soappedaler

Up until 2004 I drove a beat up Toyota truck, my bike was worth more than the truck, but an acquaintance wanted to give me here old jeep Cherokee because she thought I couldn't afford a new car, I could just didn't want one. We've since become friends and I've convinced her to put a rack and panniers on her bike to ride to the grocery 2 miles from her house.

jplynch019

I rode form CT to IL last summer and was given many "sympathy" discounts at the hotels I checked into. On one particularly bad day (138 miles through many rain storms) I asked a guy sitting in his car, who happened to be waiting for his wife to come out of Little Caesar's with their dinner, for directions. He opened his car window just a crack and gave me the directions and then quickly shut the window. When I checked into the "Days Inn" at Meadville, PA I looked at myself in the mirror! No wonder the guy was frightened of me. I sort of looked like Freddie Kruger wearing a bike helmet!

slloth

Yeah I would definitely play the game for the right job. Hell I did it for eight years in the Military. As far as pay. I'm not sure what the security guards at the mall make but I am willing to guess it is a lot less than I can currently live on. Cool job none the less!

slloth

That's what it's all about.

huhenio

I am dapper ... but I should stop shaving and hang out at the coffee house.

FREE COFFEE!!!!!!!!!!

huhenio

I have seen them in the King Of Prussia mall.

I felt that I could hold up the jewelry store by the looks of the opposition.

mrfix

This happens to me all the time, People offer me money, a place to take a shower, a ride to where I want to go, food and a warm place to sleep for the night. I live and ride in MA, I ride all year long and love it. I just tell them that I'm all set, and tell them thanks for the offer. In 2009 the ones who chose to ride bikes to do what they do are not considered the norm by society. Me, I walk my own path through life and I don't much care what others think, so I ride on.
Mrfix

slloth

If I had been sitting in front of a Starbucks in Berkeley, Davis, Portland, San Francisco or any of the big bike cities I wouldn't have even been noticed but since I live in an area where 99.9% of the people drive their tanks 2 miles to Wal-Mart and then another mile to Burger King and then 5 miles to the mall and then ten miles back home it is funny...and sad. It's sad because seeing a middle class citizen who doesn't look or act like them is astonishing.

It doesn't surprise me that this story offended some people. I can relate since I am equally offended by close mindedness to different life styles and appearances. Wouldn't it be a boring world if everyone looked and thought the same way?

Welcome to Suburbia!

(non of Starbucks stock's where harmed in the making of this thread)

cobrabyte

It happens to me all the time

maybe I should stop asking people for their spare change? But hey, if people think $4 for coffee is acceptable, then I guess they got money to spare right?

caloso

Starbucks in Berkeley?!?!? Mooooooooooooooo......

Mendel

It hasn't/wouldn't happen to me. (Bike shorts...)

Although I think the OP anecdotes are nice. People are caring about him when they could just walk by.

Supertick

I use my bike for most of my transportation needs and only drive my car one or two days a week. Today I hooked up my Burley Flatbed trailer to my mountain bike and took all of my returnable bottles and cans to the Fred Meyer store in my area. The bottle machine was not working so I buzzed a store employee to see if they could help. After seeing that I was on a bike the store employee told me to take the bottles to Wal Mart. I am retired and didn't think that I looked homeless but aparently that was not the case.

veggie_lover

I wouldn't worry about it. I have lived in many cultures/countries and each has their pros/cons . The cons with the USA is folks are too uptight. It took me a few years to figure this out, but now I have learned to accept it and work around it.

rugerben

No. I haven't. Most people mistake me for a blue collar worker though, based on my dress. I wear jeans, and cargo pants with flannel, sweatshirts, etc...

mackerel

At an anti-war rally a few months ago.

Duellist

Heh... last winter I was desperate to get out for some exercise so off I went on a beat-up mountain bike, even though there was six inches of new, wet snow and the ploughs hadn't been out yet (and never would be- North Philly). So I tootled along until I was exhausted, then turned back. I was maybe ten miles out and tired, the conditions were terrible, it started snowing again, and maybe five people asked if I was alright, needed a lift, a place to stay, help, etc. I guess I looked pretty awful.

In retrospect, I don't suppose it was very nice of me to shout 'Screw off, I'm FINE,' but damnit, I was *going* to get back home without help (I did).

To the original poster, I would take advantage of free starbucks any day (even if it does taste awful), though not any small business. I can't grow a hobo beard, being female, but perhaps if I didn't brush my hair for a week...

ausfix

I have been a poor/homeless person. I didn't stay that way for long, thank god.

Cyclist0383

It's not alternative lifestyles that are offensive, hell I live one, it's leaches that are, and you sound like a leach.

mackerel

OP is an older child.
Not yet quite an adult.
Hasn't yet started a career.
Hasn't yet been in a serious relationship or raised an offspring.
Hasn't yet really experienced life.

That is why he thinks and behaves the way he does.

We must pity him.
Or at least pat him on the head.

gldrgidr

Starbucks has been hit pretty bad by the current recession. Apparently the first thing people cut back on, is over-priced coffee.

GearsForFears

I live in two cities, a liberal college town and the beer-and-brat capital of the world. In Madison people assume I'm a greenie. In Milwaukee they assume I'm a drunk. My default tavern in Madison grants happy hour all night long to anyone arriving on a bike. So, ironically, in Milwaukee I'm a greenie and in Madison I'm a drunk.

I-Like-To-Bike

If think, like the OP, that a bicycle qualifies the rider to also sit tall in the saddle on a High Horse and disparage those who offer him a kind word, the truth is that each town only sees half of the Real You.

Neil_B

That's pretty much a tradition at the Plaza and Court in King of Prussia.

rumrunn6

only when I carry 2 giant plastic bags full of empty bottles

HandsomeRyan

I got some dirty looks last time I rode to the "package" store. Not too many folks rocking a $900+ DUIcycle though...