Somebody I used to work with emailed me about the job market in our industry, so we decided to meet for a bike ride and talk about it. After a few miles on an MUP, we passed a coffee shop, and stopped for a cold drink, then sat down at a table in a park across the street, telling stories about our former employer. An old lady, probably in her 70s, stopped on her way past us, and said
I want to thank you gentlemen. We like bicycles in this neighborhood, and I'm always happy to see when young people bring them here.
At least one forum member will be happy to know I was wearing cargo pants and a wool base layer top, but no lycra. And no helmet that day.
Yesterday, on my commute home, I stopped at a floral shop to get some aphid spray ( they're eating my strawberries! ), and when I leaned by bike against the window, the manager suggested that I should bring my bike into the store. She told me that hers had been stolen, and as long as the store isn't crowded, bikes are always welcome. A restaurant in a nearby neighborhood isn't officially bike friendly ( Roxy's gives you a free entree if you come on two wheels ), but doesn't charge for iced tea if you bring your own water bottle.
This is pretty banal stuff, but A&S can get depressing. Somebody who found this forum through Google might get the idea that all there is to cycling is being killed, denied service in restaurants, and other grief. When I've been able to "convert" people to bike instead of driving for short distances, it's been because cycling is fun.
Anybody else get positive reactions from the public, for being on a bike?