You know you're officially a bike commuter when...

[RoseC]

You go on a trail ride on the weekend which involves driving the car to the trail head, and when you get home at the end of the way and pull into your driveway, for a split second you think "Ohmygoshwhere'smycar!?!?!!" before you realize "You're in it, you knucklehead!"

[KnottedYet]

... you gaze longingly at potential routes out your bus window.

... you know exactly how much your bike *should* wiggle in the bus rack.

... you carry your bike commuter map with you everywhere, and use it to give car drivers directions.

... there are some things you only know how to get to by bike. "well, RedHook is just off the Sammamish trail." "Theo Chocolates is just off the Burke Gilman trail." "TiCycles is right next to the trail."

... you buy food for your big dog in little bags, because they fit better in your Ortlieb panniers.

... you wish you could pop your car up onto the sidewalk and take a break when traffic gets hairy.

[kfergos]

...you don't have the foggiest idea what gas prices are these days (and you like it that way!).

...you don't pack your lunch in Tupperware, because it bruises your spine.

...you long ago accepted that your work clothes will have more wrinkles than a shar-pei.

...you assess the shoulder width, hilliness, and road conditions from a bicyclist's perspective even when in a car.

...you daydream about your commute home during the workday!

[bouncybouncy]

-- you wobble your steering wheel while sitting at a red light as if track-standing in your CAR!!!



***yes this is personal experience!

[mimitabby]

you have three complete outfits in your locker at work.
You have two pairs of shoes at work.

when you drive your car to work people ask you where your bike is.

[coyote]

--- Get dressed in the morning and put the bike shoes on forgetting that you are taking the car.

[lph]

-- you wobble your steering wheel while sitting at a red light as if track-standing in your CAR!!!



***yes this is personal experience!

Oh, very nice!

[RoseC]

... you carry your bike commuter map with you everywhere, and use it to give car drivers directions.

... there are some things you only know how to get to by bike.

Oh, I have *so* done these!

...you assess the shoulder width, hilliness, and road conditions from a bicyclist's perspective even when in a car.

I was gonna come back and post that one, but ya beat me to it!

...you have to drive to work one day for some reason, and find you have nothing much to wear - all your favorite clothes are in your locker at work

...you do much of your clothes / household items shopping at thrift stores and hate to pay more than five or six dollars for a blouse or a set of dishes...but think nothing of saving up over a hundred to pay for panniers or lights, or spending seventy or eighty on a saddle.

[tjf9]

...you get dressed for work on a morning when you're not riding and realize you have no work appropriate shoes at home and have to wear flip flops

[Voodoo Sally]

You drive the car to work one day, and it feels like you're driving the living room couch with the house around it.

[MomOnBike]

...and on those days you have to take the car, you need to think to remember the auto route - 'cause you take the bike trail to work.

Also, on nasty weather days the Big Boss "just happens" by and "casualy" asks if you rode in, then seems happy that you did.

[shootingstar]

[QUOTE=KnottedYet;235754]... you gaze longingly at potential routes out your bus window.

... there are some things you only know how to get to by bike. "well, RedHook is just off the Sammamish trail." "Theo Chocolates is just off the Burke Gilman trail." "TiCycles is right next to the trail."

... you buy food for your big dog in little bags, because they fit better in your Ortlieb panniers. QUOTE]

Or when it's the long holiday weekend, you panic after discovering you left your house keys and bike key chainring at work...which is a bloody 1.5 hr. bus commute route. You panic, because you NEED that bike to enjoy the fabulous weather over the holiday.

And so, you go out and buy a ...3rd bike. Which is what I did 2 years ago for a Labour Day weekend when I discovered I left my bike key behind at work....

Needless to say, I had a wonderful weekend..and even doubled my cycling distance on the new bike.

[Geonz]

Your "concert dress" *is* black shoes... Winter Squall shoes from Lands End. (You *did* know you were in the back row... you didn't know that those 'tights' you grabbed from the drawer were the weird ones with the flame pattern you'd gotten on a lark and you were *glad* to be in the back row with a looong skirt )

YOu're *expected* to be wearing the Winter Squall shoes under the otherwise office dress

[lph]

- when your fashion decision of the day is: hmm, should I take the blue Buff or the pretty red wool Buff to cover my nose today? (I could run into that cute guy with the black jacket again... )

- when it gives you ineffable, lasting pleasure to reflect, that even though you woke up to a sudden cold snap you really nailed what to wear on your commute in - no cold toes or fingers, but not too warm either...

[Technotart]

- when it gives you ineffable, lasting pleasure to reflect, that even though you woke up to a sudden cold snap you really nailed what to wear on your commute in - no cold toes or fingers, but not too warm either...

Oh How I *SO* love THAT!