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there's a paved path along the Erie Canal (not far from my house). nothing better than a cycling picnic with the wife. bread/wine/cheese and an easy ride on our cruisers with a minor wine buzz. awesome.
that said, i quit drinking for 16 years because i didn't think it was compatible with my martial arts goals. i got over it...... :) |
When I see an angry looking, overweight, 50 year old dude wearing a golf shirt on a 20 year old department store mountain bike, you KNOW I'm thinking DUI. I've seen people get charged for riding while drunk - they're putting themselves and other people at risk on public roads, so cops find a way.
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Originally Posted by Steely Dan
(Post 14149601)
this might be a geographical phenomenon. here in chicago i've never had anyone question why i ride a bike everywhere. there are thousands of us commuter/utility cyclists in chicago, it's just how we choose to get around the city. and while we're still a minority compared to motorists, we're all over the freaking place and our numbers increase every day. i think in more suburban/rural areas (places where adult cyclists are more of an outlier) the DUI/DWI assumption might be more prevalent.
It certainly wasn't always like this however. Even 5 years ago, you were regarded as somewhat unique... to put it mildly. |
Originally Posted by Scheherezade
(Post 14149718)
One of the things I really enjoy about living in a city with an active bicycle culture is that this doesn't really happen. Pretty much everyone has a friend or relative that enjoys bike commuting, so there's no bone-headedness. But, most people still assume the winter cyclists have a damaged frontal lobe, =)
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I never really gave this any thought until you mentioned it. I could care less that somebody might think something like that but I do know that some of the bikes in the rack outside my job are there for child support payments and DUIs. The people I work with have known for years that I'm an avid backpacker. They were not phased when I took the notion to start commuting by bike. They and I both say I'd probably started biking 35 years ago if the thought had crossed my mind back then. Then again I've got well kept bikes and they get parked in my office every day so probably not very drunk looking.
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Originally Posted by gna
(Post 14151082)
Not necessarily. Two former coworkers were whispering that I had got a DWI and lost my license. Part of the job requires me to drive company vehicles, so it is grounds for termination. Boss had to pull a Motor Vehicle Report. Then he told them to shut up.
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Amazing to me. I'd never heard of such a thing in all my years of bicycle commuting. With one exception, though, I've always worked in the bicycle industry, so that's probably why.
My co-workers know I'm addicted to cycling and most know that I'm very low in consumption of alcohol (a little beer and wine occasionally) to that may contribute too. Now people who see me riding my folder, or see my on the Metro might think that, but no one has ever said anything to that (DWI) effect. Rick / OCRR |
I guess the closet that I've come is while at the First Friday concert in downtown St. Pete having someone talking their friend think that I was homeless. Until his friend started "dissecting" my bicycle, i.e. saying:
See those pedals (Crank Brother Eggbeaters)? He ain't homeless. See those pannier bags? He ain't homeless. See the bike he's riding? He ain't homeless. See the kit that he's wearing? He ain't homeless. The next was I was talking with one of the rent-a-cops at my complex and he told me that the first few times that he saw me that he thought I was coming to buy drugs. Like someone seeking drugs would have multiple lights on their bike, ride wearing a vest and a kit. . . |
Here in CA, I know of plenty of coworkers who have no car; just a bike. And they do NOT live in SF, they live in the 'burbs. Tons of people bike to work. But then the average age of the employees in high tech is probably 25. And it's CA.
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I hadn't given the idea people might think I had a DUI when they see me commuting by bike much thought, I do think they might be thinking I was some pink-o tree hugger! But, I must confess that when I see a guy in work clothes riding an old bike, usually too small for him, sometimes smoking, I do think DUI.
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I kinda don't have an issue with the tree hugger thing.
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Originally Posted by Papa Tom
(Post 14149465)
Apparently, it's just too difficult for the average person to comprehend why we choose to commute by bicycle.
Unless someone comes up with some good alternative, wait 'till gas goes up to $20/gallon, and even the US might turn into Holland ;-) |
I like to see the astounded look on peoples' faces every time I answer the DUI/why I bike question, when I say that I have a valid driver's license, no DUIs, a newer reliable and fully operational car, and that I really prefer to ride a bike than drive.
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There are a lot of guys in my city (it's a pretty rough city in general) that ride bikes because they have DUI's. I'm sure I get thrown into that category as well. I think if people actually watched me bike compared to the DUI guys they'd see some clear differences. Such as, I don't ride a bike that's been spray pained 15 times (a new color for each time one of the DUI riders stole it from another), I don't ride on the sidewalk, and I ride in a straight line. :p
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Originally Posted by Digital_Cowboy
(Post 14151239)
See those pedals (Crank Brother Eggbeaters)? He ain't homeless.
See those pannier bags? He ain't homeless. See the bike he's riding? He ain't homeless. See the kit that he's wearing? He ain't homeless. The next was I was talking with one of the rent-a-cops at my complex and he told me that the first few times that he saw me that he thought I was coming to buy drugs. Like someone seeking drugs would have multiple lights on their bike, ride wearing a vest and a kit. . . |
Originally Posted by Winfried
(Post 14151712)
Unless someone comes up with some good alternative, wait 'till gas goes up to $20/gallon, and even the US might turn into Holland ;-)
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It never happened to me, but it's NYC, lots of people ride bikes here. I also dress up in cycling clothes and my bike is equipped with all kinds of gear that probably makes people thing I ride on purpose.
Only once a guy in a car yelled at me "get a car!", but that was a long time ago and I explained to him that I probably make several times as much money as he does, I'm 1/4 of his size, a lot healthier, smarter and generally don't give a sh*t about what what dumbass fatty thinks and rode away. |
Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
(Post 14151837)
99% of the people out there won't notice any of that. The thought process goes - adult on a bike, not wearing skin-tight clothes with logos plastered all over it? Drug/DWI/homeless, end of story.
I thought it was funny. Every day after that when I'd see him I'd say, "the homeless guy is here!" I don't worry too much what people think. People who matter don't care, and people who care don't matter. |
I'm sure some people think that about me, but I've noticed the stereotype doesn't translate over to women as much.
I do assume that the dudes on tiny BMX bikes with rusty, sagging chains, dark clothes on, salmoning up the sidewalk, with a case of beer balanced on their handlebars have DWI's, though. |
Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
(Post 14151842)
Actually, what will happen is that there will be revolution. I think Americans would rather resort to violence in the streets than ride a bike.
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Originally Posted by ItsJustMe
(Post 14151842)
Actually, what will happen is that there will be revolution. I think Americans would rather resort to violence in the streets than ride a bike.
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Originally Posted by Tuc
(Post 14149481)
And you know what? It is what I think when I see someone on a converted bicycle with a motor, gas or electric!
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Originally Posted by Papa Tom
(Post 14149465)
....Do you think there are lots of people out there who look at us and right away think "DWI?"
Nobody questions it anymore. |
Originally Posted by lhbernhardt
(Post 14150687)
One of the nice things about riding to work is that you don't have to worry about DWI. I've been to Christmas parties and had too much to drink, and then gotten on the bike to go home. But at that time of year in Vancouver, it's around freezing, so with the wind in your face, plus the exercise, you sober up Real Fast. Plus if you do get clobbered by a car, you have only yourself to blame, and you probably deserved it anyway. Plus your body is being fueled by alcohol, which is a terribly inefficient and painful way to produce energy, so you're out of breath and not even at normal cruising speed. But when I rode up to the police road block (checking for DUI), they just waved me thru... (one of the things they do is take a whiff of the car interior, it's pretty much a dead giveaway, but on a bike, you can't tell!)
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I don't know about Canada but they give out DUIs to people on bikes here just the same as they do for cars.
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