When can you call yourself a commuter?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 44
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
When can you call yourself a commuter?
I have been commuting for about 3 weeks. I was just wondering when I can officially call myself a commuter? Is there a right of passage I have to go through? Do i get a secret decoder ring?
In 3 weeks I have:
Taken my truck keys off my keychain.
Watched a hawk pick up a snake right in front of me.
Almost got hit by a car.
Started to scoff at using my truck for any errands less than 5 mile distance.
What has the BF done to me?
In 3 weeks I have:
Taken my truck keys off my keychain.
Watched a hawk pick up a snake right in front of me.
Almost got hit by a car.
Started to scoff at using my truck for any errands less than 5 mile distance.
What has the BF done to me?
#2
You gonna eat that?
You are a bike commuter. You ride your bike to work.
#3
www.ocrebels.com
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Los Angeles area
Posts: 6,186
Bikes: Several bikes, Road, Mountain, Commute, etc.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 83 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
2 Posts
Miller84, You are looking for rules where there are none. No rights of passage, no secret decoder ring.
You ride to work and back once, you are a bicycle commuter.
Good to hear you'er having the experience though. Welcome to bicycle commuting!
Rick / OCRR
You ride to work and back once, you are a bicycle commuter.
Good to hear you'er having the experience though. Welcome to bicycle commuting!
Rick / OCRR
#4
Señior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 13,749
Bikes: Windsor Fens, Giant Seek 0 (2014, Alfine 8 + discs)
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 446 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
There's no club. Call yourself what you want.
__________________
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
#5
Mirror slap survivor
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 1,297
Bikes: Gunnar Sport, Surly Pacer, Access MTB, Ibex Corrida, one day a Simple City
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I have been commuting for about 3 weeks. I was just wondering when I can officially call myself a commuter? Is there a right of passage I have to go through? Do i get a secret decoder ring?
In 3 weeks I have:
Taken my truck keys off my keychain.
Watched a hawk pick up a snake right in front of me.
Almost got hit by a car.
Started to scoff at using my truck for any errands less than 5 mile distance.
What has the BF done to me?
In 3 weeks I have:
Taken my truck keys off my keychain.
Watched a hawk pick up a snake right in front of me.
Almost got hit by a car.
Started to scoff at using my truck for any errands less than 5 mile distance.
What has the BF done to me?
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 219
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Don't lie to him. He hasn't been inducted into the Super Secret Fraternal Order of Freds yet.
Your first challenge is fit 16 headlights onto your handlebars.
Your first challenge is fit 16 headlights onto your handlebars.
#9
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 44
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#10
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
I no longer have a daily commute as work is 32 steps from my back door and on some days, I can work in my pyjamas from where I sit now.
I commute to and from the bike co-op although that ride has been shortened considerably as we just opened a new location which is only a few km away... I still strive to make sure I ride a minimum of 20 km a day and do make trips back and forth to the girl's school and the frame shop is a nice 100km return trip but with more things moving back and forth between that shop and mine will need to use the car more.
I commute to and from the bike co-op although that ride has been shortened considerably as we just opened a new location which is only a few km away... I still strive to make sure I ride a minimum of 20 km a day and do make trips back and forth to the girl's school and the frame shop is a nice 100km return trip but with more things moving back and forth between that shop and mine will need to use the car more.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,646 Times
in
6,054 Posts
You don't have to ride your bike to work - hell, you don't even need a job - to call yourself a commuter. It's not like the police are going to check up on you...
#12
Mirror slap survivor
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 1,297
Bikes: Gunnar Sport, Surly Pacer, Access MTB, Ibex Corrida, one day a Simple City
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm going to be "THAT GUY", but you have to ride to work or school to be a "bike commuter". Otherwise it's just riding. Nothing wrong with that, but you're not a bike commuter unless you regularly ride to your place of employment or school.
#13
Geck, wo ist mein Fahrrad
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Front Range
Posts: 715
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Fredericksburg, VA to Fort Belvoir by VRE and bike
Posts: 117
Bikes: 2006 Trek 1000 SL, 1995 Performance 505 MTB, 2012 Trek 520 (my daily commuter)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
If you have asked yourself, it's 34° when you wake up, do I wear the winter gloves, fleece beany and wool socks? Or perhaps that 45° morning with cold rain and 15 mph winds, do I put the hood up on my rain jacket. If you didn't ask yourself do I drive today, then you are a bike commuter. For me it's also when I look over at the bridge on Interstate 95 and see I am riding faster then they are. :-) OOOOh yes, I am a bike commuter. OOOOh yes, I can have have that apple pie for lunch.
#15
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 6,192
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1376 Post(s)
Liked 432 Times
in
297 Posts
Honestly, I was going to say the first day you rode to work or school. We don't need no stinking badges here, call yourself whatever you want. but keep riding.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: NashVegas
Posts: 83
Bikes: 1979 Schwinn Caliente - 2002 Trek 4900 Alpha
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
When your co-workers come in shaking their umbrellas and say " you ride in today?" and you smile.
Love their eyerolls...
Love their eyerolls...
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tempe, AZ
Posts: 2,968
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
now.
__________________
"Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world". ~Grant Petersen
Cyclists fare best when they recognize that there are times when acting vehicularly is not the best practice, and are flexible enough to do what is necessary as the situation warrants.--Me
"Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world". ~Grant Petersen
Cyclists fare best when they recognize that there are times when acting vehicularly is not the best practice, and are flexible enough to do what is necessary as the situation warrants.--Me
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,646 Times
in
6,054 Posts
Sure. You need to ride your bike to somewhere like work or school (any others?) to be a bike commuter. But the OP is already a bike commuter; he's only asking what you have to do to call yourself a bike commuter. And the rules are a bit more lax on that.
#19
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 44
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
This was a tongue and cheek question as I only have 3 mile commute into work, although I am trying to use my bike more and more for errands and such.
#20
Dharma Dog
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 2,073
Bikes: Rodriguez Shiftless street fixie with S&S couplers, Kuwahara tandem, Trek carbon, Dolan track
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
No doubtr about it, you are a bike commuter. But you are not yet a "seasoned" bike commuter. For that, you will need two to three years of daily bike commuting that includes riding in cold weather, rain, snow if possible, and icy roads if possible, and not getting clobbered in traffic thru your own error. That's the on-bike portion. There's also an oral exam. You must be able to answer questions such as, "where do you leave your bike so it doesn't get stolen?" "where do you take a shower?" "what's the best system for getting clean clothes to work?" and "what's the fastest route to get to work, and what's the quietest/safest route?" (Look, we gotta keep out the rif-raff!)
Once you're comfortable with all that, and when you have demonstrated your ability to replace a punctured tube in cold rain in under 15 minutes (the clock starts when you roll to a stop and stops when you're back on the bike with the tire inflated), then you become a Bike Commuter First Class! This honor, plus $2, will buy you a cup of coffee...
Luis
Once you're comfortable with all that, and when you have demonstrated your ability to replace a punctured tube in cold rain in under 15 minutes (the clock starts when you roll to a stop and stops when you're back on the bike with the tire inflated), then you become a Bike Commuter First Class! This honor, plus $2, will buy you a cup of coffee...
Luis
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Phx, AZ
Posts: 2,112
Bikes: Trek Mtn Bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 281 Post(s)
Liked 2,634 Times
in
945 Posts
Technically you don't even have to ride to work or school to be a commuter.
Commuter: One that travels regularly from one place to another.
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/commuter
Commuter: One that travels regularly from one place to another.
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/commuter
#24
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 6,192
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1376 Post(s)
Liked 432 Times
in
297 Posts
When you know both sides to the backpack/pannier, mirror/no mirror, roll/fold, LBS/nashbar, bike path/street, mtb/road bike, how do I clean up at work questions and can give the valid points to both sides.
#25
Prefers Cicero
There's a qualifying exam administered by the NFBC.