gerv 

So I went to lunch today with a group of colleagues who work at other locations. A couple of them were newer employees I hadn't met before.

The discussion rolled around to one other employee who didn't show up for the lunch because she didn't have a car and apparently wasn't inclined to get one.

"You can't live without a car here", one of them said.

"Why not? Can't she walk?" I asked.

She lives about a mile or so from work, I was told.

Me: "Well, that's pretty close and, if that's too far, she can't bike."

One of the ladies mentioned she was downtown one day in January and saw a guy riding his bike and she thought he was nuts.



After nearly choking on my lunch at this point, I managed to point out that I ride a bike and have for about 5 years and I'm not nuts.... yada, yada, yada.

Anyway, the conversation started to go downhill from there.

I used to be pretty good about biting my tongue, but lately I just can't. So I was a long way into my story about cycling for transport before I realized I was talking to blank faces.

Do any of you get into these conversations? How do you manage to avoid them? Will be ignorant ever be informed?

Platy

Another car free employee at your company? That's progress!

dynodonn 

Gerv, I don't even mention the fact that I ride a bike on a regular basis, and it's someone else who brings it up. I find it rather humorous when someone remarks on how they feel cyclists are foolish, and then for them to find out later on from someone else that a cyclist was in their midst.

Robert Foster

I find it only takes a look to tell if it is worth talking about in any group. I will not broach the subject unless they ask and then drop it as soon as I see they aren’t one bit interested in why I ride.

dynodonn 

I won't even go that far, and only answer their questions if asked. I've been able to show my co-workers that I'm able to get to work every day, early. It's the co-workers who have to drive only 4 to 7 blocks are the ones who have difficulty getting to work on time on numerous occasions.

ro-monster

Wait, what? People actually drive 4 blocks? Why would you even do that?

mondaycurse

Today I got a call from work to come in early.
"Billie isn't going to be able to come to work today. Her car wasn't starting earlier."
"Okay, I can come in, but doesn't Billie live 4 blocks from the mall (where I work)?"
"Yeah, but it's not like it will roll downhill to the parking lot. Plus it's snowing"
Oh if she could have seen my facepalm.

Also, I didn't see the post right above me. Yes, people drive 4 blocks. I've literally seen someone drive from 2 houses left from me drive around the block to park on the other side of the street 3 houses to my right. The distance must be under 120 feet. The most baffling part is how he spent the time to drive in a big circle around the block just to park on the other side of the street, saving him an entire 20 ft of walking.
I also see people drive around parking lots for 5-10 minutes to get a good spot.

dynodonn 

Yep, four times a day, he also goes home for lunch.

Jim from Boston

I tend to bring up cycling pretty readily when I meet someone new. Usually I ask where they live, with the comment I cycle so much around Boston, that I probably have gone by their house. I find most people like to talk about riding and are interested in my commute, or at least chat about their neighborhood.

I don’t broach cycling conversations as an advocate, or to intentionally boast, but it’s a good conversation starter. Often when I meet that person later, they may not remember my name, but as the “bicyclist.”

Artkansas 

LOL,

I used to work as one of a team of four animators. Two of the animators lived within a mile of work. The other two commuted from over nine miles away. As it happened, the animators who lived close by, both drove cars, the animators who lived far away commuted by bike.

Our boss was a weekend cyclist, but had expressed apprehension several times about bicycling being a proper way to get to work. That was until one morning he came around and discovered that my car-driving office mate had not shown up for work. He checked the other two animators and discovered that the other cyclist's office mate had not arrived either.

My boss came back in to my office and I cracked something to the effect that perhaps he should only hire bicycle commuters from far away if he wanted his animators to show up. And he never said another word about bicycle commuting.

spinninwheels

Last night my gf and I cycled to a hardware store to drop off one of the boxes of flooring that we didn't need. It was heavy enough it warranted the trailer. When we left, there was a young kid outside smoking, and he commented on how cold it was (-5C/wind-NE25kmph), which it really wasn't. And he also mentioned that he wouldn't be riding in this kind of weather.

Anyway, I was going to say something, but I didn't. What can you say that won't come off sounding condescending or sarcastic. The only thing that came to mind, was that famous quote from Henry Ford, Whether you think you can, or you can't...you're right. But I figured that would fall on deaf ears.

dynodonn 

Sounds like the time I cycled in to buy something at one of our local stores on a really cold evening, and the clerk who was ringing up my sales told me that I was crazy for riding in, and especially the distance that I rode. Compared to the comments I've heard from motorists, her comment just bounced off my thick skin like a tennis ball off a concrete wall.

Minerva

My boss and I live a mile from each other, 11 miles from our job. I commute by bike, she by car. She had derided me for choosing to bike to work, however, I get into work a 1/2 hour early every single day regardless of the weather. She never manages to get to work on time. She has even offered to give me a ride to work to help HER get to work on time. Obviously, I refused and was particularly offended. Recently, when it had snowed in the early morning hours, she got to work over 40 minutes late. I was, as usual, a 1/2 hour early. When she walked in, she looked at me blankly and asked... "how did you get here so fast...didn't you get stuck in traffic?" It was everything I could do to keep a straight face.

I don't really mention how I get around anymore, it's so normal for me now that Its a non-issue. I answer people's questions if they ask, but I try to be more of an example of how you can live car-free and still lead a normal life.

travelmama

My actions speak much louder than my words.

ro-monster

The mind boggles.

gerv 

Yeah...it is progress! However, it's becoming less unusual even here in the mid west... I'm guessing one of these days they'll make up a good 1% of the population here.

BarracksSi

What would be interesting would be to convince her to get a bike (if you've got an extra one that'll fit, lend it to her) and then meet at her place to ride in together.

cyclezealot

I am much too apparent on the bike to not be seen, when riding about town.. I've had people in shock say, I thought I saw you way down somewhere, way far away.... Which makes me feel really proud.. And I say , next time I might make it even so much further... .. Often I sort of tactfully dis the car culture even before I tell them I prefer bike commuting . That sort of sets them up for my surprise ending.. What really shocks them is when I tell them I prefer to do my Christmas shopping on the bike.It's much easier getting about the holiday traffic...

Standalone 

I like to talk about commuting and utility riding. I'm sure I annoy some folks, but probably not that much.... no biggie.

gerv 

If I mention anything cycling related to someone I am talking with and they even show any sign of interest, I'll keep going. Otherwise, I change the topic to the weather or something.

However, if someone rants on mindlessly about transportation or nutty people who bike in winter or the absolute necessity of an automobile to survive life in the US, they need to be ready for a counter attack.

dynodonn 

Me, I'll just give the blank stare as your co-workers gave you.

wheel

Why tell the world? When you can you show them?

Robert Foster

Well the good point of being about 1 percent is it makes 1.1 percent look so much better even if it isn’t much different. Reading the bicycling industry reports the 70s were the golden age of US cycling in the US percentage wise.

Roody

I had a co-worker who lived across the street from the hospital, but drove to the back of the campus to park close to the workplace. The real corker is that she often drove home on her lunch break--took a bike ride--then drove back to work!

Cosmoline

Being car free and riding a bike in Anchorage in January is about the *LEAST* strange thing about me. So it's not a problem to talk about it. I just have to avoid mentioning the fact that I sleep directly on the floor and haven't owned a bed in decades, how I have no TV, how I talk to myself incessantly, etc. etc.