Originally Posted by LittleBigMan
I was on an elevator this morning and saw an advertisement for the local fitness center, on floor 9. It said, "Statistics show that people who exercise with a partner are more likely to stick to it consistently." They advised picking a buddy to exercise with.
When I saw this, it dawned on me that I always exercise alone as a bicycle commuter, and I've stuck to it consistently for a decade. Just as I thought about the bicycle commuters on Bike Forums, I wondered if you all rode alone as I do.
Next, I wondered if connecting with other bike commuters on Bike Forums was like having an exercise partner. Could posting on Bike Forums have any effect on encouraging bicycle commuters to stick with it?
Do you ride alone? Does Bike Forums stimulate your interest in bike commuting? Care to comment?
I started cyclocommuting when I transfered colleges. I'm a cheap bastard and couldn't see paying the outrageous $1 parking fees
(God, I'm old!
) so I started riding to school. Even getting body checked by a ped and then body checked by a car a month later didn't stop me. I found that I like it and I liked the solitude so I just kept on riding when I got out of college. Now, some 29 years later (God, I am old
) I'm still doing it. It's wonderful, it sucks, it's cold, it's hot...doesn't rain much thankfully...it hurts, it feels good, it's a waste of time, it'd be easier to drive, it's my time to reflect, it's fun! I feel all of these every day. I have for thousands of rides to work (I've ridden at least once every month since I started, including spending time in the hospital after getting hit by the car and a broken ankle). But I keep going, mostly because I'm a cheap bastard that can't stand spending good money on gasoline
But I never ride with anyone. In the thousands of times I've ridden to work or school, I've ridden with someone only 20 or 30 times. I just keep doing it because it doesn't feel right to not ride.
I only come to the Bike Forums to pass along my aged wisdom to you newbies
Did I mention that I'm really old?