Roy Robinson
As the Study Abroad Director in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at MU, Roy Robinson has traveled by planes, trains and automobiles all over the world. When he is home in Columbia, however, his favorite mode of transportation is his trusty bicycle.
Robinson grew up in Columbia and graduated from Mizzou. He then moved to Washington, DC and spent weekends exploring the city by bike. Soon after, he joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Benin, West Africa. “The Peace Corps provided us with bikes,” he said. “We used to take bike trips around Benin and to other countries like Togo. It was a great way to see the country and to experience the kindness of the local people. If we stopped somewhere they would invite us for a meal or even to stay the night. I really enjoyed those bike trips.”
He returned to the US for graduate school and often used his bike to get around then, but didn't start regularly commuting to work until he got a job at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Robinson and wife Alexis owned one car and really didn’t want to buy a second. They were lucky enough to live close to campus so Robinson decided to give bike commuting a try. “It was tough to start, especially with the cold weather in Michigan, but once I started and did it for a while, I just didn't want to stop.”
Now back in Columbia, he bicycle commutes the two miles to work on the MU campus every day. “It's way easier than people think to commute by bike. After a few times, you'll be hooked,” he explained.
Not many people in his office actively commute and that has lead to some strange interactions. “The worst thing about commuting is when someone wants to go out for lunch and expects me to drive. I have to explain that I don't have a car,” said Robinson. “It's amazing how odd people react to not having a car or not using a car to drive to work.”
That doesn’t deter him, however. “I feel good after my bike ride and when I get into the office. I start the day on a positive note and it helps me carry that on throughout the day. Some days I commute via the MKT Trail. It's so nice to ride in the morning with the light coming down between the trees and the water rolling by. It just puts me into a good mood before I arrive at work.”
The commuting lifestyle has influenced Robinson’s home life as well. “When I have an errand to run I find myself jumping on my bike instead of jumping into the car now. It is often just as fast for me to run my errand by bike and it's a lot more fun.”
In his free time Robinson loves to play with his two kids, Emma, seven, and Evan, four, as well as travel, sample new and exotic beers, and follow Mizzou sports. One thing he would like to see in Columbia is more bicyclists following the rules of the road and thus offers these final thoughts. “I see lots of bikers who don't stop at stop signs or go right through lights. I understand the temptation, but it makes car drivers unsure of what to do when they see a biker and this can paint a negative light in the minds of drivers concerning bikers.”
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