you may need looser shorts

While I was riding down a suburban street a during a sleet storm, a woman who was trying to clear her windshield told me, "You have a lot of nerve." I said "You're right. On my way home I'm planning to ask you for a loan."

Does "Nice handlebar tape!" count? That was from a fellow cyclist ... and very rude of her!

I get asked about my bike alot,but most people think I'm a bum or a drunk or both.After all,I am a grown man riding a bike.

Russian guy I worked with called me the same.

On two occasions I've been called a "saint" for cycle commuting, and once praised by a colleague as having the smallest carbon footprint at work.

As I arrived home yesterday evening, I passed a group of kids, between the ages of 10 and 12 walking down the street past my house. One kid turned around and saw my PB Blaze in strobe mode and asked "What's that on the front of your bike?" I said, "It's a light so people can see me when I'm on the road." His reply, "Cool!"
Good enough for me!

I get quite the kick out of people making a big deal of my totally flat, 6km roundtrip commute. My co-workers in my age bracket (18-25 group) are stupified by my first 350km bike tour this summer, and a couple even go so far as to call me nuts for riding my bike in the 0 to 2 degree Celsius weather we've experiencing in the morning lately. I would love to hear what they would have to say about the few hearty Edmonton commuters who ride up to 40km a day when the mercury hits down to -30C. A bicycle is but a toy to just about everyone in my town, and many are horrified to find out I spent $850 on one.

This post reminds me of one I found well-written on a thread, "Convincing People that I Chose to Bike to Work:

To which I replied:

I got the "commuter of the year" award for my company. (cycling is popular here).

During the winter a few times in particularly bad weather I've gotten fist pumps or other "way to go" gestures from people at bus stops.

Paul

I got complimented at the Audubon Society for bringing my daughter on a bicycle for her Summer camp there. Sadly, I was the only parent who did. Also, I always got sent to the front of the line at pick-up time.

I also pick up my daughter from school every day, and at least twice a week I hear kids complimenting the bike or telling their parents that they're going to get a bike like that when they're older.

The biggest compliments I've gotten so far was having 2 guys at my office buy bikes, because they've seen my weight loss and were motivated to change for the better.

Second to that, when I tell people I ride to work, they say "No! From your house? How far is that?" and when I tell them "8 miles" they just shake their heads in amazement. I don't understand why people think cycling is so hard.

There are two or three people at my work who try to compliment me from time to time, one being my supervisor. They are not exactly quick witted or anything and I know the mean well. They will say something dumb like when are you going to be Tour de France ready, I saw you flying back there. LOL Its always Tour this or Lance that, and it always bugs me haha.

"you're not a car!!"

"thank you!"

Was this in a fast food drive through?

Although I've been a fat butt and not riding. I did commute a little last year. I teach high school and refuse to lock my bike in the parking lot where there are some bars that work but afraid kids will go in there and mess around. Anyway, when kids see my bike in my classroom for the first time they are always shocked and giggly and say, "MISS! You ride a bike?!". I think they are laughing at me, surprised, and think it's cool all at the same time. I can't wait till they see my new double Basil panniers that are so freaking functional and a tad ugly Planning on riding to work again starting Monday.

I get compliments on my weight loss from co-workers. Went from 250 lb last Summer when I first started commuting to 190 lb today.

Then there's the guy who sits on a bench near the bike path and rings a cowbell when you go by. Not sure what the deal is there, but it's kind of fun.

This is the mentality in my small town, ecspecially by law enforcement that look for reasons to stop and ask questions. At work I feel good that I have a few others either saying they want to try to commute or atleast start riding a bike for pleasure.

An old guy on a Harley asked if my organ donor card was up to date at a traffic light. I said "yes, and yours?" I never got a response because the light turned.

I think it was a compliment.

Probably because their only experience of cycling is riding a crappy xmart bike around a park for a few weekends before burying it at the back of the garage.
It's a prime lap. You're supposed to sprint.

Yesterday some guy asked me if it was easy or hard. Not really sure what he meant. I said it was easy.

I have a few comments, mostly admiring ( I think they're mostly serious ) had a comment tonight about the amount of stuff i had crammed on my Big Dummy. "That's a cargo bike!"

The one that sticks in my mind, had picked up a 48" fluorescent light fixture, and contrived to strap it to my backpack ( Pre-Cargo bike days ) was riding with my head low as I went under a pathway underpass, didn't want to snag the thing on the overhead. Fit young thing rides past. "That's quite a package!"
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Cannot believe I missed that straight line!

And you didn't get her number?!

Most of the comments I get aren't compliments, more like amazement. One coworker has said the following nearly every day the weather is bad (90+ degrees, rainy, very cold, windy, etc) for the past year and a half: "You rode your BIKE today??" She always shakes her head like she thinks I'm crazy.

When I ride the Brompton I almost always get a comment from someone--either "nice bike!" or "What is that?!" Kids tend to think it's some kind of weird BMX trick bike But that's about the bike, not commuting itself.