Monday, March 12, 2012

The Don't List: Women on Bicycles

I found a hilarious list of "don'ts" for women bicyclists published in 1895, and now that I'm a regular cyclist, I wanted to share it with you! I bought a bike a few weeks ago when the weather started warming up, and now I ride it whenever I can: to work, to Starbucks, to the library, down to the plaza to hang out at my favorite bookstore, to the grocery store, to the post office — basically anywhere within ten miles of my apartment! You can find the full list of "don'ts" here, but these are my personal favorites:
  • Don't be a fright.
  • Don't boast of your long rides.
  • Don't wear loud hued leggings.
  • Don't cultivate a "bicycle face."
  • Don't imagine everybody is looking at you.
  • Don't go to church in your bicycle costume.
  • Don't chew gum. Exercise your jaws in private.
  • Don't ask, "What do you think of my bloomers?"
  • Don't let your golden hair be hanging down your back.
  • Don't scream if you meet a cow. If she sees you first, she will run.

P.S. — How cool is this cyclist? He's like Spiderman on a bike!

P.P.S. — Don't forget to link up with me for Travel Tuesday tomorrow! I'll be talking about the destination I felt most unsafe in, but please feel free to write about anything travel-related if that prompt doesn't work for you.

2 comments:

Val Fox said...

Hah, those are awesome rules! Sadly my bike is gathering dust at the moment...but I'd like to change that soon!

Nicole Rene said...

WHat?! Hahaha, This is hilarious but kinda over my head. But now I want a bike. Too bad I live too far from downtown for it really to be effective, but if I did live downtown I would so have one with a basket :)