Rant! So angry!

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Lpfeifer419
Lpfeifer419 Posts: 82
in Motivation and Support
I REALLY need to let this out...

I am totally sick of 99%of the people in the city I live in. To put it in perspective, I live in rural Wisconsin and quite a large percentage of the population is overweight. My husband and I are obese and are taking active steps to change that. My husband has started biking to work and I walk quite frequently. Together, we will ride the local trails and hope to soon make it our primary mode of transportation in town.

But what I can't stand are the hecklers/starers/mean/rude people. When ride in town, we will mostly ride on the right side of the road in order to respect the few people who do walk on the sidewalks. I have always been taught (and the laws in the city state) that I should be in the road. We don't slow anyone down (like I said, we ride on the right side, very close to the curb), but yet we get stares or yelled at to "get on the sidewalk." My husband has reported to me that he gets heckled when riding to and from work.

I had it tonight. :explode: Some punk teenage boys decided to give me a hard time after I busted my butt riding for close to an hour. I am just so angry on how this town is so anti-fitness!
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Replies

  • ChunkyMonkey207
    ChunkyMonkey207 Posts: 96 Member
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    Sorry to hear that! In NC,It's illegal to ride a bike on a sidewalk..Quite a few of our roads have bike lanes.Keep up the great work,and dont let them get to you!! Have a wonderful weekend!
    ~Amanda
  • loriehawkins1990
    loriehawkins1990 Posts: 4 Member
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    Keep up the great effort! You will win in the end! It does seem that people just dont practice manners much these days ...unfortunately...
  • khodges15
    khodges15 Posts: 114
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    Dont let it bring you down girlfriend, cause you are doing better than they are! Keep it up. I applaude you and your husband for taking such steps as riding bikes to work! You both are awesome!
  • yumster70
    yumster70 Posts: 23 Member
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    Dont listen to them..they are just ignorant! You are trying to live a healthy life and they are living stupidly by being so damn rude. Keep up the good job! More people should try to bike to work if they can! Being green is also a good thing!:flowerforyou:
  • Kimbie500
    Kimbie500 Posts: 388 Member
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    So sorry you are having this experience! I also got heckled by some teenagers while biking and all I could think was, "How would they feel if their mom or sister were treated that way?" :mad: but of course there was no way to catch them to ask. Keep your chin up and know that you are making positive changes in your life - regardless of the boobs that live around you!
  • skygoddess86
    skygoddess86 Posts: 487 Member
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    Well that is a drag. Misery loves company and you guys are on the rode to happiness so you may get targeted. Maybe find some like minded folk, even if you have to search them out. Several years ago I visited Boulder CO and wow that town was designed to be a bike riders dream. My town has a lot of bikers so we are pretty well tolerated. Try to hold your head high and keep pedaling! You guys are awesome!
  • sspayne35
    sspayne35 Posts: 13 Member
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    Enjoy the fresh air and all that is around you! They are just jealous! You are doing this for YOU and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks! Congrats on the 31lbs! That is awesome!
  • Cella30
    Cella30 Posts: 539 Member
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    What is it with the punk teenagers? I went for a bike ride last night after a horrible day at work only to have a group of these hoodrats throw fireworks at me. I am a timid person by nature but I swear on all that is holy, I almost biked them down to punch their teeth out. :explode:
  • chrissym78
    chrissym78 Posts: 628 Member
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    I live in rural WV and it's much the same here. It stinks!! I jog on our little 2 lane road all the time and get the same kind of nonsense! So annoying!
  • Lpfeifer419
    Lpfeifer419 Posts: 82
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    Enjoy the fresh air and all that is around you! They are just jealous! You are doing this for YOU and it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks! Congrats on the 31lbs! That is awesome!

    Thank you so much! Thank you's all around for the kind words!
  • HaleyAlli
    HaleyAlli Posts: 911 Member
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    Ugh, that's horrible!! But don't let them get you down, keep moving!!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    i have people honk and yell all the time. i just ignore it. they'll be hit hardest when gas prices force them i bike. i just think to myself, "keep it classy, providence!" or 'it takes a small penis to yell from a car at someone walking or on a bike."

    i ride with my ipod now so i don't get startled.

    oh, and where i live, it's actually more dangerous to ride on the sidewalk because people aren't expecting vehcles there and there are a lot of blind driveways, so people pull out the driveway and have enough time to stop for a pedestrian, but because bikes are so much faster, they are more likely to be hit by a car looking to exit.

    my advice is to ride further into the street and make them wait.
  • ambahhhlynn
    ambahhhlynn Posts: 1
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    Where in Wisconsin? i used to work on the border of MN and WI and i can tell you that parts are similar, but fitness was a definite divider between the states...
  • DonaGail
    DonaGail Posts: 190 Member
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    The last time I rode a bike, and it was an attempt to get in shape, I was taunted by a car full of jerks.It hurt me so much and I was just mortified.
    I never rode again and put my bike out on the tree lawn for the trash collection.
    This was 20 years ago.
    Please dont do that.
    I would never let that get to me now, but back then I was 'tender'.
    Jerks will yell at anyone, old folks who cant move any faster, disabled people...anyone they feel superior to.
    Its what they do to make themselves feel better and to show how bold they can be
    to impress their idiot friends.
    I get comments while Im working in my front yard (on a main road) now I just shake my *kitten* at them!
    I think, well, Im bettering myself and the neighborhood-youre just a waste of gas, keep moving.

    Be proud that you are doing something so good for yourself and the environment!
    ....and good luck!
    Dona
  • jessicajoy87
    jessicajoy87 Posts: 905
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    Its bullsh*t! When I walk I sometime get punk a- holes who think they are funny and say stupid immature crap. I live right by our community college and it happens a lot. It sucks, I feel you! But hang in there and just ignore them, its hard but if you let it get to you they win. And we don't want those losers to win! Keep your chin up!
  • Carolynkiki
    Carolynkiki Posts: 1
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    You've lost 31 lbs?!?!!! Wild Applause!!!! Focus on the good in your life and learn to block the negative. It will always be there in some form. Surround yourself with like minded people that appreciate and celebrate who YOU are!!!
  • aa1440
    aa1440 Posts: 956 Member
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    Please be careful. People have been assaulted by having things thrown at them while on their bikes. Here in South Carolina there was a young man that was the victim of a hit and run while he was on his bike.

    Some people are just cruel. :grumble:
  • whiskyzee
    whiskyzee Posts: 102 Member
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    Water balloons? I live in a very outdoorsy/active area, but I once had a group of teenagers drive by and throw a cup of coffee at me while I was out walking my dog (I was walking on the sidewalk minding my own business!). I suppose hooligans will be hooligans. They didn't hit me, but I called the cops with their license plate anyway. By the time I walked around the corner, a trooper was writing them tickets. I waved and smiled, lol.

    I've never been bothered while running or biking, but I usually wear a Marine Corps shirt when I'm exercising.
  • Lpfeifer419
    Lpfeifer419 Posts: 82
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    Please be careful. People have been assaulted by having things thrown at them while on their bikes. Here in South Carolina there was a young man that was the victim of a hit and run while he was on his bike.

    Some people are just cruel. :grumble:

    Oh trust me, I know to be careful. I am considering purchasing a small thing of pepper spray for when I walk alone.
  • sdereski
    sdereski Posts: 3,406 Member
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    Don't let them get to you. It was the same where I live~I'm grateful to say, the times are a changing, or they're just used to me around here.
    I started jogging about 20 years ago to lose weight. I even had the town police come out one evening when I was running telling me I was "asking for trouble" being out there jogging. Meaning, I was inviting the comments. :explode: I was so angry.

    I continued to run & exercise. This past April I ran the Boston Marathon and the newspaper has done a couple of articles about my "success". People now say "if she can do it, so can I", which is exactly true. One day, the townsfolk where you live, will be saying the same about you and your husband. :happy:

    Keep up the great work - you are doing the best thing for your life. :flowerforyou:

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