You Know You're a Bike Commuter When . . .

Posted by Trisha at 10:48 basics, commute diary, humor Add comments
Mar 262009
  • You start driving your bike commute route instead of your car commute route (luckily I realized what I was doing before I got to the crosswalk portion of my route).
  • You try to open your car door with your U-Lock key.
  • After a few days of not driving, you can’t remember where your car is parked.
  • The chief criteria for a new hairstyle is that it be helmet-proof.

I’m sure you all have more to add…

03.27.09
ETA a few of my faves from the comments so far:

  • When you bend when driving around a curve (although my driving teacher told me that I should try to avoid that years ago ;-) ) —anna
  • When you need to drive to work one day for whatever reason, leave the office at the end of that day and freak-out because your bicycle isn’t at the bike rack. —dadabean [T's note: I have totally done this.]
  • When people come in your office and say “Where’s your bike?” if it’s not there. —Courtney
  • You ‘hesitate’ at red lights and then realize you are in a car and MUST stop. —Elisa M.

And any bike/motorcycle riders will probably appreciate Tinker’s comment…maybe everyone should just go and read them all.

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  • http://www.zazzle.com/emadesign* E A

    I’ll concur with the helmet-proof hairstyle! My “do” has gotten progressively shorter over the years of my commuting/biking. :-)

    And I think of all clothing choices in terms of bike-readiness.

  • http://keithmo.blogspot.com/ Keith

    Some random coworker asks “how long is your commute?” and you respond with both distance and total elevation gain.

  • http://ashtonlikes.com Ashton Likes

    Ha! I ALWAYS lose my car!

  • http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com Trisha

    EA, I am glad I’m not alone (and yeah, the clothing choice thing is true too). I have also found that extra long, loose hair is somewhat helmet proof. Headbands rock.

    Good one Keith! If you can believe it I haven’t looked up that info for my route yet.

  • http://www.bikeskirt.blogspot.com Elisa M

    You ‘hesitate’ at red lights and then realize you are in a car and MUST stop.
    You now shop for work clothes keeping in mind that they will probably also need to be cycling clothes (harder when you ride a men’s road bike!)
    I ride to my stylist on my bike and tell her that she better make this (pointing to helmet head) look good.

    love this list

  • http://www.cyclingisgoodforyou.blogspot.com anna

    … when you bend when driving around a curve (although my driving teacher told me that I should try to avoid that years ago ;-) )

  • Fishers Commuter

    I have been having my hair cut shorter by my barber to avoid the helmet caused mowhawk that I would sport after riding my bike in to work

  • http://cyclingchicken.wordpress.com/ dadabean

    When you need to drive to work one day for whatever reason, leave the office at the end of that day and freak-out because your bicycle isn’t at the bike rack.

  • Tinker

    When you forget to turn on the fuel to your motorcycle engine because your bike doesn’t need any. When you ride the motorcycle down to the mailbox, instead of the bike, so you can keep the battery charged. When you put on the bike helmet instead of the motorcycle helmet, by mistake before a motorcycle ride. My hair is always cut to wear a helmet, however, and I always dress in a both bike friendly/motorcycle, appropriate, ordinary way. And I am good at maintenance on the chain(s). Still using the original chain on my 1978 Honda CB400A.

  • Courtney

    I have totally driven my bike route in the car by accident! I always snap out of it when I realize I am driving through the grocery store parking lot instead of on the perfectly good highway in front of the grocery store.

    I would also add, people come in your office and say “Where’s your bike?” if it’s not there.

  • cyclingchicken

    When you are running seriously late and instead of using your car/motorcycle/scooter you hop on your bike and pedal like mad. :P

  • http://www.grinderswheels.blogspot.com Jon

    …when people are surprised to learn that you even own a car.

  • http://bicyclingsd.blogspot.com Beany

    When you do drive, you look at the road to see if it’s bikeable.

  • http://www.zazzle.com/emadesign* E A

    Yep — I always check for bikeable roads when I’m driving, but it’s such a different perspective in the saddle…. (better usually). ;-)

    And, yes, people are usually surprised to learn I own and operate a motor vehicle.

  • Jan

    …you look forward to your commute (sometimes it’s the best part of your day).

    …you miss your commute while on a business trip (or even your vacation)

  • http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com dottie

    …you watch cars go by and think, “that is so dangerous, I would never drive a car in traffic like that, what strange people, they should really wear helmets.”

    …the question in the morning is not whether you will ride your bike, but which bike you will ride.

    …you wish the morning news would stop yapping about gas prices and traffic reports (what are these things of which you speak?) and repeat the weather report (which direction did you say that wind was blowing again?).

    …your morning includes many smiles exchanged with strangers.

    Love this post and all the comments!

  • http://www.fullhandsx3.blogspot.com sara

    …your kids don their bike helmets before even putting on their shoes and coats (cargo bike family specific)

    ….the first thing you do after grabbing your morning coffee is stumble to the computer to check the hour-by-hour weather report to see if yes, you need to attach the rain tent to the cargo box of your bakfiets

    To follow up on Dottie’s last point:

    … your interchange with other commuters involves more friendly greetings and less solitary rants, cursing, and banging of the steering wheel.

    …. you learn the names of the numerous school crossing guards you pass on your way to work.

    … you find yourself calling out, “Yeah, it’s Dutch.” or “No, it’s actually really easy to ride” and/or “We love it!” over and over again to various other bikers and curious folks waiting at bus stops who inquire as you come rolling by.

    And yes, my last haircut was absolutely all about how it would look once the helmet came off!

  • http://cyclingisgoodforyou.blogspot.com/ maff

    … you can’t join in your coworkers’ smalltalk about traffic jams and the search for parking space.

  • http://geekpete.com/ Pete

    You get excited when you hear it’s raining hard outside because you know that will mean people will all get in their cars and form an instant traffic jam for the morning commute. You head off to ride on pedestrian-free footpaths, coasting alongside a vast parking lot of beeping cars stuck in traffic..with the rain to cool you down as you cruise…
    (I’m from Brisbane, Australia)

    Love the blog :)

  • http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com Trisha

    Loving these! I’m going to have to add some new ones to the post today. (And thanks for the compliment Pete!)

  • http://righteousmetalbroad.blogspot.com/ RighteousMetalBroad

    When you sell your car and never look back…

  • http://www.bikecommuters.com Ghost Rider

    I find that when I’m driving my wife’s car, I look at the crosswalk “countdown timers” to gauge whether I can clear an intersection in time to beat a red light. Since I focus on them all the time on my bike, it’s very natural for me to spot them in the rare times I’m behind the wheel of a car!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/06088639153697449691 Doohickie

    …when you pull away from an intersecton in your car, and 20 mph seems like more than enough, even in a 40 mph zone.

    • http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com Trisha

      Ha! I have become a much slower driver since I started cycling.

  • http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com dottie

    Good ones, Ghost Rider and Doohickie!

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  • Bill

    I had to buy a battery charger for my car battery since my car battery kept dying from neglect

  • http://letsgorideabike.wordpress.com Trisha

    Nope, not yet!

  • http://lovelybike.blogspot.com Lovely Bicycle!

    When your husband tells you that you’ve been pedaling in your sleep…

  • Redeyedtreefr0g

    “…your morning includes many smiles exchanged with strangers.”

    Yes!

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