Look Ma, I'm a good example!

[Zen]

A lady on my commute stopped me, waved me down from her porch, and told me that because she had seen me ride by every day, she and her husband decided to get bikes and start riding them. That made me very happy.

I bet there are many of us who are inspiration and motivators. We have no idea who's watching out the kitchen window when we ride by.
I mean that in a good way, not a Merv the Perv way.

I think I just made myself self-conscious.

[kfergos]

My coworkers (most of whom seem to commute over 50 miles each way) have unequivocally told me, "You're crazy and you wouldn't catch me DEAD riding my bike to work." Even people who live within spitting distance of work wouldn't think of riding a bike. Last May I launched a campaign for Bike to Work Day that failed miserably (it didn't help that it rained on the day of). It's a little depressing to be The Only Bike Commuter at my company, and to have the general attitude be so negative about bicycling. I'm glad there are people and companies where bicycling to work isn't seen as an early sign of insanity.

However, on a happier note... Last winter I rode almost every day, through snow, sleet, rain, and freezing temperatures. Sometimes I saw another bicyclist riding the opposite direction, and we'd wave at each other across the road. Then, months later, I was sitting at the train station, and a guy and his wife came and started asking me about the train. I had my bike with me, and it came out that this guy was the very bicyclist I'd waved at for months! Then he told me, "You're a hardy soul," which has stuck with me ever since.

[lph]

hey, kfergos, what a neat story! It often crosses my mind briefly, when I pass the same cyclists day after day - gee, wonder what they really look like... wonder if I'll ever talk to them at some point...hm, would I recognize them?... do they even know I'm female in here?

I love reading stories of people inspiring others to bike commute, way to go MomOnBike and the others!

[Geonz]

I came out from church one tiem last year and a man approached me and asked if that was my bike... and that he worked where I did and I was "his hero" 'cause the bike was out there in all kinds of stuff. And Father Tom told a visiting priest from Guatemala about how much I rode and he was compelled to bless it.
I do an "inservice" for faculty and staff each year on "blending bicycles into your lifestyle." Usually four or five people who are thinking about riding more come... and two or three of the other hard core souls who ride drop by and support me
IT's weird how fine the line is between eccentric and "heroic"...

[kfergos]

I forgot to mention that both of my parents have started riding to or from work after hearing me talk for probably hundreds of hours about how great commuting by bike is. At least somebody listens!

[Melalvai]

I was listening to some folks chat about allergy shots. They said you should wait until you are "cleared" to leave because there's a risk of anaphylactic reaction. I said, "I'm saving myself for being hit by a car," which they responded to as I expected, "You're well on your way." (The doctor speaking about allergic reaction is convinced I'm crazy in the head for all my cycling.)

This led to a conversation about the benefits of cycling, people were asking me questions, and I got to expound on how great it is to get 40 min/day exercise for a 10 min/day investment of my time (travel would take 30 min total by car).

I don't think I made any converts, but I believe what I said changed some motorists' attitudes towards cyclists on "their" roads, and gave them something to think about their own transportation. I might have planted a seed.

I don't preach unless encouraged. I view nearly anything as encouragement!