G1nko

I've been commuting to Hartford pretty solidly for about 5 years. In the past, I've always hung up the bike come October. This year, however, I decided to keep going through the winter.

As the days have gotten colder, I have found that people walking down the street say the weirdest things. People in cars are pretty predictable: "Get out of the road" being the most common. In the last two weeks on the dark, chilly ride in to work I've heard from pedestrians:

• Hey man, save on gas, save some money! Woo hoo!
• Oh my Lord Jesus, that's a bicycle.
• Honey child, you must be out of your mind.

Last one was this morning and is, I think, my favorite. Yes, yes I am, but not for the reason you think...

tarwheel 

I like the little kids. One called out to me yesterday - "Hey Mr. Bikeman!"

FastRod

What the heck? does it matter what people do? People care to much these days...

DX-MAN

I think it's less a matter of people CARING, and more a matter of they can't resist telling someone else what they need to be doing; they are so insecure in themselves that they need to validate their own life choices by cramming them down others' throats.

Jamoni

Or maybe they just like to talk to other people?
I love interacting with pedestrians. It's like a game: "How many variations of 'nice bike!' can you collect?"

Rick@OCRR

I agree Jamoni,

I get a lot of comments on my folding bike, esp. when I get to the Metro platform and fold it. Most folks have never seen a folder in action and it seems to be somehow (mechanically?) fascinating to them.

"Wow, cool bike, it folds so SMALL!" and variations on that theme are most popular.

Or, after watching (studying?) the five step from full bike to folded mode, "Man, you got that routine down!"

Plus the usual "How much that thing cost?" . . . which I usually under-estimate by several hundred dollars,

"What kinda bike is that?" DaHon, I reply . . . I tell them it's a Chinese bike; which it is.

"That bike sure got tiny wheels!" Yeah, I say, they're 16 inch!"

Kid wise, I pulled up to a pedestrian stop/crossing, the kind with the elderly retiree holding up the "STOP" sign on stick, and a bunch of middle school kids were walking by. One kind looked at my bike and remarked, "Hey, nice ride man!" So you just never know.

Rick / OCRR

paul2432

Sure, "you're crazy" or some variant comes up from time to time, but I also get genuine enthusiasm and fist pumps. I remember one morning when it was below zero and snowing I got a "way to go" from a guy at a bus stop and a honk, fist pump, and cheer from a guy driving a van for a sports medicine/physical therapy office (maybe they thought I would need their services sooner or later).

Paul

modernjess

Mostly the cat calls are more supportive this time of the year. In Minneapolis anyway winter riders are not that unusual anymore so if you appear to be prepared and experienced people consider you more badass than crazy or just plain sad.

But honestly I don't care what they say or think as long as they see me and don't run me over!

MNBikeCommuter

Plus around here, the drivers don't seem to want to roll down their windows in the cold to yell some comment. (Things unfortunately pick up in warmer weather...)

Doohickie

"Do you sell ice cream?"


A kid asked me that after I rang my bell.

pdlamb

It's warmed up here after some chilly weather, so I loved a crossing guard calling to me:

"It's almost swimsuit weather!"

pityr

I was told that I was someone's hero today since Ill ride in anything and any weather

Chris_in_Miami

• I came around the corner of a building on my commute and encountered a young couple who asked "want some crack?" I take that turn much wider now.
• I was passing through a somewhat hairy intersection and was told "you're gonna get killed like that" by another cyclist. He was going against traffic on the sidewalk...
• A few weeks ago at a stoplight, a motorist asked me if I always stopped for red lights. I told him yes, and he said something like "why bother? You don't have a license plate, so you can't get a ticket."

Gotta love my fellow Floridians!

Seattle Forrest

He's right, of course. Mostly.

yep202

I was told.I was history on the makeing by a guest at work. I showes up during a storm that took out most of the power in the city. First time.

locolobo13 

The weirdest thing I recall was, "Look a white man on a bicycle!" I just grinned and waved as I went on.

roashru

i was in tomah, wi with my made 21 speed raleigh sprite cruising through town with a 16 ounce brown bagged adult beverage and at some time i got followed by (2) kids on bmx 20 inch wheeled bicycles the leader started saying to me "mister you shouldnt drink" after awhile i looked at the leader and said "you need to put on a helmet and a safety vest kid" i then rode off the leader didnt follow he had a puzzled look on his face as i cycled away.

Davidfm

On my commute in weather in the teens, met up with another cyclist, "Glad to see I'm not the only moron out here."

bud16415

There is a subdivision about 2 miles from where I live and if I feel like a safe late night ride it’s a great 3 mile loop around the subdivision that I can do 2 or 3 times. Last summer about midnight on a moonless night with a little fog, I had my Windsor tourist out and I was in the process of building some new LED headlights. I had the old 36 LED lights and also the new 48 LED setups both on, helmet light 12 LED and flashers back of helmet and back of bike and a bunch of reflective tape to boot. I came around a corner and scared the heck out of a young husband and wife walking and the guy literally ran half way up a driveway as I approached. I overheard him say “#$%@ I thought it was an alien or something”. I looked at my reflection in a few windows as I kept riding and he was right. On my second lap there they were again and this time knowing what I was he boldly stood his ground as I passed. I couldn’t resist and raised my right hand and said “Greetings Earthlings!” to that he replied “A.. Hole” and his wife let out the biggest laugh I have heard in a long time. She was clearly amused.

Mr. Cranky

imi

I had to go to the bus stop near my home to meet a friend. It's only a hundred yards away or so...

My neighbour lent out from her balcony and greeted me with, "WOW! We didn't know you could walk!"

Bent Bill

Thats good

rumrunn6

I like when the girls in a passing car hooted at me climbing out of the saddle: "keep going you can do it!" I knew I could but it was cute that they wanted to encourage me

Digital_Cowboy

I had basically the same conversation myself a short time ago. I'd stopped at a red light while leaving The Pier. A pedestrian crossing in front of me said that I didn't need to stop at the stop light. I said something to effect that it's red and that meant stop.

Agreed, some of them seem to think that because one can get away with something that we should do it.

Just because the LEOs in some places are too lazy to properly do their job doesn't make it right or true everywhere.

Digital_Cowboy

Because of blinking headlights I've had people somehow mistake me for the police or a crossing guard. One of the kids in the opera Amahl and the Night Visitor told my girlfriend that he thought that I was a crossing guard.

Of course more then a few of the participants were amazed that I had actually rode my bike from St. Pete to Tarpon Springs. Which is a trip almost 40 miles. And I did it in just under 3 hrs of moving time. It was actually 37.25 miles.