Wulfheir

Now I am one, a bike-commuter that is, not a DUI recipient. I always wonder if people I work with think I have a DUI.

Did you ever think this before you were 'reformed'? Do people ever think that of you now?

CastIron

Seems a common mis-belief. The ones on huffy's with a cigarette in their mouth are a dead ringer for this segment.

kf5nd

Old Dirt Hill

I don't think of the DUI thing, but I didn't ever think that the people I saw on bikes were ever travelling to work.

I just assumed that they were out for an early morning ride or just riding for fitness. A couple of years ago I lived less than a mile from work and never once considered riding a bike to work.

My point is that I don't think that most people even consider it an option because they don't really know it is an option. That's the way I saw it until the idea of bike commuting smacked me upside the head...I'm still not sure what made the decision for me, but I'm glad my subconcious finally got the hint.

Tree Trunk

When I first started commuting, several of the factory guys who came into the locker room while I was changing and/or showering asked me one of two questions:

1. Did your wife kick you out?
2. DUI?

Cromulent

Heh. One of the reasons I buy and wear the gear is so I look like a purposeful cyclist/commuter rather than someone who has had their license taken away by the state. Sure the gear is highly functional, but the look is important too.

So I guess I don't worry about it anymore. And in summer there are a lot of people out on bikes. In winter? The gear helps me look voluntarily nuts. It takes a special brand of stubborn and crazy to bike to work in the winter. At least I'd like to think that our particular brand of stubborn and crazy is special. Not little yellow bus special... more like Mr. Rogers' "we're all special in our own way" kind of special. What was the question again? Oh...

The DUI thing has probably entered into people's heads, but I don't worry about it.

d2create

no, never thought DUI.

But i have wondered if people think i can't afford a car. When it's quite the opposite. The wife and I each have a nice new car and we also have a beater to haul the dogs and make runs to home depot.

BeTheChange

I used to be a fool and thought that nobody was stupid enough to drink and drive except for a very small part of the population that were professional drunks. I guess my mom did a good job instilling values in me for me to think that way. But I've realized after coming to college that a lot of people drive drunk. I doubt people riding a bike would have DUIs considering someone who is too lazy to walk home or take a taxi from a bar after drinking is probably too lazy to ride a bike anywhere. This is considering they could just get a moped. So I have never though someone had a DUI because the biked everywhere. It wasn't even a thought untill I met my girlfriend's last landlord...

I lived 10 miles out of town on the blue ridge parkway so I had a beautiful ride into town to go to school and get groceries or whatever. My girlfriend lived in town so I would stay at her place sometimes (we almost always were both at each other's apartments). Everything was great except her landlord kept giving me crap. First he said I couldn't park my bike in her apartment saying he would evict her if I did. Then he didn't want me spending the night there more than a few nights a month because he didn't want me "using his water". So after hearing this I new something was up. So one day I just talked to him and asked him what his problem was. He was getting on my nerves and I get the worst look when I'm mad. It's the same look as when I am thinking hard. I can tell when I get this look because the person I'm talking to suddenly starts kissing my a$$.

So he was thinking I was some low life who was riding because I got a DUI and was living in my girlfriend's apartment. I informed him of the 10 or so reasons I ride and the primary one being that it's just a lot more fun. He was shocked. Here's how the conversation went:
Landlord: "So you have a car"
Me: "yea"
Landlord: "And you have a liscence"
Me: "yes"
Landlord: "but you don't drive"
Me: "yep"
This repeated for about 3 intervals. He then told me he mistook me for a DUI rider because he was an insurance adjuster for 20 years (everything made sense after that). This was the first time in my life that I'd ever felt discriminated against (middle-class white kid-who would have guessed I'd never experienced this?). It was the worst feeling I've ever had. I mean, to be treated unfairly completely based on preconcieved notions. That's the day that cemented my support for affirmative action (don't mean to make this thread political).

If people know you it's not a problem of mistaken DUI. I think it's easier if you are in shape because people usually think you are just active because it's hard to mantain low body fat when you are a drunk. It's a pretty pathetic state our society is in when someone who is doing something the hard way (albiet better for all) is automatically thought to be a criminal.

CommuterRun

I don't think I've ever thought of relating someone on a bicycle to having a DUI, but then, I've been, off and on, into cycling since before I got my learner's permit, and that was 28 yrs ago. Although, I have seen people on bicycles that appear to fit this category by their riding styles.

Heck, when I'm on the Townie going fishing I'm sure, by my manner of dress, I appear to be a refugee reject.

BeTheChange

Oh yeah, one more thing. I've found that people who automatically think "DUI" when they see you biking are the most likely to be getting DUIs themselves. Anyone else had this observation?

wfin2004

Totally agree with this statement, but I would like to add "wearing jeans" to this animation.

zonatandem

Commuted fro 16 years; have never assumed anything!

kevink159

Well, I am an electrician, and i get to work with constuction workers of all types all day. EVERYONE assumed that I lost my licsense when I started biking.

Sawtooth

Don't forget the DUI bars (drop bars turned upside down). This is a dead give away.

noisebeam

Never has come up for me. Based on comments I get from work, most folks think good of cycle commuting and see it as good excercise.
Al

slvoid

If anyone pulls up next to you at the light and asks, "DUI?" You turn and say, "no... first degree murder of a driver at an intersection with my 44... now DUCK MO********ER!!"

pinkrobe

Everybody at work just assumes I'm a [health] nut, until they see me with a Coke for breakfast everyday. I've never had anyone ask me if I had a DUI. Public transit isn't bad, so most of the drunks take that after they lose their license. I've heard that quite a few drive, license or not. The guys with Supercycles [=Huffy] or DUI bars tend to be too poor to own a car, or are homeless.

Cyclaholic

DUI's are easy to spot, it's the $2 bottle of wine in the waterbottle cage that tends to give it away.

Seriously tho, there's this one young guy (late 20's maybe) I often pass on my commute that always has a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other, or in his mouth when he has to grab the bars. Rides a beat up old x-mart bike at walking pace. Judging by the time and place I usually see him I'd say he's a local factory worker, he always looks really pi$$ed off. I refer to him as DUI guy, maybe he is maybe he isn't.

pinkrobe

I just had another thought - when I see somebody riding a bike without a helmet on, I assume they are:
1. poor
2. homeless
3. an idiot

Walkafire

Too Funny!!!

I started commuting after a 7 year lay off ... broke my leg BAD Mountain Biking!

Every year there is a "Bike to Work Day".

So this year, June 22, 2005 (Bike Day) I started again!!!!

I have commuted 100% even my days off! It is different being on Pavement, but damn it feels good to be riding again!!!

I think it's funny this thread is even brought up, never even crossed my mind about people having a DUI until some have pointed out the Jeans and Huffy's LMAO

bullethead

I suspect there are those that believe this- they still always wave back when I do (with all fingers showing)

huhenio

Neatly dressed & geared commuter - in any season - will cause a different perception.

Road bike or similar versus mountain, traffic manners, and the general look that you are enjoying yourself is a plus.

No helmet, black jeans, dirty bball hat or similar, cigarrete in mouth, sideburns, lack of somewhat practical and neat looking luggage are minuses.

Still, broad generalization is still out there.

cheg

On my commute, I've seen a few 10 speeds bikes with inverted drops with guys on them smoking while they ride and assumed they were DUI's. I never see them more than once or twice. They must decide on other means of transport pretty quickly.

BTW: don't assume it can never happen to you unless you never drink or take prescription drugs. The threshold is very low these days.

sbhikes

Oh man, if I'd only known way back then when I was 22.

He had a yellow Schwinn Varsity, with inverted drops, rode while smoking a cigarette and wearing jeans. Sure enough, he was an alcoholic. I made him ride that thing to the bars because I didn't want him driving drunk.

Not with him anymore. If I'd only known the signs maybe I could have saved a few years of grief.

PaulH

I'm probably mistaken for an affluent Mormon missionary

Paul