Commuting - Unbelievers

No matter how much I learn, no matter what obstacles I overcome in my cycling, I should have learned by now that there are some people that just don't get it. No matter how much I try to explain to them, their faces maintain that puzzled, skeptical, unbelieving look.

"Really, it's not too cold to ride. In fact, I am a bit overheated, right now."

"Rain is not as much of a problem as you might think."

"Fourteen miles is not really that far, on a bicycle."

"Yes, the man on the moon is my cousin."

:eek:

I threw in that last comment because they are more likely to believe it.

Originally posted by Pete Clark
No matter how much I learn, no matter what obstacles I overcome in my cycling, I should have learned by now that there are some people that just don't get it. No matter how much I try to explain to them, their faces maintain that puzzled, skeptical, unbelieving look.

Yes, people tend to "believe" that which backs up and justifies their modus operandi with respect to life and living. If they were to "believe" that bike commuting was a realistic option, they would have to question the need for that oversize SUV that they drive their fat ass around in.

In other words, people use their "beliefs" to justify that which they just don't want to question. Here in the US, we are a nation of lazy fat people. We've simply had it too easy for too many years. And, since we are "rich" with respect to most of the rest of the world, we've gotten away without having to question things like driving a 2 ton vehicle to transport a 200 lb payload a mere 3 miles.

Dave

>>>>"Fourteen miles is not really that far, on a bicycle."<<<

In the winter, I shorten my commute to 1.1 miles and people still think I'm nuts. Our town created huge car-parks so people can use the lightrail (trolley) each day. They are spending $2400 UDS to park at these lots each year which amazes me. We are making new lots for parking each month in town and guess what happens.

1. Crime increases - It's true. A parking lot attracts bad element to the surrounding homes but the city refuses to reduce property taxes even though home values DECREASE.

2. More garbage and vandalism - My neighbors who live next to a lot constantly tell me how they have to clean up all the garbage that flows from it every week Kids start spray painting their names on the lot and before you know it grafitti is everywhere.

Yes, there are a lot of skeptics out there, but to be honest I still believe the bicycle industry contributes to this problem by the way it markets bikes as being either for some kind of ultra-spanky athlete (in the case of road bikes) or some really extreme dude (in the case of MTBs). Nobody seems to consider that you can actually ride without necessarily belonging to one of these two groups.

I remember meeting a guy from one of the bike shops around here (not the one I frequent) a few months back who doubted that I could actually survive my Victorian tour on the bike I was riding. As far as co-workers go, they don't seem to understand how I could get so much enjoyment out of the recent rain we've had. I can't seem to explain to them that after dust storms and bushfire smoke for much of 2002, rain is the most welcome thing in the world!

I don't know if they don't believe.....

or they just don't want to hear that little voice inside that says "why aren't I doing this too?"

Rain? You ride in the RAIN?! As in actually...GETTING DROPS OF WATER ON YOU???!!! Careful, Chris, you might dissolve! :eek:

I'm still trying to figure out what that green stuff I've seen growing around here since the rain started actually is.

:confused:

We had a ice storm/snow storm here in North Texas this past week. Storm is a relative term. Closed all schools and businesses on Tuesday. I jumped on my son's mountain bike and took off for a two hour ride in the stuff. Very few cars and beautiful scenery. Got to work the following day and told my co-workers what I had done and received the "you're crazy", "you should've been on the news" type comments. It is a shame that many of these people have forgotten the feeling of freedom a bicycle afforded them in their youth.

Anyways I had a blast the snow/ice was easy to ride in and the air was brisk, but I'm ready for Spring.

Don

Crucify the insincere tonight.........Smashing Pumkins (Tonite, Tonite) :D :crash:

MoonBear -

I live in Houston but spent Tuesday Night - Friday in Dallas. Though I generally consider myself a roadie, I was really wishing I had my MTB up there with me. I would have loved to hit the roads a bit.

I was in OKC on Monday and Tuesday and got some snow and was rather shocked when I got to love field and got into my rental car....Fun to drive in eh?

Originally posted by pcsanity1
I was in OKC on Monday and Tuesday and got some snow and was rather shocked when I got to love field and got into my rental car....Fun to drive in eh?
Not around here! I grew up and learned to drive in snow country and I lived in Iceland for three years, including the winter of 82 or 83 which was supposed to be the worst they'd had in years. I've never had a problem driving on snow and ice. Since moving to Texas I don't set foot out the door when it snows. There are just too many darn fools around here who think having an SUV means you can drive 65 on glare ice, and everybody else thinks you should slow down to 20 because there might be a patch of ice on the bridge five miles ahead :mad:

I left work early Monday for my 40+ mile commute. It was just starting to slick-up from the West side of Ft. Worth on westward, and I must have seen at least a half-dozen near catastrophes in that 25 miles. Half the folks were driving ridiculously slow even though the right two lanes were clear except for on bridges, and the other half were speeding along in their SUVs and pick-em-ups oblivious to the fact that the left lane was icing up faster than the rest of the road. It was an "interesting" commute. My son-in-law had to pick his boss up at DFW and take him to Granbury. The return trip took him six hours (it's about 50 miles).

John

I've been riding year 'round to work for 18 years with much of the same staff and I still get, "Did you ride your bike into work today?"

How long does it take some people to learn that some of us have habits?

:confused:

Originally posted by closetbiker
I've been riding year 'round to work for 18 years with much of the same staff and I still get, "Did you ride your bike into work today?"

Please don't tell me this is what I have to look forward to!

:lol:

Oh yea, and they ALWAYS say (about my same booties that I've been wearing for 14 years), "What are those? They sure look like funny shoes!"

You have had the same booties for 14 years? I need to buy those.. my perl izumi's show significant wear after only one season. I have had to stitch them up twice this winter already.

They were made by a local guy and were expensive but turned out to be well worth the money!

I did, however, have to sew on 3 bottoms as well as 2 extra zippers and some velcro on the backs. I used some gunk I got at a fishing supply store to fill in some cuts in the neoprene. I also did have a second pair that I would wear sometimes but those wore out quickly.

I finally retired them last winter.