My first ever "do you work here"!!

[Ophbalance]

I had to hit up a pharmacy and a food store tonight so I took the two wheel transport to get there (hurray for plausible excuses to use it!). Anywho... the pharmacy visit was pretty normal. They did not, however, have some of the snacky things I need for the kids lunches. To the food store!

I go in, and after some deliberation, decide to take off my helmet. Mostly so I could put ear plugs in for the ride back home. I enter into the void that is the store and exit as quickly as can be done. And then, it happened. I was walking to my parked bike in front of the store (they only had one entrance open).

Really Old Dude: "Do you work here?"
Me: *only barely registers the noise"
ROD: <louder> "Do you work here?!"
Me: *dawns on me he's talking to ME*. "No"

Now, keep in mind. I'm wearing a highlighter yellow jacket, carrying a Motorcycle helmet, with a backpack. How exactly does that scream out that I work at the food store?

[raudf]

The same world where a woman who is pushing a stroller with a grumpy baby could be working there. I think it's the half-zombie, sleep deprived, "I no longer have any damns to give," attitude that does it.

[WishfulSpirit]

At least you got asked if you work there. Twice I've been at the Greens of Wal in a polo shirt (NOT the same color as the employees wear, mind you) and had other customers walk up to me demanding to know where the widgets were. Not asking, demanding. I shouldn't be surprised but I was. Being rude to a total stranger who has no incentive not to punch you in the nose is a bad idea.

[Ophbalance]

The only thing that makes any sense at all is maybe he figures someone in that much HiViz must be a cart boy? Just a very interesting addition to my ride tonight .

[Silent-Hunter]

That's my favorite shade of yellow!

[pudddykat]

Yay for a biker who does it right. Bonus points for HiVis. I too often see shorts and/or sandals. The first thought that goes through my head is "You really don't like those first three layers of skin do you?"

[cindybubbles]

If I see someone with loads of stuff in their cart, my tired self automatically assumes that they work there, even though they don't have a uniform on. Then I remember this site and tell myself, "that's a customer, that's a customer."

[Blue Ginger]

Yay for a biker who does it right. Bonus points for HiVis. I too often see shorts and/or sandals. The first thought that goes through my head is "You really don't like those first three layers of skin do you?"

Even worse is when it is a child on the back with shorts, t-shirt, sandals and a bicycle helmet on a major road with an 80km limit. Coppers got called on that 'parent'.

[RichS]

The first thought that goes through my head is "You really don't like those first three layers of skin do you?"

Experienced that first-hand, and I was wearing an equivalent to what the OP has on. You won't believe how fast pavement can eat away at jeans (and skin) while sliding down said pavement @ 60 MPH...

Having gone through that, I can't believe the things I've seen people wear while riding.

[Ophbalance]

Yeah, eventually I'll have to pick up a thick pair of jeans. The ones I've got on are about a year old and still have a fair amount of material to them. I'm too old to go around without HiViz safety gear on, though from what I hear, there's still plenty of folks that will claim they don't see you. I'd like to think I've hit a maturity level that will keep me from being killed on this thing .

[AccountingDrone]

Experienced that first-hand, and I was wearing an equivalent to what the OP has on. You won't believe how fast pavement can eat away at jeans (and skin) while sliding down said pavement @ 60 MPH...

Having gone through that, I can't believe the things I've seen people wear while riding.

I have road rash scars from sliding at 20 mph wearing a heavy leather jacket, Levi 501s with tights [for warmth, it was January in Virginia Beach, still gets cold there.] Screwed the pain on the tank of my 84 V30 Magna Granted it was 3 years old at that point, but it was *my* V30 Magna.

[Gilhelmi]

I definitely have to agree with the "Cart boy" theory.

In fact, you do look just like the ones they have at Walmart.

[Blue Ginger]

Yeah, eventually I'll have to pick up a thick pair of jeans. The ones I've got on are about a year old and still have a fair amount of material to them. I'm too old to go around without HiViz safety gear on, though from what I hear, there's still plenty of folks that will claim they don't see you. I'd like to think I've hit a maturity level that will keep me from being killed on this thing .

Check out Draggin Jeans. I know that they are in Oz and I'm guessing there would be similar products in the rest of the world. They are jeans that have kevlar in them, normally around the knees and hip/bum area. Much better protection than normal jeans.

My dad has gone through quite a number of pairs over the years he was riding to work everyday. He says that they are easier to ride with than leathers during the summer and dry faster in winter when you get rained on.

[wolfie]

I'm too old to go around without HiViz safety gear on, though from what I hear, there's still plenty of folks that will claim they don't see you.

The idiot who changed lanes into the lane I was already occupying claimed they didn't see me. Cost me a tire (not an immediate blow, but sidewall was damaged so I needed to get it replaced) and some cosmetic damage. The wheel lugs on my front wheel tore the side panel of their vehicle open. Yep, I was driving the Peterbilt of Natural Selection at the time. If someone can't see an 18 wheeler, they DEFINITELY won't see a motorcycle.

[RichS]

I have road rash scars from sliding at 20 mph wearing a heavy leather jacket, Levi 501s with tights [for warmth, it was January in Virginia Beach, still gets cold there.]

Even though they've faded, I still 'feel' where the road rash was, and my left knee is getting worse. Scraped the left side, dented the left side of the tank, and messed up the front forks on my little Honda 200 - and it still ran.

Took me 10 years before I started riding again, and I wore all of my safety gear. Had to sell my bikes to move into a house, but I'm feeling the bug again.

I'll have to look up those jeans when I get another bike.