jade408

Today I was peddling around to do some errands. I woman passing me to go to the next lane said to me. "I'm going to get a bike, i see you riding, and I thought - I can do that too!"

Maybe I'll see her on the streets.

I don't know about you, but I want roll models. People with a similar lifestyle, clothing style and use case to me I can emulate. Do you have roll models? What makes a good one for you.

Chris516

Do you mean being a roll model?

cranky old road 

Role

trailangel

I want Roll Models too!
https://www.facebook.com/RollModelsShow

Looigi

Beat me to it.

intransit1217

Accident or not, I like the op's spelling in this case.

alcjphil

Nice little play on words

rydabent

I am apparently a role model for some. I ride both a recumbent bike and a trike. I wear plain t-shirts and rugby shorts, which are basically sweat pants. Because of how I dress and what I ride many people want me to stop and talk to them especially about the trike. While many may want to talk about the trike, I think is is the fact that I seem to be dressed more or less like a normal person rather than a fully kitted roadie that makes me approachable. I have been stopped so many times, I have taken to carrying the business card for the local recumbent shop.

So yes, I think I am a role model for some people that would like to get into biking for fun and exercise.

JoeyBike

I was hanging out a a bike shop one day and a 20-something young man walked in and wanted to purchase a bicycle. He told the salesman that he was sitting in traffic the other day watching the same red light go red-green-red-green three or four times as is the usual for his daily work commute. Then a cyclist shoots past him splitting lanes, blows the red, and splits lanes at speed before disappearing over the "horizon" of "parked" cars. Gone in 10 seconds. So that made him think "I can do that!" so right then and there decided to try bike commuting.

No way to know, but I like to believe he saw me. He mentioned a street that was on my commuter route.

This is my kind of role model. Instead of getting jealous and angry, he got motivated to improve the shape of his own commuter vehicle.

Shimagnolo

"That's how we role."

intransit1217

Not sure lane splitting and light blowing are on my personal list, but approachability is.

But isn't approachability part the interested party's responsibility?

I have no idea if a kit clad rider is approachable until I approach him/ her.

kickstart

Its been my experince that RIK's are usually just folks like anyone else individually, but can be a bit touchy when in a group during rides.

JoeyBike

The roadies where I live are by far pretty nice people. But they are not likely to engage in conversation unless you are doing 25-30mph or happen to catch them at Starbucks after the Giro. I can't imagine why anyone would want to engage a kitted-up roadie in conversation in the first place, but that's just me. What would I say? "Hey bro...is it Halloween already??"

jade408

I used roll on purpose, as is roll on your bike.

it was a pun in a bike advocacy group.

JoeyBike

Mostly English teachers here at A&S apparently. Don't take it personally.

atbman

Bob

spare_wheel

Retired ones with lawns.

CrankyOne

Back to the topic... I think it's difficult to know what a good role model is for different people. We all have different tastes in fashion, politics, career choices, etc. I do think that the vast majority of people hold someone with good morals and ethics in much higher esteem than people who are proud of cheating. From purely a cycling standpoint I think that people who blow red lights or weave in and out of traffic do not give bicycling a good image. I think that most people also wouldn't want to be caught dead in lycra nor have anything to do with an activity that requires it. From these standpoints I think that people who ride in normal clothes and are fairly respectful of others are likely much better role models.

FBinNY 

Silly me. I had these in mind. There are so many types, we can't know them all.

GravelMN

Clever play on words, OP. I like it.

One person saying that you gave them the inspiration or courage to get out and ride can make up for a whole lot of jerks who gave you a hard time.

trailangel

Don't flatter yourself...
You say a lot of stuff. I am not always in agreement, but I do agree you need to blow the light.
I think it is safer for the biker to do this. I know 2 people personally in the last year that were rear ended at a stoplight. One on motorcycle, one in car. Broke the motorcyclist back. If I do stop it's way over to the right at the curb not out in the lane. Run the light and get on down the road.
This is what I will tell the cops when they stop me for doing that... it's safer!
Oh, and BTW, if you do run the light in front of a cop, give him a quick 4 finger wave.... he will think you are another cop giving a 10-4 and won't stop you.
Back to the 'Roll Models'....

JoeyBike

Just for clarity...i run reds if it is advantageous for me, the coast is clear, and does not put me in front of a line of traffic releasing from the light. There are tactical issues all designed to limit the number of motor vehicles overtaking me.

trailangel

Yes. Let's call it "jumping the light" instead..
Be a Roll Model and teach the others......

Minnesota Expat

This.

wphamilton

I'm of two minds on being the role model. I'm basically just doing my thing and if people do see it and think "that can't be so hard after all", I am satisfied with that. Although I've also had a couple of interviews in the local paper so I guess that's being a role model of sorts.

Anyhow, a lady approached me to take pictures of my bike at a convenience store last week saying she wanted to show it to her "lazy friend" who refuses to commute in the rain. Which is one reason I don't usually stop anywhere with that bike. In a sense it's gratifying that people are interested in what I built, but it really isn't advocacy. Her friend can't ride in the rain on a bike like mine. The real role models are ordinary looking people doing ordinary things. But on a bike, enjoying ourselves.