Originally Posted by
chrisbo654
Yes totally hung up!
I just want a tradeoff.
It's not that I'm superficial, but I noticed that very few people know cycle touring. In some "civilized" European countries, when you arrive like if you had all your life in your bags and dressed like no one else, people look at you nastily thinking you're a bum (especially if you're alone). It does not facilitate contact.
Am I the only one who felt that way?
funny, but I find that the attitude you are describing is more what I have observed in North America, that in Europe where biking is so much more accepted, people are much more used to cyclists, and people who do little bike trips etc. I'm referring to France, Germany, whereas in places I have been in the states, perhaps moreso in California, the "homeless guy on a bike" thing and view from Mr and Mrs Smith was much more this way.
I always rememeber asking a lady in a car for directions in California somewehre, and her fearful reaction and rolling up the window was so foreign to me, showed me that there was very much the view of someone on a bike was homeless/dangerous---you would never get that here, biking is popular and people do bike touring. A homeless person here on a bike is very clearly a homeless person--I was a clean shaven, neatish young guy with regular panniers, not overflowing baskets and all that sort of image, so it took me aback how the lady reacted.
anyway, thats my take on it, plus throw in all the immediate positive interactions I have had with French people while I was bike touring.