There's a great article in today's NYT about a proposed bill that would fine pedestrians, runners included, for wearing headphones when crossing the street. Say what you will about government interference in individuals' inalienable rights to harm themselves, this legislation is overdue.
Let me emphasize how colossally stupid it is to run with headphones. For what should be obvious reasons it's dumb in cities where you need all your senses to contend with the other bodies-in-motion, like cars and bikes, that all vie for limited street space. You have a better chance of not getting hit by a texting driver you cannot see if you can hear him. It is especially important to listen when crossing intersections. Traffic dangers are outside your peripheral vision. An example of these dangers would be a car making a right turn at a stop sign. The driver is probably looking left (at the oncoming traffic) rather than right, where you are. So careful.
Even on designated trails, like in Central Park or along the lakefront in Chicago, wearing headphones is dumb. Biker-runner collisions happen all the time because some runner and some ten-cent Lance Armstrong, equally absorbed in their music, aren't paying attention.
Runners also have to watch out for other runners. I can't say how many times I've come up on a runner who's listening to headphones screaming "ON YOUR LEFT...ON YOUR LEFT..." only to startle them as I pass.
Listen for cars, everyone! You need to be aware when you run, and music is a distraction. Stay away from the headphones. If you find running so boring that you need headphones to get through a half hour of it without your favorite adult contemporary mix, just give it up.
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