Originally Posted by
Biker395
So by now, you've all see pictures of my crappy commute.
Although I've been doing it for well over 20 years, I only recently started carrying a camera along to share what I see. But not all of the beauty is natural.
Almost every morning, I see a large black man, struggling along the Ballona Creek Bike Path on what appears to be a painfully injured leg….His name is Simms. I never asked him how he injured his leg, but I intend to some day. My suspicion is that he is a professional football player ... a suspicion bolstered by the fact that I saw him getting into a 80s vintage Rolls one morning.
Or the two guys (regrettably, I've never asked their names) who walk together most mornings along the beach…I finally had a short chat with them, and told them how cool it was to see friends spend a little time every day together.
Then there is the God Bless You Lady. An older asian woman, who can be seen every day walking along the Ballona Creek Bike Path. She made it a point to say "God bless you!" to every single person that passed her…
Yea, I am known around the office for talking to strangers. Why the hell not? That's how strangers turn into friends. But it left me wondering ... so why haven't I said hello to Tessie?
Well, I did just that today. I introduced myself and said hi…Right then and there, I decided I really liked Tessie…
My local cycling friend and I recently had this chat about meeting regulars on the commute:
Originally Posted by
jimmuller
…One nice treat on my commutes lately has been a personal touch. There is a young lady, perhaps 10y.o. on a skateboard I've passed while climbing the gentle hill into Woburn Center. She always calls out "Good morning!" and I try to reply. I'm usually rather focused on the ride and the traffic so her greeting always startles me back into the world. It's a nice personal touch that wouldn't happen if I was driving. I guess if you do something enough
then even the locals start to recognize the old coot riding his bike though town every morning…
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
I usually preface
"old coot" with
"loveable." 
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
I recently replied to this thread on the Living Car-Free Forum,
“Do you meet people on the street?.”
Originally Posted by
gerv
Since cars are so enclosed and bicycles so exposed, you'd think cyclists would meet lots of people…What about you?
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
Over the years on my commute I have routinely encountered several people, and I like to give them nicknames. I often saw a serious-looking cyclist passing in the opposite direction at about 6 in the morning as I approached my destination, and he was known as “good buddy.” Once at the midway point of our commute, I had stopped, and he did too. We exchanged names and some biographical information, mainly job-related, and even corresponded a bit by E-mail.
There was a driver in a windowless white van often approaching in the opposite direction who would give me a friendly toot. This was during the time of the Washington DC sniper who also drove a windowless van, so that driver became the “stalker.” I eventually met him at a coffee shop I routinely stopped at near my destination. I eventually also met a guy who walked his dog, and learned they were Ed and the Chief….
Finally, when I encounter a certain morning runner approaching in the opposite direction, I know it’s going to be a good day. One day as I was riding in the opposite of my normal direction I rode along side her and we exchanged real names. However, she is still known to me as the “Fleet Goddess.” 
Originally Posted by
jimmuller
….I know of no Fleet Goddess, alas.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 09-05-14 at 01:21 PM.