NOS88

I wonder if the individual who made the original argument actually knows someone who is so condescending that he or she thinks they are "slumming" if they don't drive a $40,000 + car or dine in $$$$ restaurants? If you know someone like this, it might feel very offensive to hear them say, "I'm going camping to see what it's like to be homeless." On my part, the offense would be a total lack of understanding of what homeless really means. But, this is all conjecture on my part. In terms of any parallel to commuting, I might find it offensive is someone was attempting to show themselves as being a superior person because of their possessions. I don't think anyone likes the experience of others attempting to diminish them. Yet, I see no evidence that bicycle commuting, in and of itself, has any intent to diminish anyone. My experience has been that what people think of me has more to do with the way I treat them than anything else. And even with this being so, I can't control what they think. I routinely interact with people who are homeless. My experience has been that many of them, besides wanting a home and decent life, simply want to be acknowledged as being a person.