Comments on: Was _Your_ Driver’s License Revoked?

By: Why Do You Bike Commute? Why Don’t You Bike Commute? « Car Free Days

Why Do You Bike Commute? Why Don’t You Bike Commute? « Car Free Days — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:04:16 +0000

[...] than the usual (”it’s great exercise!”or “the weather sucks”), our insight into the matter has been lean. One thing I sort of remember from grad school (way back in 2007) is [...]

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:58:57 +0000

My wife and I decided to bite the bullet and sell our last car back in July when she was 5 months pregnant with our second child. Her parents knew we were pretty serious about changing our consumption habits, but I don’t think they knew how serious until that.

Suprisingly, the people in our area here in Longmont CO have been really pretty positive in their responses when they see us toting our kids around, even on those single digit snowy days, we mostly get admiring looks.

Probably the only person who consistantly doesn’t get it is my boss. He still gives me befuddles looks on cold snowy mornings and asks “DID YOU RIDE IN?!?!”. Some days I jokingly respond “No, I walked…” (my commute is 12 miles), or simply “of course ”.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:49:24 +0000

Several years ago, I was riding to work when a pickup pulls alongside (why is it always a pickup?). Driver rolls down the window and yells out, “Get a job!” I was too stunned to reply. I have a job. That’s where I was going on my bike: to my job. Maybe he associated lack of a car with unemployment. Funny thing is, I have a car. I just don’t use it to get to work.

By: Val

Val — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:20:35 +0000

Probably the most common comment I get is: “What kind of motor does that have?” To which I answer: “An organically top fuelled, 1/8 horse V-twin hemi.” Sometimes, someone who doesn’t ride can figure that one out. My most favorite recent exchange happened when I was about 3/4 of the way up my usual one mile hill going home, at about 9:30 PM. I was moving steadily, though not quickly, in the bike lane when a pickup truck pulled out from a side street behind me, came alongside, and matched my speed. The passenger window rolled down, and the driver leaned across to yell: “You wanna ride up the hill?” I did an incredulous double take, checking around me, and replied: “I AM riding up the hill!” “Oookayyy…” he rolled up the window and drove on. Made my week.

By: Smudgemo

Smudgemo — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:17:52 +0000

Mrs. Smudgemo is a broker and not so long ago pulled up to a house that was on the broker’s tour on her scooter. Some guy commented about how times are obviously tough for realtors (for lack of the BMW or Benz, I suppose.)

She probably smiled because she’s far too nice to people. I’d have probably said the car is at home because thousands of my fellow citizens aren’t. They are dying in this place called Iraq, and I’m trying to do as much as I can to live a normal life AND get them home. Follow that up with a question asking what the other person is doing, and that’s bound to be enough.

By: David F

David F — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:39:16 +0000

Errr…
When I was trying to get support for a free ride to work breakfast, which would be totally catered for by independent sponsors, I approached the Occupational Health and Safety officer for the University where I work.
In a totally disinterested manner he claimed to support staff and students having a healthy lifestyle, and agreed that bicycles have their place in this respect. BUT they should be banned from our campus as a matter of safety….
My response was kind of slow and after picking my jaw up off the floor I retorted: “Dahh hey? what? Are you serious?”
And thus began my education in the eradication of cyclists by malicious neglect and deliberate campus legislation.
(Seriously! They take no action regarding bicycle theft and are actively moving to outlaw bicycles from buildings and common areas within the university… On and they ditched their Solar car research too!)