fthomas

Well, I'm finally here for good! Left S. Ca and now have a part time job while I look for the right opportunity.
I am going to start commuting on my Novara Randonee. It is already set up for touring so commuting is no stretch.

I would appreciate some feedback on this area. Even the new roads have no bike lanes and the drain grates are the type where you better not try and ride over them. Quick stop and a face plant. Giant grates with giant rectangular openings running parallel with the curb. Can you say swing out into traffic to miss the things. People drive very erratic here compared to S. Ca. and run red lights ALWAYS! The side streets or feeder roads are two lane without a shoulder. At minimum it will probably be quite exciting.

So, with all that said do any of you have any experience riding or commuting in the Memphis, TN area?

PS: For those still looking for Elvis I'll let you know if I spot him.

sam83

Y'ain't from around here, are ya boy?

fthomas

NOPE! Also make me wonder if I needed to pack something for protection. Had a "Good Old Boy" decide he wanted to take me on over him cutting me off and me just flashing my lights at him. No honking, no swearing, no bird, nothing! Glad I had a BIG Can of Bear Mace! HE DECIDED HE DIDN'T WANT TO GET HOSED DOWN! Good decision on his part!

This is far different than California!

sam83

You eat meat?

They can smell a vegitarian. Smells like...fear!

fthomas

Yep! Hunt too! Tough carrying a 68" longbow on the bike. Maybe I should just string it and sling it across the chest with a few arrows in a back quiver. Now that should be acceptable around here.

fthomas

Yep! Hunt too! Tough carrying a 68" longbow on the bike. Maybe I should just string it and sling it across the chest with a few arrows in a back quiver. Now that should be acceptable around here.

fthomas

Wow! Don't know how that happened! Multiple replies from one click!

ellenDSD

Oh jeez

I hope you actually get some decent information. Good luck and happy trails while you navigate your new home turf.

(Take heart, not all Southerners are so ... what's the word? Oh yeah, STUPID! that's it!)

sam83

I'm 3 hours East and in a more rural area, so I'm not sure anything I have to say is applicable.

There's probably a serious mix of country and city drivers. Neither group knows how to drive and each has their own "system". Country drivers will drive 45 MPH whether the speed limit is 25 or 65 and basically drive like they would on their farm. City drivers race evrywhere and are abrupt. Driver education has been notoriously poor in Tennesse and surrounding areas. Neither group know the rules of the road. Both groups think you should be on the sidewalk.

Since you have no other choice but to be in the lane, take it solidly. Don't give them the opportunity to see if they can squeeze by, because they will try if given the chance.

Use a mirror so you can tell of they are reacting to your lane position.

Assume they are carrying a gun. I'm not stereotyping here. CCW permits are easy to get, and it's a gun-loving state. A few years ago a local State Representative, John Ford I believe (Harold's uncle), either waved one at a trucker or perhaps even fired a warning shot.

If someone's turn signal is blinking, it was probably that way when they bought the car.

BDS

fthomas -

+1 on sam83's comments. I lived in Memphis for 4 years, commuted via bicycle in the city for about 11 months. Aside from sam83's county/city drivers - you'll find the drivers typically fall into three camps: 1) bemused tolerance 2)willful ignorance and 3)stupid & hostile. group (2) is the largest by far.

My commute took me from midtown, out to Germantown & then also into downtown for both of my part-time jobs. Your best option is buying a couple of good maps & then riding different routes. Also, you should know that you're allowed to move through a red light (with the in-ground sensor) if you: come to a complete stop & there isn't any on-coming traffic. This can be pretty helpful in some parts of the city -- they set those sensors a little high for bicycle & motorcycle traffic.

Better not to escalate confrontations with a majority of drivers, because of guns, and they will just run you down if they feel so inclined. Take your lane when you need to, and try to be polite - a smile, nod, or a wave of thanks goes a long way towards not being dead meat.

Finally, what possessed you to move to Memphis?

Good luck.

Lamplight

I live just outside of Nashville so it may be a little different here. Cycling here isn't too bad, but you do get the occasional tough guy who likes to honk and/or yell. I guess they enjoy showing people how foolish they are. To be honest, I get harrassed MUCH more around here when I'm driving than when I'm biking. On a bike motorists are only angry at you until they get to pass, assuming they ever see you at all. In a car they're angry at you the entire time they're behind you. That is, assuming you drive close to the speed limit and stop at stop signs and red lights. Good luck!

fthomas

Thanks for all of the information! TN is obviously not concerned about conservation, driving responsibly, education or their weight. All four are broad brush hasty generalizations so don't beat me up to bad!

On my way home this morning (12 miles) I witnessed no less than a dozen cars run read lights, a Shelby County Sheriff do a California Roll Through Red Light (CAR 632 at 10:20am), a left hand turn from the outside lane at major intersection and middle aged idiots swerving in and out of traffic as if they had to get somewhere FAST! And yes if their blinker is on then I would agree, it was that way when they got the car otherwise cagers do not seem to use them here.

Kind of reminds me of the Army sometimes: One hundred years of tradition unhampered by progress!

Family is what brought me to TN (wish they would have been somewhere else)! So, I want to stay around for my grandson.

I would have to concur with one of the above posters "STUPIDITY" makes them do it! On a positive note, most of the people I have met are relatively polite, pleasant and round. They are not all bad! They just scare me a bit when they are behind the wheel! All common sense and courtesy seems to get thrown out the window.

Wow, reading back on what I just wrote I would say that I don't like it here or I have not come to grips with the reality of it all. There must be some type of therapy to help me out with this. Need to check!

humble_biker

I left Memephis in 1991. It's nice to know it hasn't changed. Unfortunately the problems that you point out are everywhere in the US. Blame your City Council, Police Department, Fire Department, Mayor, County Commisioner, State Representatives, Governor, Congressional leaders, and finally your Presidents.
What happened to public service education???

centexwoody 

FWIW, I live in Texas & not Tennessee but I'll chime in that there are 'signals' of being a 'good ol' boy/girl' that can be used to great effect on the roads...

something I call the rural headbob - when I'm riding the country lanes, I'll catch the eye of the pickup truck driver or whatever yahoo is behind the wheel as they approach me, then deliberately lift my head in a short bob of recognition. Or I'll lift a couple of fingers off the handlebar in the 'country hello' wave practiced by farmers & ranchers throughout Texas. Folks that have grown up in the country know about this...and for the drunks who have their licenses suspended, they take to their bikes for 6 months or however long they have to be without driving permission. If you're lucky, they may assume you are one of these probationers and be sympathetic to your being relegated to a bike for mobility

Since most folks drive their routes to work/school/wherever regularly, I've now gotten to be a more accustomed sight and many will actually initiate the 'headbob' or 'country hello' before I do. And they figure I'm just part of the neighborhood(s) they are driving through (inclusion of the outlier within the community).

megamo

Hey, I live in Memphis and I commute to my work everyday. We just finished a 30 miles group ride around the town. There is no problem in Memphis to ride your bike as long as you get familiar with the roads you are taking. I've been riding with the group from the club. The web side is memphishightailers.com. you can get all the info you need about the routes and rides in memphis. if you need more info I can help you to find the best route to take for your commute to work. I haven't had any problems so far riding in memphis. Even the roughest area of the town is ok to ride.
Good luck!

JaredS

I'm in Memphis, too, born and raised here and have lived in many different sections of the city over the course of my fairly short life.

I started commuting by bike about one year ago, and while I can't always do it consistently, I'm looking to make a move within the next year that will put me in a better place to bike more often instead of using the car.

When I do commute, it is from the edge of Bartlett (near Summer and Stage intersection) in to University of Memphis. One way is right about 11 miles. The route I take is mostly calm and away from traffic, but there are a few bursts that can be a little intimidating (about a mile down Summer avenue near Summer and White Station, and about a mile down Whitten road).

My experience with drivers is mostly negative. I'd say that honestly, on average, I get harassed 4 out of 6 rides I take. I've gotten used to it, though, and it's actually kind of an encouragement since now I just laugh.

Anyway, I'd love to meet up and ride with folks sometime. I'm in the middle of finals and I'll probably do summer school, but I've got a few good friends who've started up a weekly ride. It's fun as hell; we start over in the Summer/Mendenhall area, and ride in to town to Jerry's Snowcones, stop for a treat, then back.