That doesn't offend me at all. It's just human stupidity. But I guess it may be more prevalent in other locations. In large cities where lots of people ride I think this is less of a problem, although, I do encounter this from time to time even here.

You are over thinking things. I like to pedal and camp, together. Some people just like to ride, go fast, save gas, be green, what ever. For lots of people outside of the US, biking is a great way to get around. See, Germany with gas $ by the liter and other counties.

Funny I actually started bike commuting a couple years ago out of necessity and then it became a hobby (though it is still a necessity). I decided to go to engineering school when I was 30 years old even though I had a wife and child on the way, giving up one car has been a critical element in making it financially possible. One thing I have been offended by is when people (mainly people in cars) have treated me like I am some kind of an idiot for being on the road on a bicycle. It just happened yesterday, I was in a turning lane, doing everything right, I was well lit, hand signalling my turn etc. and some jerk yelled as he passed by "get the F*** off the road". That is offensive, because I don't really have the option (financially) of getting off the road.

As far as homeless people being offended by me as I pass by, I don't really know much about that. I guess I do mostly commute on an old bike and I wear basic street clothes (sweat pants) so I don't look rich, but I also don't look homeless because my bike has lights and I wear a helmet. I have found many of them to be friendly and courteous as I ride by each day, they often smile or say hello and I do the same. I have actually found that many of them are more worried about offending others than they are worried about being offended. Sometimes they apologize needlessly if they inadvertently cause me to have to slow down or something.

Commonly people are worried that bike commuting presents an image of being down and out, unable to afford the basic conveniences such as a car. Which is the opposite of OP's concern.

After about 5 years of bike commuting I was pretty sure that it does present an image of someone struggling to get by, at least to a lot of people, and that I didn't care at all about it one way or another.

I'm also pretty sure that few people aside from cycling enthusiasts and bike thieves either know or care that you're riding a relatively expensive bike. A bike is a bike and a "good" one costs $250, or so I hear from time to time, so I wouldn't be concerned much about the random stranger thinking that you're flaunting your wealth with your headlights and panniers and carbon. Like as not they think you spent $300 and feel sorry for you.

Weather applied to camping, bike commuting, or anything else, this assumption that it is offensive to do so if you means to do otherwise is ridiculous.

I suppose by this logic I should do the most expensive, wasteful, and environmentally unfriendly things I can just because I may be able to afford them?

I guess instead of bike commuting I should drive a Hummer and pay for a reserved parking spot. Intead of camping to bein nature I should stay at the four seasons, demand my linens be washed daily, or maybe get a big huge RV so I can watch TV while "camping".

I camp as a way to detach from technology and enjoy the outdoors - it is often a "basecamp" for other activities in the woods for me.

I bike commute for many reasons, including exercise, enjoyment, limiting my carbon footprint, avoiding traffic congesting, and saving money over driving or mass transit.

Except for a very elite group, we all have limited financial resources and choose to spend our money in different ways. For some one way to save money may be to use a bike instead of car to get around some of the time, for others camping might offer an inexpensive and very enjoyable way to spend vacation.

When I'm not riding my bike, I'm generally wearing an old T-shirt and jeans. Depending on the weather, I may also be wearing my favorite hoodie, which is old and tattered. To top it off, I have long hair and a big bushy beard and my hair is usually quite oily. That is, I tend to look like many homeless men. It's not uncommon when I'm walking around downtown or riding public transportation for a homeless man to assume that I am also homeless, at least there are clues that come up in conversation that seem to me to be based on such an assumption. I don't rush to correct them, but I don't hide the reality of my life either. Typically when it becomes clear that I have a stable place to live, that isn't a problem. Notice, however, that this comes up because I'm having a conversation with them. My experience with homeless people is that they are just like anybody else (though perhaps they don't hide their eccentricities as well). I used to think that homeless people talked to me because they thought I was also homeless. Over time, I've come to notice that they talk to pretty much everyone and I just end up in more conversations with homeless people than most others do because I listen. (Note that the correlation between mental illness and homelessness is well documented and I accept it as correct, but mentally ill people, for the most part, value acceptance and social interaction just as much as anyone else, possibly much more.)

When I ride to work, it is because I am essentially a desk jockey with my job. Riding is the antidote to our modern lifestyle which almost coerces people into being extremely sedentary. It is a way for me to incorporate the outdoors and exercise into my daily routine. I must go to work, so I may as well do so in the best, most efficient and productive fashion.

What do I find offensive? I find the prospect of my arteries clogging and hardening prematurely due to an extremely sedentary lifestyle to be offensive. Also, I don't care to spend needlessly at the gas pump.

It seems like no matter what we do in the 21st century we are always offending someone. I do what I think is right and don't much care what others think.

I don't see where bicycle commuting is any more a hobby than commuting by bus or car or whatever. It's a mode of transportation.

Your second paragraph is good man..

The guys commonly seen around here riding horrific MTB's, not because they want to, but because they HAVE to, could care less about me, even if they happen to notice.

As an aside, this is one of the most thought provoking threads I have seen. Also the opinions of posters (that vary widely) are a great read. Well done OP.

I personally was offended by the commercial specifically because it continues to spread that notion among the general public that bicycles are nothing but dumb toys to be used only by children and those fallen upon hard times, and really only to be enjoyed by children. And when bicycles are viewed that way by the general public, I think that also is partially responsible for the lack of respect we cyclists get on the roads.

I really think it depends on the area/city. New York, Portland and other places where lots of people ride probably don't exhibit this as much. And as far as commercial are considered: yeah, most are pretty dumb, shooting for the lowest common denominator to sell their warez to the most gullible people.

+1. I was not offended, but it's such a common, American viewpoint. I bookmarked this post several years ago that expressed it well:

This has really reached an unusual turn with the mention of the commercial. I don't remember seeing that commercial, most of the bicycles I see in commercials are of people riding cruisers and hybrids along tree covered streets with shops and coffee houses, etc. advertising a new drug. Most Americans (including cyclists) look upon cycling as strictly recreational. I was in my bank late last March after a brief late season snow storm. The tellers are accustomed to seeing me park my bike by the door, I went in and everybody was complaining about the weather, "where was spring?" you know. My teller looked up from the conversation and said," I felt so sorry for you having to ride a bike in this!" I said "Why? I could always drive my car if I wanted." You would have thought I dropped a bomb in there. The entire lobby froze with their mouths hanging open while I walked out. I have conversations like that all the time with people. It is simply beyond their imagination to choose to ride a bike rather than drive.

Marc

Well yeah that's true. The commercial I'm thinking of may have just been for this market, which before just a couple of years ago had very few cyclists. Memphis is on the up-and-coming list for cyclists, but the surrounding suburbs have MUCH to be desired. As I mentioned in another thread, in my 31 mile round trip commute, I'm pretty much THE ONLY person riding a bike in that entire distance. Occasionally I might see one guy just out for a ride, or another guy on a cheap bike trying to get somewhere (usually salmoning, etc). Otherwise I'm a loner around here when it comes to commuting.

Yeah I tried and tried to find that commercial on YT but no luck.

Just yesterday I went out on my bike during lunch to make a bank deposit. I used the drive-thru teller, which has a little screen where the person inside can see me and vice versa. I asked the lady if they ever get anyone else come through on bikes and she actually said occasionally, which surprised me. Again I thought I was the only one.

This has been an interesting and thought-provoking thread to read through.

I will chime in as follows: Virtually anything anyone does anywhere can be perceived to be offensive. You listen to loud music when driving? That offends me because I feel it makes you a distracted driver... You wear Nike shoes? That offends me because a child-slave in Taiwan was forced to make those... You subscribe to the theory of evolution? That offends me because the bible says differently... (I'm not actually offended by any of the statements above, just using them as examples).

I truly feel that those who take offense to the minute nuances of those they share society with are better left unacknowledged. There are things that others do that I, personally, take offense to. I do not expect them to change per my suggestions or variance in opinion. I do my best to remain open-minded to the opinions and decisions of others and I sincerely hope the rest of society can do the same. Empathy is a difficult skill to hone, but when judging others based on how they differ from you, a tall glass of empathetic "shut the hell up" is sometimes all it takes to realize that we are all human beings living complex lives that are connected in more ways than we care to realize.

Actually, I’m not sure I saw that particular commercial either, but you described it well, Patrick, and I'm sure I have seen one similar.

At a local hospital I have seen a poster advertising a new type of joint replacement surgery (Makoplasty) on which is a picture of a smiling middle-aged couple with the man’s hands on bicycle handlebars. So while bicycling can be depicted as a pitiful act of desperation in some commercials, other ads use cycling as a desirable paragon of health.

Nice.

I find it offensive when people DON'T commute by bike. I observe a distinct positive correlation between the percentage of bike commuters and the quality of life.

This is filmed (not by me) within a few hundred metres of my flat in CPH.


Where I live in the UK, not as many people commute by bike, which is sad, but the infrastructure doesn't exist

This thread is meaningful for people concerned about what other people "think". If you commute by bicycle, for whatever purpose, just go ahead and commute by bicycle. We have our reasons, and there is no purpose in trying to figure out what others think about it or what kind of impression we are giving. A free human being cannot form their lifestyle based on what others "think".

This is true.
I think Genec put up figures of how profits increased for business establishments who are based close to cycle tracks or some such bicycle infrastructure, so the benefits are financial, too, in some instances.

I have my own theory about autocentricity and negatives it has visited upon the USA from a psychological point-of-view, but its too boring and off-topic for this thread, so I will do a favor, and keep it to myself

Welcome back AdamDZ. I'm glad you have returned.

When I lived in Germany, the cyclepaths between the large cities (Frankfurt and Mainz) were jammed with places to eat and drink!

In fact, the weather is great today so I'll cycle to the closest thing to a beer garden:



Thankfully it's less than 50m from my front door in the UK!

have a nice ride!

Years ago, my Wife and I wanted to move to France for an adventure, but couldnt due to family issues/responsibilities.
Now. closing in on retirement, I think we need to revisit that (European) thought process for our last years . . .