It happened again...
 

Today we got our first snow. A car free/ bike free person who doesn't know many bikers made the comment "I imagine you don't ride your bike; in snow or icy conditions..".

Dude, what're you talking about?! I NEVER ride when it goes below 50, or if it's cloudy.

They just don't know, when they see you riding they'll get it.

Reply: Wow! With an imagination like that, do you see lots of pink elephants or giant rabbits too?

Having grown up in Florida and California I had my trepidations about ice and snow. Arkansas cured me.

Last winter I discovered that my bicycle was more stable in the snow than your average car. And if I lost traction going up a hill, I could get off and walk. :)

I have to admit that I've been too chicken to ride when it gets snowy / icy. Last winter I crashed on an icy patch of a MUP and now whenever I think about riding when the temps are below freezing, I have visions of coming down on the street underneath a truck or something. I need to check out the winter cycling forum for inspiration, tips, and courage, but in the meantime, I'm doing a lot of bus-riding and walking. :(

Yeah, I learned to bike in Hawaii and solidified my skills in Florida. It took a while to get me out in snow and ice. This morning there were some sections of my commute slick with ice and heavy traffic, I just rode slowly and took the lane. The car drivers seem more polite to me when it is icy.

i never go outside unless it's between 67.3 and 67.6 degrees. ;)

What do you mean by "more stable", exactly? A bike isn't more stable than a car at all - if you get off of it, it falls over. Do you mean it's more controllable?

I know what you mean. We seem to fly totally under the radar, because people mostly see exactly what they expect to see.

Recently I was talking to a co-worker who's seen me on my bike, in the snow, many times over the past 5 years. She asked me, "You don't ride your bike to work in the winter do you?" I had to remind her that I once propped my bike against her truck while I helped her clear the ice off the windshield.

Excellent idea. Just think of all the oil we'd save if everyone did precisely the same thing.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...I/S7300521.jpg :D