Conference Bike at the Fat
Continuing my research into the sociology and anthropology of the Conference Bike, I took the CoBi to the Tour de Fat yesterday.
Mimi and I, along with a couple of volunteers—PJ Diddy and Joey—we picked up on the way, rode the bike from Ballard to Gasworks Park for the event, then cruised around the park, offering rides to whoever wanted to climb on.
What surprised me most was how reticent people are to hop on as the bike passes by. Time and again, as we pedaled through Fremont, we’d invite walkers to join us and cruise along comfortably. Except for a couple of high school kids, though, everyone declined, even when it was obvious we were headed in their direction and reasonably faster and easier.
So much for my idea of using the CoBi as a shuttle taxi service.
It’s not clear to me whether people are intimidated by the social aspect of it—joining a group of strangers on a strange-looking contraption—or by the physical piece—a couple women looked like they wanted to but seemed shy about the pedaling, and another guy was all over it, but said he’d just been released yesterday from the hospital.
Typically, what people like to do is ogle the bike a bit as it passes by or climb all over it while it’s sitting, then, with a group of friends, all climb on at once. This suggests a better business model (if you will) is the organized tour kind of thing, or alternately, Conference Bike drinking parties.
I’m currently thinking that what might make the most sense would be to create a non-profit “Conference Bike Saves the World” organization, and then offer free rides to groups of people who want to (or perhaps are being forced to) effect some sort of reconciliation or rapprochement among themselves.
One thing’s for certain: anybody who rides the thing can’t help feel good about their fellow riders and the world as a whole
Mimi and I, along with a couple of volunteers—PJ Diddy and Joey—we picked up on the way, rode the bike from Ballard to Gasworks Park for the event, then cruised around the park, offering rides to whoever wanted to climb on.
What surprised me most was how reticent people are to hop on as the bike passes by. Time and again, as we pedaled through Fremont, we’d invite walkers to join us and cruise along comfortably. Except for a couple of high school kids, though, everyone declined, even when it was obvious we were headed in their direction and reasonably faster and easier.
So much for my idea of using the CoBi as a shuttle taxi service.
It’s not clear to me whether people are intimidated by the social aspect of it—joining a group of strangers on a strange-looking contraption—or by the physical piece—a couple women looked like they wanted to but seemed shy about the pedaling, and another guy was all over it, but said he’d just been released yesterday from the hospital.
Typically, what people like to do is ogle the bike a bit as it passes by or climb all over it while it’s sitting, then, with a group of friends, all climb on at once. This suggests a better business model (if you will) is the organized tour kind of thing, or alternately, Conference Bike drinking parties.
I’m currently thinking that what might make the most sense would be to create a non-profit “Conference Bike Saves the World” organization, and then offer free rides to groups of people who want to (or perhaps are being forced to) effect some sort of reconciliation or rapprochement among themselves.
One thing’s for certain: anybody who rides the thing can’t help feel good about their fellow riders and the world as a whole
posted by Professor Dave at 1:07 PM
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