It shouldn’t be a big deal I peddle two wheels to get to work when the Chicago weather feels generous. Some people still raise an eyebrow though when I walk through the door in the morning, helmet in hand. I spent a few years driving nearly a hundred miles a day to and from a job crammed between thousands of other cars on the highway for an hour or two each way. After a few months, that commute got me very familiar with talk radio and made a pretty impressive CD collection uninteresting and repetitive. Even when I got a gig much closer to home, rush hour traffic turned a 3 mile trip into a 30 minute shouting match with my steering wheel. So when I finally got the opportunity to hang my keys on the door and let the power of my feet or the CTA ferry me to the office, I felt pretty liberated.

I’ve never thought that a method of transit to and from a job could elicit strong emotions and fierce opinions. I guess I don’t give enough credit to the probable deep psychological connection between a place we spend a third or more of our day and how we get there. If like plenty of Americans, myself included, your job isn’t exactly fulfilling – a long stressful commute only drags out the days and obliterates time that could be spent on the things you find more meaningful. I’m now lucky enough that my commute to and from the office falls well under the national average via public transit or bike. I no longer worry about sitting in traffic jams, fighting for or paying outrageous fees to park my car.

_{Just a little smug, no?}

So I wonder, why the surprise? Why the raised eyebrows? Tens of thousands of Americans commute via bicycle and millions ride a train or bus each day. I’m not unique. I’m not a health nut, nor am I a self righteous tree hugging sap waiting for another chance to chain myself to something (though admittedly I’ve got leanings). I’m just a guy trying to get to work. My choice of delivery method for my body to my employer happens to be one that works well for me and my life.

Yes, cycling through a major urban environment can be dangerous. So can trying to cross the street during rush hour, driving 60+ MPH on a major expressway, or crossing a set of train tracks. No, I’m not dripping sweat on my desk when I get to work. Yes, I do my best to obey applicable traffic laws. No, I’m not the same cyclist who blew the stop sign you passed through this morning. Yes, you should check your rearview when opening a car door, it’s common sense. 

I can’t say I miss the days of punching a steering wheel and spilling coffee in my lap. But I’ve got my own stressors. Today I worry about errant nails, car doors and unobservant drivers. That doesn’t make me better or worse than anyone else. If you’re one of the millions stuck in their cars listening to the less than ambient aural arrangement of honking, squeaking brakes and semis belching smoke, I’m there too – I’m just not wrapped in tons of steel. Aside from that, we’re really not that different.