An example of the repuke mind set...

[Javaman]

A young fella (mid 20's) whom I work with, generally a nice guy, we never talk politics, so it never comes up why he hasn't enlisted fearless leaders* great campaign. But that is beside my point.

This morning, he saw me riding in on my bike. My commute is about 20 minutes.

Now he's in great shape, competes in triathalons, etc. Me, I'm a 42 year old runner. I keep trim but I'm not anywhere close to the shape this guy is in.

So he asks what my commute is, I tell him about 20 minutes. He responds, "I could never do that." Perplexed I asked, why? He said, "he doesn't want to be all sweaty in the morning." I stood there for a minute mouth agape. He went on to say, that the commute would be just to hot and he would be all gross and disgusting.
Granted, this is Austin in August.
Then I said, "do I look gross and disgusting?" He back peddled and said that he didn't mean me.

So I stated, I take a shower before I leave. It's actually cool in the morning and I'm only slightly perspiring when I arrive. I towel off, change, put on deodorant and I'm good to go. And as far as any sweat, we work in an overly air conditioned building, before I get to the changing room, I'm already cooled down.

He wouldn't have it. I shrugged and walked away, but I had to leave with a parting shot. I said, think about it next time you fill up your car.

He lives much closer to the job than I do and drives a giant F250 Diesel truck. So while he runs up his charge account paying for his fuel, I will continue to ride to work, paying off my almost paid off debt.

Life in cuckoo bananas'* world.

[zbdent]

1. His truck is his "status symbol" - like the old, fat, balding

guys who buy corvettes, thinking that it will make women think they're hot shi*.

(For the record, I bought my 76 corvette because I always loved Corvettes. If I needed a substitute penis, I would have bought the ugly 2005).

[leftofthedial]

8. so you *wish* you had an old penis?

:shrug:

;-)

[zbdent]

9. I second your

:shrug: - not sure what you mean.

My penis is a few years over 40. And I've been married 15+ years. And Mrs. ZBDent has been extremely supportive in my purchase . . . and one marriage is enough for me . . .

[leftofthedial]

10. enjoy your 76!

Vettes are cool.

[Why Syzygy]

2. Sounds like envy

to me. :shrug: Don't let the bastards get you down.

And thanks for caring enough to bicycle.

[Arugula Latte]

3. My "roadblock" to taking up a biking lifestyle is this:

I'm terrified of being on the road with cars zipping past. I don't trust the drivers. I would be constantly panicking that I was going to get clipped or worse. My hat is off to people who have the guts to do this, though.

[Javaman]

4. Granted, I live in a very bicycle friendly city...

But there are good roads and terrifying roads. I plan my route well and try to avoid all major intersections as much as possible.

When gas was low, I would get all sorts of idiots giving me grief, however, now that gas is high, everyone seems to respect my right of way. Funny how that works.

[Why Syzygy]

6. Austin too

And a lot of people in my building ride bikes or take busses. I really appreciate the transit system here, for the most part. I came from North Central Texas where each burb chose to or not to set up public transportation, depending on the taxpayers' willingness to pay a little extra in sales tax. In fact I worked for a company way back when who's owner illegally used his labor force to lobby against allowing that tax. Stupidity.

Funny, I was reading this article this a.m. ~
~snipped~ http://slate.msn.com/id/2124561/entry/2124562/

I can't tell you how absurd it looked—and how utterly gleeful it made me—as these older couples, in prim evening wear, mounted their bikes and rode side-by-side into the night. They whooshed past me, pedaling with ease, and their conversations carried on undisturbed. The women's dresses fluttered about their ankles; the men's cigarette smoke trailed behind them.

"There's something about riding a bike that makes you feel like you're 5 years old," my American friend Carey, who lives and works here in Amsterdam, said to me. Indeed, these proper Dutch couples outside the theater seemed to morph, before my eyes, into bouncy little children. I half-expected the ladies to shriek, "Wheeeeee!" as their bikes picked up speed and rounded a corner out of sight.

The next day, totally inspired, I rented a bike from the shop by my hotel. (Of course, a helmet was unnecessary or at least unfashionable—no one wears them here. Nor do they wear Spandex shorts; or wristbands; or water-dispensing backpacks. They just hop on the bike and go, like normal people. You'll often see a mother with two kids perched on the bike holding groceries in one hand and a cell phone in the other.)

[Javaman]

7. That is a wonderful read. Thank you. :)

I bet we will see in the next few years a rush of public transportation projects being proposed across the nation. Also, I bet we will also see a number of bicycle oriented laws being passed to make the roads more friendly to their use.

[txaslftist]

5. Sure he wasn't just hittin' on you?