Monday, July 23, 2007

Argument Deflected

Friend: "I don't understand how you can still be a conservative."

Me: "What I don't understand is why I'm the one riding my bike to work while you drive an SUV."

Friend: "How was your weekend?"

Me: "Great, got a couple of really fun rides in..."

6 comments:

Noah said...

That's pretty much how life goes around my office. The three biggest eco-zealots drive:

Zealot 1: A Prius and a hybrid escape
Zealot 2: A Prius
Zealot 3: A Ford F150

Zealots 1 and 2 didn't like when I mentioned that there is massive strip mining going on just to get nickel for all these Ni-CD and NiMH cells for their silly hybrid cars. They're gadget gurus as well. There's always some symbiotic bluetooth thing or an iPhone or whatever within about an inch of the both of them. Maybe it's just the gadget factor of those hybrids that draws them in.

The third zealot, I disagree with his views even more than any of the other two, but we never butt heads on anything. He respects that I use my bike (and knows it's not primarily for environmental impact) and I respect that he is a vegetarian and environmentalist with a need for a pickup.

I also think it's funny that there's this evil woman that cuts me or some of my bike commuting bretheren off on Southwest Boulevard at least twice a week with her Prius so she can get to this one parking space. I guess since she finally figured out that extra $12K didn't buy $12K worth of fuel savings, she might as well feel entitled to be a complete nincompoop on the road.

The Old Bag said...

conservative on a bike

liberal in an SUV

condundrums, both...possible rift in the space-time continuum??

Yokota Fritz said...

Hee hee hee. I love it!

One of my co-workers (a liberall Euro-chap) actually came to my office, closed the door, and had a heart-to-heart about how guilty he felt about his latest car purchase (a 7 passenger SUV) so he can transport his bikes on his frequent mountain biking trips.

dipy911 said...

I'm also a conservative on a bicycle. I just laugh when people complain about the price of gas. I tell them so do something about it, ride a bicycle, share a ride, ... something. Complaining doesn't do anything.
I was pushed on a bike by my promise to start riding when gas hit $3/gallon. That was last July. I am now riding because I am losing waist, 10 pant sizes. 46 down to 36 at the end of the month.

Anonymous said...

LMAO!

I love it!

Thanks to a heads up by Fritz, I've updated my most recent post ( Conservative Newspaper Strip Character admits to Cycling! ) with a mention of this one.

Anonymous said...

I guess I must not understand what a conservative is. What, exactly, is the conflict between fiscal prudence, a free-market economy, strong military, small government and states rights; and riding a bicycle?

Oh, I get it! You think the only reason to bike is to commute to work to save the world from global warming. If you really want to reduce your energy footprint, walk to work! You will save the cost of manufacturing and shipping a bike and all its replacement parts; tires, tubes, et al.

There are many other reasons to ride, including recreation and fitness. As I am hammering along trying to increase my average speed over an hour ride, and waving off the vultures, it just never occurs to me to yearn for a bigger tax-and-spend government!