Co-Workers, Geez.

[Meg McKilty]

My co-workers are in awe of me riding my bike to work.

Not because they wish to do it too, or because it is healthy.
They cannot believe I cycle 2 WHOLE MILES to work. I am astounded that they think it is like riding across America to get to here. I am amazed.

Anyone else's workplace like this?
Actual Shocker: I AM IN HEALTHCARE.

[OakLeaf]

Ha, ha

There are people at my gym who are amazed I ride there when the weather's chilly or rainy (this is Florida, okay, so a "chilly" morning is 50 F).

A mile and a half. To the gym.

[Geonz]

There are two of us in our department who don't have cars, tho' the other guy usually takes the bus (and we're both well over 40), so people aren't quite as shocked and amazed here - and we're going to be pushing that Two Mile Challenge (we'll even settle for one ) . Here's hoping that say, next year at this time, it won't be culturally bizarre to cycle 2 miles!

[Melalvai]

I kind of liked the attention at first, but honestly, I'm getting tired of their attitude. I'm not crazy for wanting to stay out of a deadly machine, for wanting to get a bit of exercise without spending extra time doing it, for wanting to keep my money in the bank instead of pouring it into my car. They are crazy for driving the ONE mile across campus, whining about parking tickets and student pedestrian traffic. Or even better-not going to a talk because it is across campus and too difficult to get to!

I've been griping about this a lot lately. I should probably lighten up.

[Trek420]

Yeah, mine too. My commute is actually 20 miles or so but it's 2 whole miles to the train so I ride that. While most are amazed and awed I'm pleased that 2 coworkers on my floor now ride, a few others now walk the lake or just walk at lunch.

Keep riding

[sundial]

They cannot believe I cycle 2 WHOLE MILES to work.

LOL! I guess it's just not a traditional mode of transportation here in the south. Now if you were on your 4 wheeler.......

I get tickled when my neighbor brags about walking 2 miles--not that there's anything wrong with that.

[redrhodie]

That's just sad. They need to get off their butts.

[kat_h]

One of my co-workers is absolutely in awe of the fact that I ride. She's been a smoker for close to 40 years, lives on caffeine, and I've never seen her eat anything, so she has trouble just getting through the day.

I teach music for a living so I have a lot of contact with quite a few people, and get a lot of different reactions to my riding. One student has donated to the MS tour and is talking about buying a bike and joining me in it. Others act like I'm a complete idiot for biking.

One parent of another teacher's student was annoyed indirectly by my riding last week. The studio has a strict no-make-up policy, yet the mom was trying to argue with the owner and get a make-up lesson because she couldn't drive her kid to his lesson. The owner suggested that the kid could bike. (This kid is about 15, and lives right in the small town where the studio is.) The mom said that it would take him over an hour to bike there. The owner said it couldn't possibly take that long, because I had done a complete lap around the entire town last week and was back and ready to teach in 50 minutes.

[KathiCville]

I live in a university town, so you see more folks on bikes than you might in a place without a college population. Even so, some of my neighbors find it amazing/amusing that I'll ride my bike 2 whole lonnngggg miles to get to the library, LOL! Of course, they find it just as odd that I'll grab the bus or walk to the free trolley on bad weather days.

AND they think I'm positively quirky for taking my dog on almost-weekly hikes in the mountains a whole big huge half hour away, LOL! My town is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive---gorgeous!---and I can count on one hand the neighbors and friends who have driven up there even once in the past 10 years. I couldn't imagine living so close to such natural beauty and not take advantage of it! Even if all you do is drive there, park and watch the sun set over the Shenandoah Valley, it's well worth the little effort it takes!

I think a lot of people let their lives settle into such a set routine and comfort zone that anything a little out of the ordinary---even recreation---feels like too much 'work' or should be reserved for 'special occasions' only.

[Pax]

Lots of folks ride to work here, it's a University and parking costs a bunch so there's an incentive.

[Geonz]

And advocacy groups are trying to increase those incentives (right now you're paying for parking and then you've got it all year - and feel like at that price, you shoudl use it... and they *do* keep building parking garages...)

Oh! and remember mentioning the 'art' in front of I forget which buildings... it can be seen on this cam: http://128.174.122.42/home/homeJ.html

[indigoiis]

I can understand why people might not be able to conceptualize a two mile ride and see it as a short ride, if they rarely ride or don't use their bikes often. I only started riding regularly longer than five mile distances last year; at the time, I was wicked proud of myself and considered that "a lot."

People can't conceive of the extra steps it takes to commute as far as clothing choices, carry choices, time planning, etc. And if you are a Dad or Mom of a school-aged child, particularly if you are a single parent, it limits your commuting by bicycle options considerably. That's not to say it can't be done, only that given the choice between the ease of driving on a rainy day and getting your kid to daycare on time and riding with a trailer and a briefcase and a few hills and running a little late - the car usually wins.

Commuting by bicylce takes planning and commitment and understanding of all kinds of variables - weather, traffic, road conditions, and at least a vague idea of how a bicycle works. Your co-worker is not only marveling at the 2 miles - she or he is marveling at the fact that you are willing to make that planning and that commitment. Take it as a compliment.

Should more people do it? Sure. But I don't get mad when I hear that they don't, or won't. Who am I to judge? I just try to promote it.

[Geonz]

What I found was that driving also takes planning, though perhaps not as much, but it's routine so we don't notice it. When my commuting ritual became routine, it was when I drove that I needed extra time to figure out what to do. That was a total surprise so I agree that it's hard to conceptualize! About the only thing that would help people conceptualize it might be if there were just more people doing it.

[Pax]

And advocacy groups are trying to increase those incentives (right now you're paying for parking and then you've got it all year - and feel like at that price, you shoudl use it... and they *do* keep building parking garages...)

That's exactly right, if you have to pay all year for a parking space then why bother riding. Campus Parking is just ridiculous.

Oh! and remember mentioning the 'art' in front of I forget which buildings... it can be seen on this cam: http://128.174.122.42/home/homeJ.html

That's them!! The "giant paper wad" sculptures...they crack me up every time I ride past.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Half of America would drive their cars back and forth between their couch and their refrigerator if they had the parking spaces available for it.

I see people 10 and 20 years younger than me every day who can barely haul themselves up out of their driver's seat...and many of these people are not even overweight! They just can't move much anymore. They waddle, they groan when getting in and out of chairs. They have no muscle and get out of breath with any exertion. The only daily physical activity they do is the monumental effort of moving between one seat and another. As a whole, Americans are totally out of shape.