LittleBigMan

After skimming the "Age of Commuters" thread (nosey that I am,) I started to wonder how many other bicycle commuters you know, other than by this website?

I've met a few on my route, and others in my area from this website. I can think of three on my route I've seen regularly and spoken with, but none where I work.

If it wasn't for the internet, I wouldn't have thought there were so many bicycle commuters. But when I logon here, it seems we're all over the place!

How about you?

legot73

There are two in my building (including me). The other is in his mid 40's, I'm 32.

A new one I met this morning from the building next door (est. 30's).

There is at least one at one of our other offices down the street (no idea who it is, just an REI Randonee).

I saw 3 new commuters on the way in this morning, all sidewalk riders, but at least they're riding (I'm guessing ages mid 30's through mid 40's).

bikebuddha 

I've meet two nonregular bike commuters in my building. And I mean very nonregular maybe 10 times a year.

Skrapple

I rarely see any other commuters... especially during the winter months or when it rains.

But in the evenings on nice days, riders on fancy bikes in flashy jerseys show up all over the place. Of course, I live in the burbs. Most people around here see biking as an expensive hobby, not as a way to travel.

marqueemoon

How many do I know? Probably half a dozen, including my girlfriend who commutes a few days a week in the warmer/drier months.

Seattle has a lot of commuters. Even on the worst days I see at least 5 fellow maniacs.

mihlbach

There are tons of bike shops around here, and lots of people buying bikes, but its apparently all for recreation, except, seemingly, for me and the occasional illegal on a wal-mart Magna mountain bike. Occasionally, I will pass someone on a bicycle on weekday mornings, but none of them appear to be commuters because there are no regulars. Whats even sadder is that I work on a college campus and I've never seen a bike here except my own.

DataJunkie

I know 0 bike commuters. There are maybe 3 commuters I recognize on one part of my route.

Gojohnnygo.

Zero I think it's because of the time and location(Very rural) I commute, 3:00am and 12:30pm. I did see someone about a year ago pulling a Bob trailer and one about 3 years ago at 4:00am. If wasn't for Bike Forums I would have given up years ago. Thanks Bike Forum commuting members.

Johnny

MMACH 5

I've met two other commuters during my 11 months of riding to work. One was a student at a community college that I ride past. The other was a drunk guy on the train, (not making assumptions; he wreaked of alcohol).

I do know a guy from our "parents night out" group who puts in 18 miles before he rides the 8 miles to his office.

Other than that, it's just you warm-fuzzy folks on BF.

GTcommuter

One other at the office rack every single day. One other occasionally.

A fair number on the road, though I commute along the city's most prominant MUP and intown routes. A few that I know socially.

LittleBigMan

I have to admit, I like to think of myself as the proverbial "weed in the sidewalk" that sprouts up in spite of the apparant lack of good soil. But to be honest, I'm sure BF has played a major role in inspiring me over the years. In fact, it was here I discovered so many local commuters I would never have known existed!



I second that!

DataJunkie

Count me in. Heck, this site is the reason I cyclocommute. It had never occured to me that it was even possible before I found BF on a completely unrelated google search.

banerjek

We are all over the place. Too bad there are not so many of us everywhere that it would even occur to us to turn to the internet. I'm not aware of any car forums where people just discuss commuting by car.

How many of you have met someone who immediately says something to the effect of "hey, you're that guy I see on my way to work every day...."? It's fun to be recognized by strangers, but on the other hand it would be even better if riding weren't cause for distinction.

ItsJustMe

Nobody who looks like a commuter-by-choice, anywhere. Maybe 2 sometime-commuters that I have seen on the roads.

In 2+ years of riding, I saw a kid who looked like he was going to school (and riding on the wrong side of the road and weaving all over), one time. I saw a no-helmet slow guy who looked like a DUI refugee, one time. I saw a young man whose car broke down riding to work in the middle of the night in the winter with no lights; I stopped to chat, he asked to follow me to take advantage of my lights, but I couldn't ride slow enough to hang on to him despide riding about 10 MPH and circling back to pick him up 3 times, he eventually just stopped.

There's a 50-something asian guy who I've seen on my route about a half dozen times, riding pretty slow. There is a guy who looks homeless or at least poor, riding a walmart beater and always has a big plastic bag full of returnable bottles and often stops to pick some up; I see him about 3x a year.

There's a woman at work who I talk to occasionally, and she rode to work... one time. There is a beat-up 10 speed that shows up at one of the entrances about 3 times a year, I don't know the owner.

Eggplant Jeff

There's one other guy at my office who has on occasion biked to work. Usually I think he just brings his bike on the back of his car and goes for lunchtime rides.

At the place I just interviewed, however, there's a full-time rider and a part time (who'd be my boss!). Cross your fingers for me...

jeff-o

...one.

Working on convincing a second.

chajmahal

I bike commute 4-5 days a week and regularly see 4 other commuters from my work. I've never actually seen them at work but I know they're coworkers because I work on a penninsula that's a navy base. Where else would they be going? There's only one road. We have engaged in small talk about bikes or traffic but no specifics. I'm 31 but the other commuters I have met are 45-55. Yes, most of them pass me. All of my cager coworkers think I'm nuts (or have a DUI).

Halfway along my commute in a residential area is a small, private university. I used to see a big kid (18 or 19 yrs old student) puffing away on an x-mart type full-suspension mtn bike on his way to class. He had it in an impossible gear considering it's 5 miles uphill. He was always in the big ring and small cog and doing about 7-9 mph. I tried talking to him about shifting to the middle ring and bigger cog, and spinning as opposed to mashing, but he didn't seem very receptive to advice. Don't see him anymore so he probably got a car.

rando

one. he's the one that got me started. but now I ride in more than he does!

rat_factory

i don't know any but my girlfriend, and she is less than excited about commuting to the store. there was one commuter i guess heading northbound on collins st in arlington (for those around DFW, texas). He had about a 20w light, road frame, drop bars, rear rack and loaded panniers; older fellow, but he was haulin uphill even and keeping up with traffic. i got so exited i wanted to pull over at the light and talk, but i was turning the other way (in my car). maybe someone out there will reconize him. oh this was about 9 pm last week sometime.

TRaffic Jammer

I have two bike racks (10-20 bikes per) at work filled with spring to fall commuters. Three full(stuffed and hard to park) in the summer, and down to maybe three to five consistent riders in the winter.

aadhils

none. well mebbe one that commutes once a bluemoon...

ken cummings

On any given ten mile daytime commute I will see 1 to 3 Anglo commuters and 2 to 6 Hispanic commuters.

Banzai

At one of the buildings I pass on my commute there are several bikes that are "usual suspects" at the rack out front. About 6 total, with 4 in attendance at any given time. They obviously work a different schedule than I do, because only once have I actually seen one of them actually riding. The rest are just there or not there. The one time I saw the guy I was so excited, because so rarely do I see another cyclist. It made me smile as he did a couple of happy zig-zags on the open road before setting off at top speed. Someone as happy as I am to be biking home, reveling in the freedom (for a while) from work.

Other than that, I've seen two regulars (wave "hi", but don't actually know), and I've shamed some people into riding in with me a couple of times.

patc

I know several, if I include acquaintances. In fact today I was complaining about the number of bike commuters! The nearest mall has an office tower attached to it - must have been 100 bikes there today, I had to circle the mall to find place to park.

McGillicutty

We have a lot of bike lockers here at work but I only see a handful of people who use them. I do see a fair number of people riding in before and after work, but it's a small town and short distances so it's a little easier. Even in winter, there's always a few who make me feel bad when I do drive.

You can ID the hardcore ones in the winter when they're walking out of the buildings by the bumblebee outfit of yellow jacket and black pants. I always think to myself: "They're out there."