How 'bout them gas prices...?
 

Once or twice a week, I give in to my burrito urges. Grabbing one for lunch adds 3 to 5 miles to my commute, and on a nice, sunny day, is a great excuse to forget some of the stupidity of work.

The guy at the taqueria mentioned that I've always been coming in on a bike lately, and asked why, since I have a new-looking car that probably didn't break down. I'm sure you've all been in a situation where somebody asks why you bike commute, and you have to debate giving them the real (aka long) answer, or the sound byte version that's appropriate for small talk. So, I did the latter: "I got tired of paying for gas..."

My interlocuter's face lit up. "I know! And the price just went up again, too - it sucks!" So I said "Yeah, and now that I'm getting around on this guy, it feels like I got a small raise." I could see the guy's gears turning, so I went on "... of course, I still use the car for heavy groceries and stuff. It's a good thing to have - I just don't use it all the time anymore."

I don't think I convinced anyone to become a bike messenger - I have no idea how far away from work he lives, and the guy's weight says he isn't a fan of exercise. But the conversation made me happy with my choice to commute by bike. Then I took my burrito to a nearby park, eating it under a tree in case it rained, and biked back to work.

How do you folks respond when somebody expresses curiosity over your cyclocommute? Do you ever get a "wow - that's pretty cool!" response? What's your story that reminded you of all the other reasons why biking to and from work is a good idea?

I am evasive when they sound derisive. Truthfull answer is fitness, gas prices, stress relief, and weight control. Did I mention fitness? I tell serious people the long answer. Others I just tell to make the gas people go broke. I'm afraid I'm a most abrasive person. As I think of it, I bought a full tank of petrol last January and the fuel gauge is still on the full mark. Anyway, good luck and God bless. Blues Frog

I don't think I've ever gotten a why. Maybe if I rode further, but mostly the first quesiton is "how far do you ride," and the whole thing become self-explanatory with "about 16 blocks." Still, I do always get a laugh when people go on gas price rants. The difference between $0.75 and $1.50 gas is about $20/month to me, and it doesn't generally swing that far.

I usually say, "you can't beat the parking," as a good opening statement. If they're just interested in a little small talk, that little joke keeps things friendly. If they look interested in talking particulars, I've got a paragraph or two spiel in my head. Then we can discuss whatever they find interesting.

It helps that I really enjoy talking to people in general.

I bought a brand-new Prius this past January after my old honda civic was totaled (not by me) in a hit-n-run.

Took me 4 months to put 500 miles on it, since I never drove it. My friends / colleagues asked the same question - why bike when you've got a great new car?

I like the bike better than the car. Nuff said.

I take it that you are referring to Canadian $ per Liter rather than US$ per gallon! When I was in Europe in 1972 I paid as much as $5.00 per US gallon equivalent. I believe gas there is closer to about $8.00+ per gallon now.

When someone asks in genuine curiosity, I simply explain it, as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

When someone wants to make fun, I just ask them, "How old do you think I am?" Invariably, the answer is 7-10 years too young. Then I tell them my age, some of the things I do on a regular basis, and that I'll be doing this when I'm 90. Have yet to hear any more from any of them.

Yeah...exactly. Why drive a car when you have a great bike?

I never get asked why I ride. I just get praise from those around me.

I got the odd "wow - I can't do that!" response ;-)

I used to do part-time concrete work with my dad- I got a ride to work, then cycled home afterwards. I met a concrete pump operator who was 6-8 years younger, and 50+ pounds lighter than me- a very fit, strong, and hardworking guy. When I told him once that I was going to ride 35km home, he just told me straight that he couldn't do it. I was genuinely surprised because he was far closer to a stereotypical cyclist's build than me.

I just tell them that I hate sitting in traffic, and that usually it's faster for me to get home on my bike. Which is true..

I don't drive, so I can't compare. I just explain that I'm a misanthrope, so I hate taking transit. Then whoever's interrogating me usually nods and smiles.

Something like that. Current avg price in Holland is €1.57/l. US$7.36/USgal or CAD$2.00/l. Prices are a bit lower in, for example, France and Germany.
Sometimes, Dutch people ask what kind of car I have here. They're surprised when I say I have none. Blows their stereotype.

Gas went up? I won't notice 'til it breaks $4.00 again.

When people ask me, I just say, well, I used to just ride when I wanted to when I lived 15 miles from work. Now that I'm 4 miles from work , I just ride all the time and sold the car.

My question is why buy a brand new car when you have such little use for it? Wouldn't a 5 or 6 year old low mileage economy car serve the same purpose for less than half the cost?

When I want to give a quick answer about why I bike commute, I say "because I enjoy it". Simple, honest, and irrefutable.

Sometimes Europeans make fun of US for whining when gas gets above $3.50/gallon when they're paying $7+. However, in most places in the US, a car is practically the only option for getting around. I live in OKC, and there's basically zero public transport. There are some bus routes, but they aren't extensive enough to rely on fully, and some of the distances from residential areas to commercial areas make bike commuting difficult. In Europe, they have viable public transport that is a real option in most places, and bike infrastructure to support bike commuting. I am in a position that I could bike to my office from home, but I'm an IT guy and have to make 4-5 trips daily to customers' offices for tech support, so biking wouldn't work.

A few have started to ask, but it's pretty well known that I do things differently (I take long runs twice weekly, approach personal training more...personally, ignore notes in class but read text books religiously, wear Vibram Fivefingers daily, etc etc.) so very few actually complete the question. More often they ask how I like it, how my bike rides (because they think it's way nicer than it really is), and if I'm training for something.

I would like to note though, I have been completely oblivious to gas prices. My truck has the same 1/3 tank that it has since May 20th-ish so I haven't looked at a gas price sign in as long. It's pretty nice when someone says, "Jeez, gas is so expensive" and I get to respond with, "How much is it?" ;)

I was hammering up a hill one afternoon, and a couple was walking down on the side walk, not far away. ( No parked cars at the time, for some reason. ) The guy looked over at me standing on the pedals, holding the bars, and pushing myself up the grade, and said "I could do that." His girlfriend laughed in a way that made it clear she didn't think he'd ever be able to bike up a steep hill. That was fun, for me... :D

I find I get hammered when I mention cyclo-commute helps me reduce cost especially from my wife. Reason being that I end up buying more stuff to feed the "bicycle". :D
I keep telling her "it's long term investment! and yes I need this Ultegra SL piece!" :lol:

I do more or less the same thing. But I have a rule, and usually I stick to it. :thumb:

When I started bike commuting again, it was probably early May, or maybe late April. I bought a jacket that was light and uninsulated enough to bike in, even up hills, but protected me from the rain and wind. Pretty much a necessity, because my commute is all uphill, and my other jackets are too heavy and warm. I justified this with "the money I'm gonna save by biking to and from work." I cheated, but made it work in the end.

Usually, though, I'll give myself a small budget, of about what I used to spend on gas. So at the end of the month, I'll have $X that I've unarguably saved thanks to my bike ... and some important thing I want for it. :) That logic is probably a little safer in the long run ( it keeps me from buying a CF cross bike with disc brakes ), but might also be easier to sell your wife on.

When asked I answer with the truth: "because I can eat a lot without worrying about getting fat".

Your answer was perfect. Hit them in the wallet. Being frugal is something everyone understands and never gives you sh*t for. It's not a lie even if it isn't your real motivation.

Who knows it might even make them at least consider a less wasteful life.

No one has ever asked me why. Which I guess is kind of strange because I do get lots of comments about it.

I always have "because the judge took my license away" on the tip of my tongue, but no one asks. :(