Chatty Thursday

Yesterday was unusually friendly for some reason. There was the sporty cyclist who made conversation at the red light, before sprinting away on the green. And then there were at least 3 pedestrians who said 'hi' or 'hey baby' or something as I passed them. I even had a few greetings from nearby motorists. Very unusual!

Maybe the Raleigh, which I've been riding most of the week, seems friendlier than other bicycles. I don't have time to respond to any of this, unless I'm at a light, but I kind of like it. It emphasizes the different effect that bicycles have on the social environment relative to cars. Cars are kind of impersonal. If you stand next to a road full of cars, you don't get the sense that any other people are nearby, even though they are just a few feet away. But if you stand next to a busy bicycle lane or path, you see lots of people and it feels very connected even if you don't actually interact in any way.