"I frequently see pedestrians plugged into a squawk box while walking along narrow rural roads. "
Somewhat different problem Iains
Listening to music does not impair your ability to walk and, as any sensible walker knows, you should face the traffic and rely on your vision, not your hearing when road walking
You might as well address your question to people with hearing problems.
Any careless act committed by anybody gives no right to motorists to do anything other than obey the rules of the road.
I ha'e ma doots about the sanity of those are unable to go through life without the accompaniment of ethereal voices in their ear, but that's something else altogether.
I don't believe it is a question of "Hive Minds" T
It's alwas an aggressively thoughtless minority who spoil it for the few.
The worrying point is when people start justifying the minority by pointing at the minority of motorists who do stupid things
Two idiots don't make a genius
Jim Carroll