Yep, just this morning the guy who has obviously gained about 20 pounds of extra @ss this year was calling me the Mad Biker, going on about how people on the road will just kill me and not care because I ride in the dark.

It's hard to argue that motorists care, but I planned a bike route that typically sees only two cars pass me during my hour-long ride to work in the morning, and I have lights. Of course, rationality has no effect.

Whether people are inspired to drive less is doubtful. But the more thoughtful people around me see what is possible.

I'm the Youngest full time employee (not counting 2 temps) at my office. I'll be 42 in October.

I hit my heaviest of 240lb in Feb and said enough is enough. Some of my weight gain is related to some medications I am on....some from over eating and lack of exercise.

I had an epiphany in Feb standing on a scale and seeing 240 and looking at the mirror and seeing how fat I had become and by Cardiologists quite frank comment ringing in my ear after asking him when I can get off some of the drugs they have me on. "If you don't start a regular cardio work out you are going to end up with diabetes and a bunch of other health problems and be lucky to see your kid get out out of High school (Heart problem run in my family and I have already had a heart attack at 37).

I started watching what I eat and more importantly how much I eat. Basically cut my lunch in half if we eat out and that other half becomes dinner or lunch the next day. Started riding 4 months ago 3-5 days a week and weekend pleasure rides of 25+ miles.


I have caused some change of attitude at work. One of the temps (I did not count as a full time employee) Got everybody fired up about loosing some weight and getting in shape after seeing how much I had lost and asking me al lthe time about bikes and what I was doing. So after I had already lost 22 LB I was asked to join in a $20 a head pool of "who cold loose the most weight in the next month." So he lost miserably with only 4lb coming off but he did trim up. He was working out with weights so he turned his fat into muscle and did have to pull in his belt 2 notches. Just failed to realize that he would have done better in the bet getting lean with running or swimming.

One lady in the office managed 9 LB most were 5-7. I lost 13 and pocked the cash (don't get in a bet with a guy that eats half as much as you do at lunch and rides a Freddied bike that weighs 45lb with pack and locks to work every day in a hilly area).

The temp that instigated the bet is fired up to get a bike. He has cash flow problems so I can't fault him for not actually doing it. I feel pretty confident he will start commuting once he has the cash to get a bike. We also have a full time position opening up so a Good chance he will get hired and take that youngest employee moniker away from me LOL.

It does open up conversation while I'm locking up or walking to my pod.

However, other than one convert, I get the usual, I wish I could do that, I live too far, isn't it too hot/cold today to ride, etc...

That's the same type of comments I hear. I would love to bike but.........

???

Um, do you live in the bible belt or did you accidently type 'sportsbra' when you meant to type 'crotchless panties' I really don't see how a sportsbra could be considered scarring, especially when the 10 year old girls in my neck o the woods are wearing tube tops and short-shorts.

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.

Haha, nice set of stories. Personally, only one of my classmates bikes regularly to class. However, on sunny days, there are usually up to around two dozen bikes parked by the building I frequent. Nice to see company, even if I don't know them personally.

Downtown Atlanta has a lot of bike commuters, so not many of my co-workers see me as particularly unique, but I keep my bike in my (shared) office, so coming into the building or up the elevator I always get into conversations about cycle commuting. To me the wonderful thing is that despite my city's reputation as "cycling unfriendly" no one seems to think it odd at all that I cycle commute, and many of them ask intelligent practical questions about cycle commuting (I'm liklier to get "what do you do differently when it rains" than "aren't you afraid of cars??")