A Different View

Normally my commute to work is about 15.2 miles.  Today was the day of Revolutions' Bike Safety course, and I decided to make a trip out of it today.

I was a little nervous about the 13-mile trip there and the 15-mile trip back, but it was freakin' fantastic!

Remember, in addition to bike commuting news in Memphis, this is a blog about my bicycle commuting experiences (and opinions, of course) - and my experience is pretty limited so far.  But it seems that as long as the terrain and the weather conditions aren't that bad, once you get going on your bike, distance isn't really an issue - within reason.  Maybe the ride was so great because I finally got to get a better view of the inside of Memphis, instead of my suburban area and the busy streets of the city.

It's amazing how pretty a city can be when you get off the main roads and have a view that travels only 10-15 miles per hour.

That all being said, the reason for the trip into town was great too.  Kyle, John Paul, and Mike (Mark?  something else? I'm so sorry I forgot!) did a great job discussing everything from choosing a safe route, to make sure your bike is in shape, to state and local bicycle laws.  I'm going to save further description for another post, and give a detailed rundown for those that want great advice on staying safe on the roads right here.

In the meantime, I'll just enjoy what I've learned today - not just from the class, but from the ride.  If you really want to learn about bike commuting, get on your bike and ride.

Bike Safety Class In Memphis This Saturday

I am excited to announce that Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop will be hosting a bicycle safety class this Saturday, November 21st.  I will be there, and I pray the weather is okay because I fully intend to ride from the Raleigh area to Cooper/Young.  Hope to see you there as well!

In order to reduce the chance of giving inaccurate information, I'll post the e-mail I received from Kyle at Revolutions:

Revolutions will be hosting a Bicycle Safety Class this Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 10:00am-12:00pm.  Come spend a couple hours fellow bike enthusiasts as we discuss general safety guidelines, specific regulations regarding riding bicycles in Memphis, and overall strategies for getting from point a to point B as safe as possible. This class is always one of the most interesting classes we teach.  Feel free to bring your questions ready. 

Bicycle Safety in the Streets

Date: Saturday, November 21 (10:00am-12:00pm)
Info: Should I ride with traffic or against it? Should I ride on the sidewalk? Can I take a left hand turn in traffic on my bike? Is it even legal to ride in the road? How can I safely navigate Memphis’ city streets?  Answers to all these questions and basic street safety procedures will be covered in this workshop.

The class will be free and open to the public.  No reservation is necessary.  Hope to see you there!

Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop

1000 South Cooper Street

Memphis, TN 38108

www.revolutionsmemphis.com

My First Ride in the Rain

I should not have saved this post for later, because I don’t think I can do justice to the feelings I felt from my first ride in the rain.  It was a while ago, and it was awesome.  That’s right:

Riding in the rain is AWESOME.

I knew that I would have a good time, because it was new, and the rain wasn't that bad.  But it wasn't the ride that I found so great - it was seeing all the other cars on my commute.

I would normally think that on a rainy day I would be jealous of all the cars and the people inside them.  After all, they're dry, warm, and getting home a lot sooner.  A funny feeling happened when I saw all the cars clamoring to get home.  I actually felt sorry for them.

Maybe a gloomy day is only gloomy when you're watching it from the inside, from the "safety" of your home or car.  I guess being immersed in the weather gives me a better understanding of how fun it can be to ride my bike in it.  In fact, I've noticed a pattern with weather and my bike riding:

I feel great when I ride in the rain instead of whining about not riding my bike.

I feel great when I drop gear and ride slow instead of fighting the wind.

I feel great when I'm riding in the heat, but not so much when I stop.

And I can't wait to add to this list when I ride through the winter for the first time.

Despite being frustrated by some motorist/bicyclist relations and my desire to improve  bicycle and walking infrastructure in Memphis, the pros of riding a bicycle really do outweigh the cons.  I'll admit that it's surprising, but weather is one of the main areas where this is really true.

Cash for Clubbers

Seriously?  No really, I mean it.  Did I really just see this on the news?

From the Wall Street Journal:  Apparently the IRS approved some loophole in the "Cash for Clunkers" waste of - I mean, program that allows for certain golf cars to be purchased through the program.

"The federal credit provides from $4,200 to $5,500 for the purchase of an electric vehicle..."  Well, sure enough, most golf carts are indeed electric.  Now you can't just buy any old golf cart.  The cart has to be street legal to qualify.

Personally, I never thought I would be saying "street legal" when talking about golf carts, but hey.  Here we are.

I know I shouldn't post when I'm amped up, but I couldn't help it tonight.  Maybe I'm just so disappointed that the U. S. approves a "Cash for Clubbers" program before a "Cash for Clunkers" bicycle program.

I guess us Americans will have to travel to Windsor in order to get a bike for our cars.

photo by sequelguy on flickr

Cyclist Punched in the Face at U of M

This is a piggyback post from Fix Memphis and Gotta be Gritty. You can also read the news article from The Daily Helmsman 

Now of course I wasn't there, but in the situation leading up to the assault, I personally would have tried my hardest to keep my mouth shut.  Memphis is a city after all, complete with not only rude, but dangerous people.  Despite the circumstances, I hope that Zac and Matthew are grateful that the assailant used his fist instead of a gun.  It's certainly unfortunate to have this attitude, but I have a family to care for, which is more important to me than even bicycle advocacy.

That being said, there is no excuse for the suspect's behavior.  Just because I would have stayed quiet does not make Zac and Matthew wrong.  In fact, they had every right to at least inform the driver of the laws regarding automobiles and bicycles.

I really cannot add much, since the negative words like despicable and ridiculous are pretty obvious by now.  I just want to help draw as much attention to this incident as I can so as many people as possible are not only aware of what bicycle commuters deal with on a daily basis, but also angered enough to push for better education and press towards friendlier bicycle/automobile relations.

If nothing else, lets hope this is a wake-up call to everyone to simply grow up.  If you're like the person that punched Zac in the face, knock it off.  If you're the opposite, and actually have love for your fellow man, don't ever stand for this kind of behavior.  Do something.

Increase In Bicycles = Increase In Injuries

A Denver news channel reported the results of a study done by the University of Colorado in Denver which stated that there has been a significant amount of injuries to bicyclists over the last five years.  It goes on to use a quote stating that “‘Once they get off the Cherry Creek bike trail, our data would suggest that they are putting themselves in significant danger,’ said Dr. Jeffry Kashuk, associate professor of surgery at the UC Denver School of Medicine.”

I was about to become disturbed that the report was implying that it is dangerous for someone to ride their bicycle to work, and discouraging them from doing so (I was ready to go on a rant).

However, at the end of the article, Dr. Hashuk said that the results of the study should be a wake-up call to local, state, and federal governments to change the way they see bicyclists, since they use the same roads as motor vehicles.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21520269/detail.html

Do you hear that Memphis?  Bicyclists are doing what they can to promote harmony with motor vehicles on our roadways, it’s time for the city and Shelby County (not to mention our residents) to create infrastructure that follows suit, or at least a public campaign that encourages drivers to give the same respect to bicyclists as they do other motor vehicles.

photo by richardmasoner at flickr

WalkBike Memphis! Preview

The Sunday before the first Monday of the month look to be an exciting two days for me.

Last Sunday was my second day volunteering at Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop.  Since I wasn’t feeling well, I was only able to contribute an hour-and-a-half, but I still had a great time.  I learned very quickly that removing spokes from a rim can be a frustrating procedure, especially when the spoke screws are all different sizes and stripped.  But that’s all part of the job at Revolutions.  The only way they can have parts available is for volunteers like me (and you!) to dismantle the donated bicycles.

Monday was my first WalkBike Memphis! meeting.  Since the meeting was being held in a coffee shop, I wasn't expecting any more than ten people to attend.  There was a bunch of people there, all ready to get involved!  I don’t want speak too much on how the meeting went, since we’re still in the planning stages, but I did join the education/outreach committee, so I will be having news frequently once it starts coming out.  If you would like more information on WalkBike Memphis! or the Memphis Coalition for Livable Communities, you can contact Sarah.  She'll be happy to give you any details you may need.

Speaking of the WalkBike Memphis! meeting, I would like to take this time to thank a reader of mine.  Dana is the first person I had never met that said she reads and likes this blog (and also reminded me that it’s not updated much).  Thank you Dana for reading, and I’ll be working on getting to writing more often.

In the meantime, if you’re in the Memphis area, please come out to the next WalkBike Memphis meeting, at Otherlands Coffee Bar on 641 S. Cooper St., Monday, December 7th, at 5:30pm.  It feels great to be a part of positive change where I live.