What Does Your Family Think???

What does your family think of your life as a cyclist?

I'm mostly a city commuter and I know my dad is nervous that I am going to get hit by a car while I'm biking. I explain to him that more people my age are killed in car accidents than bike accidents.

My 7 year old suburban nephew thinks I'm cool cause I don't use my car often. He is quickly becoming a bike fanatic too!

Tags: Family

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Permalink Reply by Chris C on March 21, 2012 at 4:30pm

I hear that Lake Cook & Saunders is also really bad. ;)

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Permalink Reply by Tim S on March 21, 2012 at 4:57pm

always nice to hear of a new convert.

Parents like to ride in the burbs for exercise and, aside from parental rights to worry, have no problem with brother and I and our enjoyment of city riding. We all grew up on bikes so it is natural to keep on doing it.

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Permalink Reply by Peenworm "8 mile" Grubologist on March 21, 2012 at 10:24pm

My dad keeps saying I Should get a car Just In Case, and especially now that I'm a single parent and so on, and since he was also a single dad He Knows What I'm Going Through, and I did not remind him that he wasn't the one who stayed with the kids, because well the holidays are stressful enough. So that's definitely oversharing.

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Permalink Reply by Peenworm "8 mile" Grubologist on March 21, 2012 at 10:57pm

The other end of my family, however, is cool with it.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Hochstadter on March 21, 2012 at 10:58pm

I like that helmet too!

Peenworm Grubologist said:

The other end of my family, however, is cool with it.

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Permalink Reply by Peenworm "8 mile" Grubologist on March 21, 2012 at 11:00pm

Thanks! His idea, mainly.

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Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on March 22, 2012 at 11:39am

My conservative Iowan and Kansan brothers see the shape I am in and the pounds I have kept off, so the are fine with their black sheep brother riding his toy. My politically active son has joined me on rides and is proud that cycling has led me down the political path of bicycle activism in Chicago. I always told him one person can make a difference, so I have to keep the bar high.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Hochstadter on March 22, 2012 at 2:04pm

I agree with you. A lot of people don't and just go on their merry way. I get made fun of sometimes for being a " naive dreamer" by the conservative people in my life, who I love deeply and agree to disagree.

For me biking is an integral part of that - I'm making a difference for my health, my wallet, my sanity, and clean air. I try to encourage and empower people to change it up, and try biking to improve their health, wallets and sanity as well.

Gene Tenner said:

I always told him one person can make a difference, so I have to keep the bar high.

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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on March 22, 2012 at 2:46pm

I believe my in-laws, who are some of the nicest people I have ever met, think we are a bit nutty for cycling everywhere. Since they live in the suburbs, they seem to think that cycling is only for exercise and recreation, and that it isn't quite normal to them for us to do our shopping and errands by bicycle instead of using a car. They are really nice about it, but really do not understand how much more convenient it is to use a bicycle. Overall, they express their worry about us cycling in the scary city traffic and encourage us to use are car more often (usually to go visit them). I think Rob & I were going to plan a trip via bicycle to visit them just because the 40 miles to their home would be an adventure and also really freak them out.

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Permalink Reply by Nançois 8.5 on March 22, 2012 at 4:17pm

My mom has also expressed a lot of concern that I will be hit by a car in "all that traffic." What I seem to be unable to explain to her is that in the city, when there is a lot of traffic, it usually means that everyone is going about 2 miles an hour.

Sometimes I'm tempted to put on a helmet camera and film some of my route but I can't decide if that would reassure her or just fan her flames. I have to remind myself that she still thinks of me as a horrible teenage driver, and has no frame of reference for the cautious inner-city biker I've become.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Hochstadter on June 22, 2012 at 11:16am

My brother just bought a bike from Working Bikes and is considering talking about commuting to work in the burbs. Go bro!

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Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on June 22, 2012 at 3:01pm

My wife gives my her customary, "Please be careful" but other than that she knows that I essentially consider biking part of my job. She also knows that I'm usually in a much better mood when I ride so I think she appreciates that!

One big change for me, though, is when I had kids. I definitely am super careful now and don't take any chances at all. It wasn't like I was a reckless rider before, but now I am very cautious and vigilant because I need to be around for the little ones. My daughter is two and she is already obsessed with her tricycle. I absolutely believe that some people just have a love of motion and wheels in their DNA. Every morning when I leave for work she watches me out the kitchen window leave on my bike for work and I wave good bye.