bjorn

I usually wear mostly black cotton. I get Lance and Tour de France stuff yelled at me periodically. I've been contemplating stopping and going back to people and making clear exactly why I don't appreciate comments like that, starting with the fact that my name isn't Lance, I have yet to participate in a bike race of any kind whose prize was anything but a beer or some minor injuries, and that I cycle primarily to get places. But so far all I've done is yell back bad one-liners. "Go Dale, Jr.!", "Do I look like a Lance to you", "Go Vance", or "Tour de France Avenue". Lately, since the comments have gotten more common and my demeanor has gotten surlier, my response to the "Go Lance" is "Go F yourself".

Dchiefransom

Car Driver: "Hey Lance !!! "

Cyclist: "Yo Wassup. Wait a minute, you're driving a car.......DALE, Dale Earnhardt Jr !!! How ya doin', Bubba?!! "

lilHinault

I was doing the Tour de Lost In Greater San Jose and it was so hot, there were NO other cyclists out there, just me. I was stopping periodically to check my map and drink some water, and some driver yells out "Hey Lance!" and I just ignore him, then he shouts "Which way to the Champs Eleysees (sp?)?" and I point with my thumb over my shoulder, "Dat way", I say. Then the driver tells me Lance won it, that's how I learned Lance won his 7th.

Pretty cool way to find out, if you ask me.

Daily Commute

I've got a few of those. Last year, I got one while I was riding through downtown in rush hour keeping up with traffic (Bike lanes? I don't need no stinkin' bike lanes). I get more when I wear my yellow UnderArmour shirt, which I swear I bought only for the visability. Armstrong is way overexposed in the media, but he's done a lot for all of us.

PainTrain

They've been calling me 'Lance' at work for a long while.

I did, during the commute, get a "Hey, Lance!" from a Jeepload of teens the other day, just before they lobbed a bottle at me.

I-Like-To-Bike

Overexposed? IAW what criteria? Or is it just something personal?

oboeguy

Sure, I've been called "Lance" in the past during peaks of Lancemania.

My thing? I'll scream at cyclists putting in a good effort uphill, "¡Vengavengavenga! ¡El pelotón está a dos minutos!".

MarkS

My wife, who commutes by bike, reports she had something along those lines yelled at her. She was wearing the same yellow windbreaker she's been wearing for 3 years or more. I let her set the pace when we bike together -- the last time we hit a whopping average 8 miles per hour.

The Lance thing is just silly, but at least it does seem to be mostly positive.

genec

I love my "bike-dork" outfit... Which I learned to wear some 20 years ago after slowly moving from cut-offs to running shorts to wool bike shorts to the lycra I wear today.

No way would I be able to do the miles and miles I have done (touring and otherwise) in anything less than comfortable bike clothing.

Sure, I wear regular shorts around the neighborhood... Heck, I even use a "regular" bike around the neighboorhood... a fat tire single speed old Huffy.

But putting in hundreds of miles, peaking at 26+MPH, takes the right gear.

Ever play basketball in dress shoes? How about running track in your Sunday best? Just doesn't make sense, does it?

genec

Whoa, once again we agree... I think anything that positively gets press for cyclists is a good thing.

recursive

Haha. Hilarious. You should have thanked him for keeping the prices down for the rest of us.

recursive

All you need to do is not be so sensitive. I doubt these people are trying to insult you. They probably don't know much about cycling, so they say the only thing that they can relate you to that they know of, namely Lance.

I do like "Go Dale Jr!" though.

ramtaajogi

i just get wooohooo's from girls driving by....i do most of my riding at night, so they are probally coming back from a party or something.

Panic

I get the occassional Lance when I wear my yellow jersey, no big deal. I just smile. A few weeks ago I got "Hey Hot boy!" from some high school girls. Made me laugh.

Best thing, we have a bridge in our town on the bike path that passes over the main drag. There is a sign made on a sheet.

7 Tours
83 days in yellow
2??? Stage wins

Livestrong Lance

Thought that was pretty cool.
Oh the sign is in yellow as well, on a white sheet. Tough to read, but pretty cool.

Mehow

LOL . . . I got called "Lance" this past Thursday! Oddly, it was shouted out by a couple of ummm . . . how do I say . . . . "Homies". They were partying it up at about 11:00PM and yelled out "Hey Lance Armostrong!" . . . and the second time that I passed them by, they called out "Tour de France" . . . to add to the odd-ness, they shouted it all out in a friendly tone, and even gave a slight cheer : ) I'm still shocked that they knew Lance's full name & that they came up with "Tour de France" even after having a bit to drink LOL. It was a good night : ) I'm glad cycling is getting more popular : )

~Mehow

lilHinault

My last interaction with "homies" was at a friend's apartment, I few miles from my own, it was late at night and they were hanging out in this cool, big old Cadillac, I guess that caught my eye, cool car. We got talking and they were blown away that I'd cycle all the way from where we are to where I lived, which they knew was a few miles away. I hope it opened some minds, that cars are cool, big ol' Cadillacs are way cool, but you can get there by bike too.

skanking biker

No--i usually get "hey dork!"

LOOPDEELOOP

I was hoping someone would say something to me yesterday when I went on my ride and wore my bright yellow shorts. But no one did ... maybe it's 'cause I'm a girl!

LOOPDEELOOP

Did get a few whistles today, though - btw.

wheezl

fat people in full racing kit are *always* funny, even better when they are on a bike worth north of 3 grand

Hey I am a little pudgy, the only only jersey with writing on it that I have ever considered is the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Jersey. Oh and I ride a $400 "hybrid" and I still get "Hey Lance" shouted at me from time to time. Usually I just flip out and cut off people's heads.... because that is bad ass, and by bad ass I mean "TOTALY SWEET".. then I totally wail a guitar solo.

(I hope at least one person got that last part)

wheezl

Which brings up a totally unrelated point. How do you say "Nice Ass" to a complete stranger in a non threatening way. Like "Keep up the good work!, Righteous Onion you have there!, Bel Culo!!" or "Don't take this the wrong way, I am not trying to hit on you or make you feel bad but that is one righteous caboose you have there". If we could get that all into one word, then English would become the perfect language

recursive

You are like the ultimate paradox.

bwinton

After consultation with several people, I have come to the conclusion that you don't. (Seriously, I just think it's one of those things that is better left to one's self. Appreciate it in silence, as it were)


Well, you could always try "pwned". (Oh, wait, that's a different thread. )

wheezl

And that is truely what is wrong with this planet...

although I think I might start shouting "pwned" at all the nice ladies on my rides, and since quite a few of them will know what it means... instead of being upset that I have commented on thier anatomy, they will think I am some kind of competitive jerk

InfamousG