Noticed a trend.
08-24-18, 02:20 PM
#26
Member
This is so true. I've noticed it in myself. When I lived in the big city and sat in an 1-2 hrs of traffic to and from work every day I was completely miserable.
08-24-18, 03:22 PM
#27
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I don't know if I am smiling when I'm riding my bike to work in the morning. I might just be too focused on the road/traffic to be smiling. But I do know this: I am often annoyed at stop lights when I'm behind the wheel of a car. On a bike it doesn't bother me one bit. In fact, sometimes I welcome the break.
I don't smile at all bikers, but today at a stop I couldn't help smiling at a cyclist who was crossing with a cute little toddler in her handle-bar mounted baby seat. She smiled back and blew me a kiss as she passed; doesn't get much better than that in the city.
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Work is the curse of the drinking classes - Oscar Wilde
Work is the curse of the drinking classes - Oscar Wilde
09-23-18, 10:33 AM
#28
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Cars just plain suck and make my life miserable. Bikes will at least give you good exercise!
09-24-18, 01:07 AM
#29
Banned
I'm on the jog 5km in morning along with seaside and then cycle into work schedule except for days like today when we're at the other house (not at the seaside.)
I find the joggers much more friendly as we're spoiled by the seaside.
The cyclists are always in a rush.
Drivers are very polite, which surprised me but always in a rush.
I find the joggers much more friendly as we're spoiled by the seaside.
The cyclists are always in a rush.
Drivers are very polite, which surprised me but always in a rush.
09-24-18, 01:30 PM
#30
☢
I think people who commute by bike out of choice generally have a more pleasant personality. I think that's true with exercise over all.
10-02-18, 07:17 PM
#31
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I'm definitely happier when I get to ride to work. With yoing kids I barely ride at all so get only about one ride a week to/from work and cherish those rides. Heat, cold and rain don't bother me at all. It also helps that my 15km commute is almost all multi-use path through woods and fields. Not sure I'd be so happy riding through downtown.
10-02-18, 07:48 PM
#32
Member
As a person that loves anything on wheels I am seeing alot of generalizations being made about people looking miserable driving to work vs riding a bike. Next time you see someone driving their classic car, their motorcycle, their sportscar etc, take a look. I believe that most of these people are very happy.
10-03-18, 07:50 AM
#33
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Noticed a trend
I have posted previously about the car-bike commuter dichotomy to this similar thread, below, with the following comments elsewhere:
People commuting by bike in the morning are always smiling. Always waving and saying hello / good morning to each other.
People commuting by car in the morning are hardly ever smiling. Always mad at something, always in a rush to get somewhere, trying not to make eye contact
.
I have even noticed this about myself, hence I made a decision to commute by bike as much as I can this year. Even go me a dedicated bike to do so. Now there are no excuses hahaha. Already looking forward to a ride back home, despite the rain / t-storms in the forecast.
People commuting by car in the morning are hardly ever smiling. Always mad at something, always in a rush to get somewhere, trying not to make eye contact
.
I have even noticed this about myself, hence I made a decision to commute by bike as much as I can this year. Even go me a dedicated bike to do so. Now there are no excuses hahaha. Already looking forward to a ride back home, despite the rain / t-storms in the forecast.
"People who commute by car are less happy and less healthy than the rest of us"
Many years ago, early in my cycling lifestyle, I heard a lecture by a psychiatrist who said that in experimental (animal) studies of stress, immobilization was the most powerful stressor. I immediately extrapolated that concept to realize that confinement in an automobile was society’s most common form of immobilization. Even when cruising along on a freeway, the driver is still immobilized, and it becomes more acute when in a traffic jam.
The bus, followed by the train, offer more freedom of movement, but walking and cycling allow essentially total freedom of movement.
Since automobile commuting is such a prolonged daily, and life-long activity, I would attribute a lot of the morbidity of civilization to that incessant stressor. Perhaps scientific, maybe not, but certainly makes sense to me.
Many years ago, early in my cycling lifestyle, I heard a lecture by a psychiatrist who said that in experimental (animal) studies of stress, immobilization was the most powerful stressor. I immediately extrapolated that concept to realize that confinement in an automobile was society’s most common form of immobilization. Even when cruising along on a freeway, the driver is still immobilized, and it becomes more acute when in a traffic jam.
The bus, followed by the train, offer more freedom of movement, but walking and cycling allow essentially total freedom of movement.
Since automobile commuting is such a prolonged daily, and life-long activity, I would attribute a lot of the morbidity of civilization to that incessant stressor. Perhaps scientific, maybe not, but certainly makes sense to me.
I once posted a graph to compare my three modalities of commuting:
…And I cycle a nice distance of at least 14 miles through one of America’s most charming, interesting, and historic metropolises on residential and light commercial roads (and partially on a bikepath in a park) in the reverse commuter direction early in the morning, during all four (pleasant to tolerable) seasons.
For training purposes, I can expand my routes to encompass popular high-level cycling outer suburbs
For training purposes, I can expand my routes to encompass popular high-level cycling outer suburbs
And I have equally pleasant driving and mass transit alternatives…Sometime ago I tried to schematically diagram the comparisons between my three transportation modes:
Overall Satisfaction:
BIKE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>TRAIN>>>CAR
Intensity of Focus:
BIKE>>>CAR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>TRAIN
Convenience:
CAR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BIKE>>TRAIN
Overall Satisfaction:
BIKE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>TRAIN>>>CAR
Intensity of Focus:
BIKE>>>CAR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>TRAIN
Convenience:
CAR>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BIKE>>TRAIN
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 10-03-18 at 07:54 AM.
10-03-18, 08:29 AM
#35
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You’re welcome. I am an Artiste, a.k.a. James de Boston. 
Jim from somewhere between New Jersey and Vermont gave us a post which is more than one foot long...
The rest of you just need to surrender and bow down.
The rest of you just need to surrender and bow down.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 10-03-18 at 08:37 AM.
10-03-18, 01:16 PM
#36
born again cyclist
As a person that loves anything on wheels I am seeing alot of generalizations being made about people looking miserable driving to work vs riding a bike. Next time you see someone driving their classic car, their motorcycle, their sportscar etc, take a look. I believe that most of these people are very happy.
here in chicago, i can guarantee you that no one stuck in this city's ridiculous rush hour traffic is happy, regardless of their motor vehicle of choice.
when it can take up to 5 minutes just to get through one freaking traffic light, everyone gets pissed off.
recently it took me 15 minutes to drive a 1/2 mile. most people can literally walk faster than that.
being stuck with no option of escape is a horrible feeling. no one likes that.
that's what being stuck in big city gridlock traffic feels like.
thank god i bike commute the vast majority of time.
it's not about the car (or motorcycle), it's the insufferable traffic.
in places without such soul-crushing rush hour traffic, i can imagine that the gearhead cruising to work in his restored vintage corvette is probably enjoying himself.
Last edited by Steely Dan; 10-03-18 at 01:26 PM.
10-03-18, 01:19 PM
#37
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So true, Steely Dan. A coworker once asked me if I hated driving. Nope, as a matter of fact, I love driving. But I hate sitting in traffic, inching from light to light.
10-04-18, 09:52 AM
#38
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10-04-18, 10:00 AM
#39
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Is that nurture or nature? In other words, do nice people choose to bike commute, or does bike commuting make people nicer?
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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10-04-18, 11:13 AM
#40
☢
That said, the cycling community comes in many forms and levels and divisions. Some cyclist are in it purely for the sport, while others do it out of necessity or as a form of environmental activism. Nevertheless, I think the majority of people cycle purely as a form of transportation -- its just easier than walking -- in which case there is no distinguishable generalized mindset.
Incidentally, because this is a BF website I use the term cyclist as a general descriptor. However, outside of this forum I would only apply that term to those that cycle purely for sport.
Last edited by KraneXL; 10-04-18 at 12:51 PM.
10-04-18, 12:17 PM
#41
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Funny you should mention community. I went to a screening of a video that a grad student made as her thesis project. She was staying in the US as part of the project. She's from Denmark and is back there now. Her project was about cycling culture. In Denmark, that term makes no sense, because cycling is such an ordinary thing to do. It's like saying clothes-wearing culture. I think she captured NYC cycling culture beautifully, but I wonder how it comes off in Denmark.
Since so many use bikes for transportation here in NYC, I would say something like, "The cyclist waited at the red light," without regard for the person's reason for cycling.
Since so many use bikes for transportation here in NYC, I would say something like, "The cyclist waited at the red light," without regard for the person's reason for cycling.
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
10-04-18, 12:29 PM
#42
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"People who commute by car are less happy and less healthy than the rest of us"
Many years ago, early in my cycling lifestyle, I heard a lecture by a psychiatrist who said that in experimental (animal) studies of stress, immobilization was the most powerful stressor.
I immediately extrapolated that concept to realize that confinement in an automobile was society’s most common form of immobilization. Even when cruising along on a freeway, the driver is still immobilized, and it becomes more acute when in a traffic jam.
The bus, followed by the train, offer more freedom of movement, but walking and cycling allow essentially total freedom of movement.
Since automobile commuting is such a prolonged daily, and life-long activity, I would attribute a lot of the morbidity of civilization to that incessant stressor. Perhaps scientific, maybe not, but certainly makes sense to me.
Many years ago, early in my cycling lifestyle, I heard a lecture by a psychiatrist who said that in experimental (animal) studies of stress, immobilization was the most powerful stressor.
I immediately extrapolated that concept to realize that confinement in an automobile was society’s most common form of immobilization. Even when cruising along on a freeway, the driver is still immobilized, and it becomes more acute when in a traffic jam.
The bus, followed by the train, offer more freedom of movement, but walking and cycling allow essentially total freedom of movement.
Since automobile commuting is such a prolonged daily, and life-long activity, I would attribute a lot of the morbidity of civilization to that incessant stressor. Perhaps scientific, maybe not, but certainly makes sense to me.
10-04-18, 12:37 PM
#43
Banned
10-05-18, 04:17 AM
#44
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Thanks for that nice reply. I profusely post about living and cycling in Boston, especially as a native of Detroit. I did note your recent posts about urban transportation:
Well as a person who has lived under both conditions (where the teams [sic have stayed in place since their origin and where they've been removed and replaced by auto and/or bus), it's simply superior to live in the former. I don't see any advantage by removing existing tram lines. Most cities run buses in the same physical space.
What suggested benefit am I missing.
Leave my country of birth out of the discussion as it's materially irrelevant.
What suggested benefit am I missing.
Leave my country of birth out of the discussion as it's materially irrelevant.
I’ve not been to Europe, but Boston has been called a European-style city, particularly London I imagine. Here in North America, I have found Toronto, ON a virtual sister city to Boston, with a superior transit system as is Montreal. Washington DC is also very good.
In my experience. I find NYC too overwhelming for comparson. I am aware of a book that has contrasted Boston and Philadelphia, “Puritan Boston and Quaker Philadelphia: Two Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Class Authority and Leadership.”
When we left Detroit to cycle across America from LA to move to Boston, I distinctly recall chatting with someone out West about the Northeast Megopolis, still a terra incognita to us. He was disdainful about it, except that it was nice in New England and further north.
So if you get to Boston sometime, feel free to look me up. I have extended an open invitation on Bike Forums:
…Please feel free to PM me for any details. I really enjoy showing visitors around Boston on informal walking tours [or bike rides], and I would offer that to a fellow BF subscriber, but I'm a pretty busy person, and would need a heads up to see if I'm available at a mutually agreeable time.
I continue to read your posts whenever I encounter them.
Jim
PS: Regarding the OP of this thread:
I think it's the congestion, and that's why Northeasterners are also considered worse drivers.
.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 10-05-18 at 06:12 AM. Reason: added PS
10-05-18, 05:22 AM
#45
Banned
Hi @acidfast7
I grew up in Boston metro area (southern Maine) ... they finally have a Downeaster and have also lived in Northern Maine, rural Texas, Palm Beach FL, upstate NY and one other place I forget. Over here, it's been Stockholm, Copenhagen (CPH), Frankfurt, Newcastle and southeast England (coastal London commuter belt).
I find your opinions well founded unlike some of the others around here.
Boston is a great place and I am somewhat tempted to move back but it would really have to be the right position with the right wage as I'm quite comfortable over here (and would have take a chance on a chair in Asia (Chengdu, China would be a prime example) rather than in the US again).
Never know what life has in store though.
10-06-18, 07:11 AM
#47
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When faced with frustration, stomping on a bicycle pedal is so much more satisfying and productive than stomping on a gas pedal.
10-17-18, 12:17 PM
#48
Senior Member
Been commuting by bicycle and riding almost everywhere since the early 2000s. I'm almost never in a car at this point and have gotten really bad at suffering through being in them. I have now done almost everything via bicycle in three different locations, from major U.S. city to suburbs of a small city, to a moderately sized southern city. Wish more people would commit to it, but oh well. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Ha, I love catching an aggressive motorist who has endangered me and asking, "Are you in a rush?" Yeah, well. It's not my fault. Leave earlier, you clown.
Ha, I love catching an aggressive motorist who has endangered me and asking, "Are you in a rush?" Yeah, well. It's not my fault. Leave earlier, you clown.
10-17-18, 06:41 PM
#50
Senior Member
People commuting by bike in the morning are always smiling. Always waving and saying hello / good morning to each other.
People commuting by car in the morning are hardly ever smiling. Always mad at something, always in a rush to get somewhere, trying not to make eye contact.
I have even noticed this about myself, hence I made a decision to commute by bike as much as I can this year. Even go me a dedicated bike to do so. Now there are no excuses hahaha. Already looking forward to a ride back home, despite the rain / t-storms in the forecast.
People commuting by car in the morning are hardly ever smiling. Always mad at something, always in a rush to get somewhere, trying not to make eye contact.
I have even noticed this about myself, hence I made a decision to commute by bike as much as I can this year. Even go me a dedicated bike to do so. Now there are no excuses hahaha. Already looking forward to a ride back home, despite the rain / t-storms in the forecast.