Originally Posted by
genec
OK, so now reading through several pages of this thread... it seems like there are an awful lot of professionals with degrees that bike commute... hardly the case that "if you commute by bike, you don't have an education."
So how do we convey to the world that hey, we cyclists are indeed not the lowlifes that some apparently think we are... we are regular breadwinners who are your neighbors and co-workers and we merely choose to bike rather than drive. (although I have to admit I do look rather scroungy when I commute in my t shirt and shorts on my comfortable old ride... )
It's hard to do when you don't have much control over the dialogue. (I'm in the minority in a couple other ways, and it can be frustrating.) Even though educated professionals who bike
because they want to are the majority posters on this forum, the homeless/poor are the ones that stick out in the minds of the public at large.
Here's a good link, if you like answering queries with those:
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/...ch-with-bikes/
I've decided not to worry about it too much -- I ride to have fun, and if other people are inspired to ride their bikes because I look like I'm having fun, awesome.