Bikewolf

A typical winter commute landscape: people with no lights, no hat, no gloves etc. Occasionally one with shorts.

This winter: SLIPPERS and no socks!! Some people seem to simply ignore winter*...

Anything that made your eyebrows frown?


[ * It was freezing. ]

Abe_Froman

I saw a woman in flip flops, a skirt, no socks. It was 5F outside. I nearly stopped and took a picture of her

fietsbob

Florida?

350htrr

This last week I saw 3 people with flip flops outside... -29*C 4" snow... WOW. WTF is wrong with people today...?... Yea, I know they "just" went from their warm cars to the warm store, but what about if you hit the ditch, or have mechanical problems and have to sit there for Hrs...??? I carry snowmobile suit/boots, mitts, hats... You know "just in case stuff happens...

Ooopps, I don't really think this has anything to do with bike commuting but, the title of this thread drew me in...

caloso

We usually have the opposite. It will be 65F and you see riders dressed for an arctic expedition.

Hoopdriver

Most people have an optimistic view of personal security. Cell phones and "connected" cars have certainly enhanced this view; however people failed to plan ahead long before these modern devices. The key is that, once stranded, do they learn anything?

BobbyG

Back in '83 a couple of friends and I got caught and stuck in a multi-day, sub-freezing blizzard driving by Lake Erie. After a couple of days we tried to make a break for it Christmas Eve. But we didn't get far, becoming stranded in another motel for another couple of days.

We arrived just as an ambulance was leaving. Apparently, after being snowed in for a few days this guy threw on his windbreaker, no hat, no gloves, and attempted to drive a quarter mile to a convenience store for some cigarettes. He skidded and became stuck in a snowbank, and after the car ran out of gas he walked to the motel we just arrived at.

The other stranded travelers were still talking about it. Lucky for the frozen smoker there were some EMTs stranded also. They stripped this guy down to his underwear and did the same, hugging him from both sides to warm him up while a warm bath was drawn using the shower head in one of the motel rooms. They then stood hugging him under the shower head until there was enough water for him to lay in the tub and warm up. The final consensus was that we would loose portions of his fingers and toes.

That made a real impression on me, and when I pushed my low temp threshhold back down to 12F a few years ago (now 10F), I carry an extra layer of bike clothes, socks and glove liners.

Bikewolf

Yep. And doesn’t even take a lot of extra weight.

Colnago Mixte

As a fellow Californian, I second this observation. What are these people thinking? I would much rather be slightly under-dressed than slightly over-dressed. Don't these people's bodies warm up at all when they start pedaling?

I have not ridden with covered legs for all of this fall and "winter". As winters go, this one has been a pretty darned tame tame one, even for California. One small rainstorm a few weeks ago is all we've had in the Fresno area.

And where do people get those day glow green jackets anyway? I've never seen them for sale anywhere. Also, what is the deal with those guys who pedal with their knees WAYYY out to the side? Is is bad knees, a beer gut getting in the way, or just really bad pedaling form? I have never been able to figure that one out either.

jon c. 

It's in the 30s in north Florida today. If anyone is out there ignoring winter it will escape my attention as I have no intention of leaving the house in this weather.

Korina

DH and I saw one on our Sunday ride. Dude was truckin', but we couldn't figure out what was up with his knees.

K'Tesh

Are you in China too? I swear if the temperature drops below 20C, you start seeing the heavy jackets... Me, I'm in shorts until the end of October.

canklecat

For a winter drive to another state for the holidays my then-teenage daughter insisted she was fine barefoot in shorts and a short sleeve top for the car ride. "Oh, this is just what I do!" she chirped. Meaning, she was so fashion conscious she had to dress for the boys even when none were around to appreciate it.

I told her to bring plenty of warm clothes and shoes because if we got stranded it would be in the middle of nowhere for hours and she'd die or lose some toes and fingers wearing summer clothing. Fortunately there were no problems on the trip.

Having grown up in New York and spent part of my adult years in some very cold places I have no problem dressing or overdressing for the weather. It's easy to remove too much clothing. Harder to replace toes and fingers.

When the weather dips toward 40F I have no problems wearing women's tights ($5 from Walgreens) under my jeans or trousers for long walks or bike commutes. They're comfy, warm and only the cats know. Cheaper than cycling knee or leg warmers, just as effective -- the material seems identical to my Nashbar knee warmers.

wipekitty

Ha - this reminds me of the time I met my stepdaughter in Chicago for a college visit...in February. I met her at a train station, from which it was about a mile (walk) to the hotel. She had on a crop top and equally short jacket. To this day, I still give her crap for that

Our neighbor is the one that gets me, though. He lost his license for a while, and we saw him one day riding his bike to the convenience store in full on expedition getup - snowpants and everything - when it was about 40F. But going out in the car, it's PJ pants and flip flops. His car is decent, but even decent cars here have trouble starting when it's as cold as it has been.

rumrunn6

I'd like to see anyone ignore tomorrow ...

sweeks

It was minus 5 or so yesterday in Chicago. I had pretty much every possible layer on.
Steve

noglider 

I rode to the blood center and back yesterday, 2.5 miles each way. It was cold and windy. My ski helmet made it possible. It's so warm.

Skipjacks

It's funny how your location makes a huge difference in how cold it really is.

I'm from Maryland. Summers in the 90's, couple of days over 100. Winters in the 30s and 40's with a week or two between 20 on average.

This is what I'm used to.

A few years back I was in Tampa in late October. It was unusually chilly for the area, maybe 58. I hadn't brought a coat with me because...Florida. So I'm walking around town in shorts and a t shirt feeling very comfortable and people are looking at me like I'm nuts while they are dressed like the "I can't put my arms down!" kid from A Christmas Story. At 58 degrees.

Conversely, another year I was in Maine South of Portland, near the Atlantic Coast around the beginning of April. It's probably 55-60 degrees there. Too cold for the beach for ever the locals. But all the French Canadians would come down from Quebec every spring and hit the beach in swim shorts. Crazy people were even going in the water!

So perspective is everything.

snow_echo_NY

this is my experience. in NYC, this happens - it's really silly.

snow_echo_NY

in California, it seems all my friends there are dealing with the fires. there's no cool weather to be heard of, only sweltering heat.

snow_echo_NY

we had a thread here awhile ago (last year?) about the proper attire for 50F. everyone runs pretty different, with the average somewhere in there. it's a safe bet to go with the average and then adjust for yourself over time and experience.

i think there are a lot of people who are not daunted by winter. for example, those i know in edmonton canada would call 20F downright tropical. it's all what your experience is and your own personal comfort level. it is what it is.

but yeah. those that are wearing parkas when it is 50-60F out - i do not understand whatsoever. i've seen people in NYC bike like that. it looks so uncomfortable.

rumrunn6

take a pic?

noglider 

rumrunn6

don't need a helmet cover with that huh?

noglider 

Nope. I wear a thin cap and a tubular scarf under it. Now if I can just solve the hands and feet problems. I'll be trying silk glove and sock liners.