People offering rides

[Platy]

I rarely ask other people to give me a ride anywhere. But I get a lot of ride offers anyway, right out of the blue. What's up with that?

[BenyBen]

Simply ppl assuming that you'd need it since you don't have a car. It's just a difference between 2 cultures that think differently. Maybe they assume you live farther then you do. Or it may be hard for some drivers to imagine riding any longer then 5 miles.

They are trying to help you out, thank them and simply say you'd rather ride.

[recursive]

"Hey, it's no problem, I can fit your bike in the car too. I'll just fold down the seats here.. wait, you can take the wheels off right? Hold on a sec, just let me re-arrange some of this stuff. It should fit right in...

do you have any bungee cords?"

The look on some people's faces when I tell them I bike 5 miles to work can be rather amusing. You'd think I was doing an ultra-marathon or something.

[tfahrner]

Get an Xtracycle and start offering them rides back. I had a new beetle owner offer me a ride. She noted that she had a roof rack. I was riding the Xtracycle, whose wheelbase isn't a whole lot shorter than the bug's. I found this amusing, but she wasn't joking. I have since been told that she was probably offering a different kind of ride, which is a new idea to me.

[PurpleK]

I used to work in a place where I was the only bike commuter. At the time, my commute was only four miles, but coworkers were frequently stopping by the office to offer me a ride home, especially during bad weather. I know they were being sincere and their offers were out of concern for me, so I always made sure to thank them for the offer. Then I would point out that when I elected to become a car-free bike commuter, I made a commitment to myself not to impose a burden on others to give me rides on days that were not the best for cycling. We parted with an understanding that if I ever really needed a ride, all I had to do was ask. I still live by that code. It's been over seven years and so far I've not taken anyone up on the offer.

[2mtr]

I tend to follow the "freegan" approach — I don't want to pay for the gas, the car, or the dead bodies in Iraq or the Gaza Strip, but if they're offering, sure. I don't usually eat too much dairy or cheese, but if it's in something some one has given me, or cooked especially for me, then I'll do it. Same with driving. I hate the idea of the car culture, but if I'm tired, or it's late and I've got a flat, or they want to do something later, then fine.
But then again, I'm pretty mean looking sometimes, and don't get offered a ride too often. And when I do get offered a ride, it's for reasons I hadn't thought of, so I'd best be taking said ride.

[dasein]

I don't want to pay for the gas, the car, or the dead bodies in Iraq or the Gaza Strip,

Hey, I like to congratulate myself as much as the rest of you on not owning a car, but let's not let it get out of hand, eh?

[folder fanatic]

Here in Southern California the "Car Capital of the World," people who ride bikes, use public transportation, car pool, taxis, or simply don't choose to own a car for any reason is considered a loser and usually ignored, become a pariah, or face permament under or unemployment by the same culture who pays lipservice to support for different lifestyles that don't fit the American middle class ideal-or at least an illusion to it.