One of the best things about biking to work is getting to meet people along the way. I've made hundreds of friends during the 8 years I've been commuting to work on two wheels. Compare that to the folks I met during the 20+ years I commuted in a car..............zero.
As I pulled up to the light at Lane Ave yesterday I saw a young woman standing on her pedals waiting for the light to change. A motorist also waiting at the light rolled down her window to ask the young cyclist for directions. It's not easy to stand on your pedals at a dead stop--it takes 100% focus. The young woman almost fell as she tried to help the motorist--she was unfamiliar with the motorist's destination so couldn't help her, so she asked me as I pulled up and fortunately I was able to direct her.
By the time I finished directing the motorist, the light had changed and the young woman had sped off on her hybrid bike at a pretty good clip. My road bike is faster than a hybrid, so I caught her after a block or so. "You're moving pretty well on that hybrid," I commented as I passed her. She just smiled.
A few blocks further I caught a red light and was disappointed to see the young woman run the light. I waited for it to change and when I caught up to her again, I gently chided her and told her that it's that type of thing that enrages motorists and gives the cycling community a bad name. She said she was late for class at CCAD.
I rode the rest of the way downtown with "Cole" (short for Nicole) and learned she's been commuting from Worthington to CCAD this year and loves it. She said she feels healthier and has lost a bit of weight due to her bike commuting. She is a computer design major and really enjoys CCAD. She's wondering how long she'll be able to keep biking as the weather changes, so I gave her a couple of tips for riding through the winter. She likes the sharrows that were installed on High Street this year.
And we stopped at all the red lights for the remainder of our commute.
Way to go Cole! Keep twowheeling! I hope to run into you again on the streets of CBus.
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