Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Random Words Of Encouragement

When riding home on Monday, it started snowing, making the visibility worsen and the already snow packed roads even more slippery. I was in my home stretch, cruising south on 48th St when I sensed a car coming up slowly behind me.

I appreciated the slow overtake, as this part of of 48th in winding and passing can be difficult, even when the roads are clear. As the car passed, I noticed the window down. I don't get many screamers, but I always expect them, just to be ready. A guy leaned out of the passenger window and shouted:
Way to bike! That's sweet!
Well, that was pretty cool. I was using all of my air handling capacities for respiration, plus I had a balaclava over my mouth, so instead of responding vocally, I just waved with my hand.

The guy added as they were pulling away:
I bike to work, too!
Again, I just waved. Wearing my lobster claw gloves, I hope the guy didn't think I was giving him the finger. Rather, it should have been interpreted as in Vulcan, "live long and prosper."

By my estimation, the emotional exchange rate between random encouragement and nasty screamers is about 100 to 1.

Do any of you have any interesting positive or negative random encouragements to share?

3 comments:

munsoned said...

Usually the only positive encounters with drivers I get is the occasional cat calling from a car full of young women. And I'm ok with that.

brady said...

Nice vulcan picture!

Mr. Spock could have used a good pair of lobster claw gloves when he attempted the Kobi Ashayamaru test for real in the Wrath of Khan. Spooooooock!

Bryan and I were there that day Munson got cat calls from the car full of women. We let Munson believe that the whistles were for him.

I get an occasional honk and a thumbs up on my commute.

Once on a commute by foot (run), somebody yelled out their car window, EEE TOO COLD FO DAT!!!

As for the negative side, we've had stuff thrown at us during group rides. There's also the infrequent honk and the bird for no apparent reason. And then there's been the reckless slalom driving occurrences in front of me. In each case, another in the group blasted by me in a surge of adrenalin to chase down the car.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

Biker Bob/Runner Bob said...

that picture cracks me up.

Sorry for my late comments on some of your blog posts. Some how I lost track of your blog from my reader list.