players can increase your risk. And watch the volume, don't listen to anything at full volume or you may just hear the sounds of silence later on in life.