PDXBikeCommuter.org

Camaraderie

“Grey Poupon” jokes aside, when was the last time you pulled alongside another motorist and exchanged pleasantries? I’m not exactly a suave, charismatic type, but I’ve never once been snubbed when addressing another cyclist, whether moving or stopped. Once you get them out of their metal cages and give them some fresh air and exercise, you’ll be astounded how friendly the average person actually is. Heck, even in their cars, if you can catch them at a light with their windows down, most people are more polite than you’d expect.

I’ve also had motorists, pedestrians, construction workers, and even police officers give me a friendly wave or encouraging word. Yes, there is the rare jerk (we’ll get to those another day), but the vast majority of people you’ll encounter by bicycle fall somewhere between passively indifferent and exceptionally supportive. All in all, bicycle commuting provides a built-in opportunity to reconnect with your fellow upright primates.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 at 11:51 am and is filed under Philosophy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.