no joke, for real but funny as can be!

[Barb]

I just came home from the grocery store. I was unloading my bike when a neighbor came over and said in her best caring, discrete voice, "I really wouldn't mind giving you a lift to the store or to run errands. I noticed that you have been riding that bike all over this summer. Did you lose your licence?" ROFLMAO!!!

That made me laugh so hard. I must make a spectical of myself with all the grocery bags hanging from my rack and bars. I did just order grocery panniers from Nashbar. Great deal, Only 12.95 ea. ($20.00 for high vis tops).

I wonder what she will think when the snow flies and I attach my bike plow?!!!!!!

[Adventure Girl]

Barb, that is one of the funniest things I've read on this board! But it just goes to show you how non-cyclists think. She was just trying to help! That's great! I found myself with a day to kill a couple of months ago. I didn't know my way around the town I was in. I asked the hotel concierge for some biking directions to the next town. He looked at me like I asked for directions to Mars! He absolutely couldn't fathom riding a bicycle 60-some miles. "You mean, you're going to ride your BIKE!! We (our society) is so auto-driven. They just don't "get" the little cycing sub-set of the population.

[pedalfaster]

Too funny!

A friend told me a similar story. When he first began running on the local rural country roads, people would stop alllll the time and offer him a ride. "Uhm thanks, but I'm training for a marathon...."

[jobob]

I wonder what she will think when the snow flies and I attach my bike plow?!!!!!!

Do post photos of the bike plow

[Sparrow]

How 'bout a riding lawnmower instead?

[spokes]

excellent link, sparrow. those photos were awesome. the pic of the 'amazing' bike lane was hilarious, but also sooo sad... "bike lane, great idea, let's be sure it's paved with a mixture of pavement and concrete with a strip of gravel and rocks in the midddle. and for fun, let's put a huge sewer grate at the end. it makes it hard to wait at the intersection and could even cause accidents!! woohoo!!"

on a punnier note, that was priceless, adventure girl: "auto-driven society" .. good one!

[Trek420]

Barb wrote ...."I wonder what she will think when the snow flies and I attach my bike plow?!!!!!!"

a couple a recent only-on a bike happenings. on my way home yesterday, there's a left turn right before I roll up my street. got into the left turn lane, there's a red light and cars facing me so I signal left.

on my left a young family, mom, dad, todler in a stroller are getting ready to cross the street. they see me point left and stop dead in their tracks as if I've pointed a gun at them not just pointing left.

I laugh and wave them through. as they approach I smiled and said "c'mon, I'm just signalling. I know you've never seen a cycleist obey the traffic laws and I'm sorry for the confusion that's causing you." They laughed.

my biking to work has caused a stir in my work locale (10 story bldg, we're a Fortune...uh, I think we're Fortune 50 so big co.) several folks have approached me and want to start riding a bike to work, one actually does now!!! I guess they think if this just-this-side-o-50 gal can do it ;-) one co-worker stopped me on the way out "guess with the price of gas close to $3.00, plus parking that bike saves you a bundle" "yes it does, and it's fun and good exercise too" I said. I didn't want to think about how many gallons of gas my road bike costs ;-)

[Barb]

I just got back from test riding a cummuter route. I got to my school and found the director coming out. He looked so shocked and said he was amazed that I rode all the way to work (only 6.5 miles)!!! Then he said, you must go in and meet the new principal. LMAO I was sweaty and in spandex, what a scare I must have given her. She asked me if I was planning to riding to work. I said I hope to ride once a week. She thought it was great and did not even flinch when I said I planned on keeping my bike in my classroom during the day.

With all the lights and stops etc. It took me about 40 minutes one way. I sure hope I can cut that down. The whole ride is very high traffic with lights at least every half mile. I guess I will try it again tomorrow and then once or twice before the kids come back to school to see if I can reasonably do it.

[Cdalekat]

Originally posted by Trek420 "guess with the price of gas close to $3.00, plus parking that bike saves you a bundle" "yes it does, and it's fun and good exercise too" I said. I didn't want to think about how many gallons of gas my road bike costs ;-)

The average person has no idea how much "real" bikes cost. I was talking to someone who thought my bike cost me $200.... I didn't bother correcting him.

I'm also tired of hearing all the jokes about how I'm missing a fork... (I'm riding a Cannodale with a Lefty....)

Barb - I'm betting you can cut it down- I'm traveling 3.5 miles in 20 minutes, but I'm trying to pace the traffic lights every block (inner city) and I'm riding a mountain bike w/o slicks.

[Veronica]

Very cool! I'm hoping to ride every day this year. It's a good excuse to never a dress or skirt. My ride is only 1.6 miles and nearly all downhill to work, so I just wear my regular clothes. Sometimes I'll bring a lighter top to ride home in since it's uphill and I like to work it. I've got rain pants for the occasional shower.

I also keep my bike in the back of the classroom - with my helmet prominently displayed.

V.

[Trek420]

Veronica "I also keep my bike in the back of the classroom - with my helmet prominently displayed."

Good lesson for the students, V!

My bike is at my desk, which has a convenient "slot" between desk and window just the right size. We face the Caltrans building (there goes the whole anonymity of the internet, y'all know where I work ;-) so maybe someone at Caltrans is reminded ..helloooo, people ride to work!

[Barb]

from Cdalekat:
Barb - I'm betting you can cut it down- I'm traveling 3.5 miles in 20 minutes, but I'm trying to pace the traffic lights every block (inner city) and I'm riding a mountain bike w/o slicks. [/B][/QUOTE]

I'm riding a comfort bike when I commute. I don't have slicks but they aren't really knobby either. Do you ride year round? I am trying to figure out if I am that brave yet.

[Shimpie]

Trek 420, you keep reminding Caltrans about bikes and bike lanes! I'll keep reminding the city planners in my office to put them in. I work a couple miles north of you near the John Wayne airport.
-Weena

[Trek420]

Shimpie wrote:"I work a couple miles north of you near the John Wayne airport."

Different building ;-)
I'm over 600 miles North of you but that's ok, we'll work at it.

[spazzdog]

Now that would be a ride!

Better take a cell phone (and a snack).