Originally Posted by
pumabicycle
Strangers, business customers, cops, casual acquaintances, lots of different types of people really. I'm not sure there's anything special about me maybe other than I'm in incredible shape and tend to be very friendly to every person I come across. In my youth I worked as a bartender in a very stressful environment where people basically hated me before they even knew me, that experience taught me a lot about people, how to really hit it off with anyone. I can make even the most surly people smile so lots of people end up talking to me all the time.
I have two bikes; a $200 beater Schwinn from Target and a fully restored 1983 Puch. I ride the Schwinn about 40 miles a day, five days a week. I read that my city has the lowest per capita bicycle commuter rate of any place in the USA. I attribute this to people thinking "it's too hot" or uncomfortable to deal with. They want to ride but environmental factors and whatever is going on in their head limits them.
There's lots of cyclists, I suppose that they get asked too.
I get asked a lot of questions too, from both acquaintances and total strangers. I also ask a lot of questions, for example if I see somebody riding an unusual bike or using some interesting gear. I learn a lot here on BF, but the advantage of asking people I see is that they can give me information that's customized to the local area.
I bet you are a friendly person and people feel comfortable approaching you with comments and questions. I imagine somebody with a generally sour and cynical outlook wouldn't be approached as much by other people.