On a nice morning when I'd overslept a bit and couldn't make it to work on time using only my bicycle (15 miles each way), I rode to the bus stop and threw my bike in the rack on the front of the bus. Since I'd woken up late, I didn't get to my usual email/news routine and I cracked the laptop open on the bus, fired up my tether, and proceeded to check up on things. I'd noticed the lady next to me was just gawking, like she'd never seen a laptop before. After about five minutes of this, I asked her if I could help her with something. The conversation went like this:<p>Her: "I just wonder why you aren't saving up for a car!"<p>Me: "Excuse me?"<p>Her: "Why did you buy a laptop if you can't even afford a car?"<p>Me: "I have a compact car and an SUV. I rode my bike here because I only live two miles away and it's a beautiful morning!" (the truth is I hadn't driven my car to get to work or to a bus stop in over a year, regardless of weather conditions)<p>Her: "I see. So you got your license taken away?"<p>Me: <i>facepalm</i><p>My laptop is a heavily-stickered 2nd-gen Black MacBook from late 2006. I've also had a few transit riders ask me if I'm a "hacker." My typical response is "Define hacker." They usually get it wrong.