executing git from a non git directory

Hey all,

I have my git directory that is in /path/to/my_git_dir

I would like to check it from another direcory, I tried the following command:

$ git --git-dir=/path/to/my_git_dir status

and

$ GIT_DIR='/path/to/my_git_dir' && git status

but in both cases I get this error: fatal: Not a git repository: '/path/to/my_git_dir'

yet when I do "$ cd /path/to/my_git_dir && git status" I do get the results.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong or if there's a way to check a git dir from a non git dir?

thanx in advance

Pat