Good Power Assisted Bike Story
I saw this story on power-assist@yahoogroups
I commute daily (only a few miles)from my home to my job with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in Olympia Washington. I got into an Ebike (2000 Currie USPD) mainly because I sweat even thinking about exercise and didn’t want to get to work sweaty. At the headquarters building where I work on the State Capitol Campus, there are many dedicated bike commuters, some of whom are lycra types, and many of whom are certainly “purists.”
We have these nice bike cages at work inside which you can securely store your bike. These cages hold about 15-20 bikes and are located in different areas across the campus. You access them through an electronic keypad. One day, while locking-up the bike and going through my shutdown routine in the bike cage, a couple of dedicated purists came in to lock-up their bikes. While doing so, they started glancing at my bike, snickering, and generally making fun of my nerdy bike (and its owner). Although a little embarrassed, I took it in stride.
A few days later, while pulling the not-so-steep but long hill home, I spotted one of the offenders up ahead in my sights. I can’t tell you the pleasure I experienced when I passed him while I was sitting and he standing. I came-up on him and said (without panting, of course) “passing on the left” while simultaneously ringing my little dainty and nerdy bell. He looked back over his shoulder but I was already pretty much past him which made him do a double-take of sorts. He looked shocked.
The next morning, while locking-up my bike in the bike cage, the guy I passed came in with his bike. I didn’t say a thing about the afternoon before. After he locked-up his bike and was heading-out of the cage, he came over and said very seriously and respectfully, “so…what kind of bike is that anyway?”
…
Cheers
Eric