Well I see a nice effect. I've been doing it now for two years and the reactions have come in phases. The first reaction worth of commentary came from my mother: "You will die, I love you, don't die." I'm 25 and she kinda still thinks I'm a little kid. Regardless, she got over it and now thinks I'm some kind of hero, but that's how mothers are. As far as my friends they were seriously concerned, exhorting that I just ride on the weekends for exercise for safer recreation.. They also got over it. In fact, one of them moved to Seattle, where it is remarkably safer than Miami to ride bike, and I gave him my road bike to take along. In the beginning he used to tell me "I will never ride a bike on the street. Never!"

So, I also have a friend that thought it was a good idea. He has this truck that he lovessss so much. It's not even about it being big, or fast, or anything, he just has some sort of silly emotional tie to it and he can't get around to selling it even though it gets like 8 miles per gallon. So how does he hedge the loss? He gets a bike and starts commuting with it. It's so cool that now he rides his bike every day saving his beloved gasoline hog for rainy days.

There are a few others out there that are all psyched about getting bikes and doing the same, but they put it off and off.. and I just never see it actually happen. I don't ever push it on anyone though, you know, you can't preach it, just kind of let things take their natural course. One thing that is nice though, I don't know if people got tired of it or not, but no one ever says anymore "That's too dangerous for me, you're crazy." I used to get that, but now I'm glad it's gone.