Originally Posted by
Big M
Out of nearly thirty people here, 4 are in their 20's.
At 27, I'm the second youngest person here.
So when I come in on my bike, they think "Must be good to be young" or "Oh, that crazy whippersnapper biking 10 miles to work." They don't see it as something they're capable of doing. Everyone has the impression that I'm some superior athlete or something.
But off the top of my head, I can't think of anyone who really lives close enough and has a family situation that makes biking practical. Either they're too far, or have to pick up the kids on the way home, etc...
So no, my commuting has no effect on anyone.
Interesting perspective. I have ridden to work off and on since I was a summer student worker at age ~19-20. I've been lucky to work in places that have workplace showers. Still, there was a long stretch of about 10-12 years where I hardly commuted at all because my kids were young and I had to either take them to daycare/school or pick them up and take them to sports practice later in the afternoon. Now that my kids are 14 and 11, they are old enough to take themselves to and from school, and even to some sports practices, either by walking, skateboarding, or biking. This is the first year that my occasional summer bike commuting has been this regular and has extended into the school year. This also means that this is the first year I've had to think about cold weather gear and darkness!