I admit my inclination to boycott companies whose political activities and contributions do not reflect my own.
I refused to eat grapes for around 15 years in support of Cesar Chavez, Latino labor rights advocate who urged the boycott of grapes until farm workers received living wages and safe working conditions.
I’ve avoided Cracker Barrel over the past 17 years or so after their policy to only hire heterosexuals was made public. Years later, it was also accused of bias in serving African-American customers.
I’ve not been in a Wal-Mart in 30 years for more reasons than I can inventory here, but it began with my concern about its negative impact on small town America.
I don’t order from Domino’s Pizza because it contributed money to Operation Rescue, which stages pickets at abortion clinics.
I quit eating at Chick-Fil-A because it gives financial support to groups that urge discrimination against gays.
Money Where My Mouth Is
In other words, I am dead serious about spending my money with people who represent my values and my vision of America.
But now, I’ve been put to the test. While I’m not suggesting that bike lanes are the moral equivalents of labor rights, gay rights, and women’s rights, it nevertheless gave me pause when I received an email asking me to boycott businesses on Madison Avenue that oppose city government’s plan for bike lanes for a mile and a half there.
As former U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said, all politics is local. That’s never been more obvious than when faced with option of boycotting businesses of friends who disagree with me about the value of bike lanes in Memphis generally and about Madison Avenue specifically.
It’s clear to us that the “compromise” offered by these businesses is no compromise at all. They propose that instead of bike lanes, city government should put up signs telling cars to share the outside lanes with bicyclists. They also suggest that reducing traffic lanes to add the bike lanes will decrease traffic, which seems implausible because two lanes is more than adequate to handle the regular traffic loads on Madison Avenue.
Time for All the Facts
Since Madison Avenue has none of the on-street parking similar to Cooper-Young, it’s difficult to understand how the customers like us are going to be inconvenienced or in the words of opponents “take lanes away from prospective customers.” I don’t know about everyone else but I really don’t get sentimental about four lanes over three lanes.
Madison Avenue, like so many major streets in Memphis, is built for a city that doesn’t exist anymore. Our densities are 30% less inside the interstate, commuter traffic to downtown jobs is much less, and Madison Avenue handles about 13,000 vehicles a day – about one-third of what it was built to handle.
We understand why some Madison Avenue businesses are wary but there is no comparison between bike lanes and trolley construction. That said, there’s no use in those of us who support the bike lanes to defend Memphis Area Transit Authority’s abysmal and insensitive (if not arbitrary and capricious) handling of the Madison trolley construction project.
If it could have been done worse, it’s hard to imagine how. It’s also the reason that we shouldn’t be dismissive about concerns, particularly by the businesses that were actually on the route of the trolley. Because of these companies’ experiences, city government should offer up a detailed plan for adding the bike lanes with timelines and guarantees for completion.
No Need to Defend MATA
It’s not enough to release charts that show that Madison Avenue traffic was relatively stable during trolley construction. Yes, we were able to drive Madison but it was another thing altogether to turn easily into businesses if we happened to be on the south lane when the business was on the north side. Or vice versa.
We should not diminish the business concern by arguing that they didn’t suffer from trolley construction. While it should be exceedingly simple to make the bike lane changes on Madison Avenue when compared to the trolley construction, it’s up to City of Memphis to make that case and to do it persuasively and with details.
Unfortunately, for the city engineer’s office, it is being judged by MATA’s agonizingly bungled construction management. Everyone on all sides of this issue should demand for this project to become a model of transparency for a road project.
Business Citizens
According to The Commercial Appeal, businesses opposing the bike lanes include Neil’s Bar & Grill, Minglewood Hall, Fantastic Sam’s, Ray White Photography, CashSaver (formerly Piggly Wiggly), Huey’s, Tangles Hair Studio, The Bar-B-Q Shop, Bogies Deli, Valenza Pasta, La Vogue Salon, Murphy’s, McElroy Insurance, Yosemite Sam’s, Ardent Studios, Bayou Bar & Grill, Le Chardonnay, Krosstown Cleaners, Sherwin Williams, La Nouvelle Salon, Kwik Check, Tandy Leather, and Revid Property Management.
Here’s the thing: This is not a list of uncaring, selfish business citizens uninterested in the future of Memphis and unconcerned about their neighborhood. Several of them are dependably first in line when a charity needs help. We think especially of Huey’s.
Thomas Boggs, founder of Huey’s, was a valued friend of mine. When he died three years ago, he left a hole in our civic fabric that no one has been able to fill. There was no one more in love with this city or more willing to give, give, give to anyone who asked for help. He was the kind of person who, if asked for the shirt off his back, would give his shirt and ask if you want the one in his closet too. I sometimes thought he had almost given away as many free hamburgers as those he sold.
As a result, Huey’s had and has a culture that reflects Thomas’ belief in Memphis, in the power of second chances for people with problems, and supporting events he helped create like Zoo Rendezvous.
Eat and Vote
This is why it’s hard for me to simply add a few more companies to my list of places where I refuse to do business and to join in a boycott. Instead, we’re offering an alternative.
Here’s our idea:
We’re not planning to boycott Madison Avenue businesses. In fact, we’re urging everyone to participate in a sit-in.
It’s not a sit-in that’s an old style protest at a specific time; rather, a sit-in where we all eat at Madison Avenue restaurants Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, and take the opportunity to vote for bike lanes.
The official ballot is our credit card receipt. We’ll not only sign it for payment, but we’ll register our vote by also writing on it: My family supports bike lanes.
Hopefully, we can remind our friends along Madison Avenue that with bike lanes, we plan to eat and shop there just as much in the future as we do now. In fact, we may do it even more since this “road diet” might slow us down enough to be reminded of the fine businesses that line this wonderful street.
Hardened hearts and heads would do well to read this post.
Hear, hear! Raise a frosty mug and wrack up a hefty tab! Speak loudly and give a healthy tip!
These Madison businesses are like the Cooper-Young businesses who rejected the trolley – short sighted; But then again, where is the real partnership between public and private sectors to maximize land use transportation interface? Midtown’s future lies in high density land use with walkable, bikable, and mass transit transportation.
Imagine thousands of parents staying in downtown hotels taking their kids via trolley to baseball tournaments at the fairgrounds. Imagine thousands of bikers using Madison for work or recreation because of limited access elsewhere. I can’t find anyplace to park at Huey’s anyway.
Great way to build consensus instead of barriers. Visit http://www.bikesmeanbusiness.com for more details and data. Click ‘get inolved’ and email the Mayor.
I can’t believe people would actually boycott businesses over this. If those businesses go away, who stands ready to replace them? Bike lanes on Madison would be GREAT, but if there are no businesses there, who would even want to bike there?
Sometimes an idea may seem great at first, but when one thinks it through to its logical end, it doesn’t seem very good at all. Whoever is organizing the boycott obviously didn’t make it past the ‘at first’ phase of thinking.
Anonymous, did you read past the first section? Especially the parts that say:
“This is why it’s hard for me to simply add a few more companies to my list of places where I refuse to do business and to join in a boycott. Instead, we’re offering an alternative.”
And…
“We’re not planning to boycott Madison Avenue businesses. In fact, we’re urging everyone to participate in a sit-in.”
On it! Looking forward to a Huey burger.
I understand the businesses’ concerns, but the lane option on Madison is not trolley construction and it is the proper design in this location. I hope Wharton does the right thing and goes with the lane option. Then, survey the business owners in 6 months or a year to see what they think.
The City expected the ‘temporary’ markings for ‘A New Face for an Old Broad’ to go away after the event was over. Ask anyone who lives, works or vistis there and you will learn why they are still in place.
I’ve heard that several of the businesses on the list aren’t really even that much against bike lanes. It wouldn’t surprise me if the guy who owns the cleaners and compiled the list took some neutral responses as anti-bike responses to bolster his claims. Just what I’ve heard from some of these businesses.
why on earth must everyone endorse what a few overly exuberant planners want in the first place ?? why must the business owners automatically be considered wrong ? that’s crazy ! everyone in the City need not walk lock-step on any issue or improvement ! why must everyone want or even like ‘bike lanes’ for heavens’ sake ?
Ridiculous..
Not all business owners are against this, Anonymous. There are many businesses which are FOR bike lanes.
@Anon3:23 – Only a few overly exuberant planners want? I’m not a planner of anything in particular and I sure as heck support bike lanes.
I don’t care if these businesses are in “lockstep” or not; I don’t care if they like them or not. I’m not asking them to pledge allegiance to anything. That said, I simply refuse to give my money to any business that is on record as being opposed to a community improvement that I feel is in my best interest. I was particularly saddened to see Kwik Check on that list as I used to be in there 2-3 times a week.
(Sorry, SCM – I’m going the boycott route on this one)
With the confusion that’s apparent about who’s for and who’s against, I’m with you on letting the businesses know by showing them that we care about bike lanes. It’s becuase of the confusion that I’m afraid to boycott somebody who’s position has been misstated.
Anonymous: The street is built for a much higher capacity so all these lanes are no longer needed, so why not put them to an alternate use?
Perfectly stated and amen.
The City Engineer has recommended a plan and businesses and citizens have stated their positions. The businesses seem to be somewhat evenly split, even if Cooper’s list is accurate. Citizens seem to be overwhelmingly in favor, giving a strong edge to the bike lanes.
This plan isn’t unpopular, just lacking complete consensus. If we all have to agree before we can take smart steps forward, we’re going to move forward very slow.
It’s not on Wight Boggs to change her mind; it’s on the Mayor to lead.
Go sit at zinnies for happy hour and assure me that there will be no congestion issues losing a lane. I love living off of Madison because I can get places easily by foot, bike or car. I don’t have to wait in traffic like I do in east Memphis.
Gates-
Great summary.
The wife and I are going to Huey’s on Friday night. I’ll leave a good tip and also write “Our family supports bikes lanes on Madison” across the top. Hopefully, they’ll get the message.
As a resident of the Tucker-Jefferson neighborhood, I shall do my best to enjoy a cocktail at every one of the restaurants listed. I really want bike lanes and I’m more than willing to drink to get them!
Shangri-la Records totally supports bike lanes on Madison Ave. The whole world hasn’t gone crazy. Don’t forget to tip your record purveyor!
I couldn’t agree more SCM!
Thanks for the idea… I gotta go find a bike-riding’ drinkin’ buddy – Gwyn, you up for it?
I refuse to support any business that supports bike lanes. I will be telling my friends to boycott the business’s on the list that support bike lanes.
there are immensely more pressing issues for traffic flow, ingress, egress all around this bad-driving city !
Bike Lanes ?? give us a break ! I don’t know one neighbor, one professional who ggets on a sweaty bike every morning in Memphis to go to the office, or to go shopping for groceries for heaven’s sake. Screw that stupid idea…most residents in Memphis are black and I don’t have ONE black asscociate who is actively promoting this idea of riding bikes all around Memphis..so who on earth are you building this crap for in the first place ?? students going to class in Mid town ? lawyers going to court ? lol…..physicians at UT Medical ?? brokers at Morgan Keegan ?
I get the trolley disaster because I live at Madison and Main. 3 years of jack hammers. build it. dig it up. rebuild it. terrible. Yet, there is intrinsic value to the trolleys being here. Living at the center of the trolley line gives me that perspective. People enjoy the trollies. I can see right into them from my house. People smile and wave all the time. Most people that I meet from out of town ride the trolley at some point. It really is insane that the trolley doesn’t run to Cooper and Young. All those business have done is kept tourism from coming into midtown. It boils down to short sightedness.
I have a friend who comes from Japan every year (10+years) and stays with me downtown. He spends most of his free time in midtown. He would certainly ride a trolley to many of the midtown business if there was one. Since there is a no trolley, guess what… he rides one of my bikes from downtown to midtown. A bike lane would most certainly make his trip easier. As a business owner I would want my business on the street with the only bike lane going from downtown to midtown. I mean, what an opportunity.
If Madison doesn’t do it, another street will and that street will reap the benefits and Madison will loose. Don’t let shortsightedness keep you from added business.
In case any of you who oppose bike lanes didn’t know. I don’t own a car. I haven’t owned a car for over 10 years. The only way i will get to your business is on a bike or if someone else brings me. I happen to live where I work downtown so I bike everywhere else.
We need bike lanes in this city.
I admire this attempt at diplomacy but I would rather spend dollars at bike friendly establishments than sitting in at ones that aren’t. It’s not a boycott. Its a choice to whom I give my dollars to. You have to earn my loyalty.
@ who cares? There are plenty of professionals downtown that do ride their bikes to work. I just shot a bunch of interviews with people like the ones you just mention, doing all those things on a bike. I’m sure you will see these PSAs pretty soon from you couch.
It’s not so much diplomacy as solid proof that these companies’ customers support bike lanes. Their concern is that bike lanes hurt their businesses. We need to let them know that this isn’t the case.
Sherman: Shangri-la’s support means a lot since you get the vibe and the business side of the issue. You remind us that we owe Shangri-la a visit.
Who cares demonstrates one of the most distracting things about these kinds of conversations. There’s somebody that is totally off point and just pushes the default button to rant.
As we keep telling you, great cities do lots of things at the same time. And maybe, just maybe, few people agree with your sense of priorities any way.
first, Memphis TN is NOT a “great city” / are you nutty ?
second, what PERCENTAGE of the population (commuters, shoppers, etc) of Memphis TN is currently riding bikes ??
What percentage is likely to ride if more bikes lanes are expensed and created ??
I would think it couldn’t be even 1 %
What percentage of the majority (blk) population ??
I don’t think this proposal is very critical or necessary one bit.
First, Memphis is a great city. You might try reading Sir Peter Hall’s Cities in Civilization, you might try telling Fred Smith that it isn’t, you might try telling Justin Timberlake and musicians galore that it isn’t.
Second, as we’ve said, we need to right size streets all over Memphis. We have excess capacity.
This proposal is critical and necessary for a variety of reasons which we have mentioned several times on this blog.
Memphis is a great city ???
hmmm, I for one would not use such a shallow barometer of what makes a truly great city such as the existence of a shipping company, and any lousy or mediocre pop musician(s).
I would not come close to judging Memphis TN as GREAT, and I dare say few across the United States (outside W TN) would accept Memphis as some sort of great environment, presenting cutting edge anything, or exceptional – certainly components of “greatness”.
Everyone is entitled to their own assessment, but labeling Memphis TN as a “Great City” or a great environment belies reasonableness, fair comparison, and truth.
Claiming Memphis TN is a “great city” eclispes hyperbole.
It suggests bias and blindness of the worst order in my opinion.
I also choked on my coffee reading such rubbish..but it is what it is. Memphis “could be” great one day, far off in the future perhaps, but it’s no where near that level.
Laughable indeed.
Anonymous: It won’t hurt our feelings if you need to move to some city that’s really, really great. And no doubt you’ll be just as negative and erratic and full of opinions with no factual basis to offer.
@ Anonymous. Memphis is a great city. It has the most real, authentic and down to earth character. The problems are the haters that feed on their on their own negativity rather than doing something positive. Done anything for your community lately? If I am blind, I still hear the music.
Again with the multiple personalities and pen names? Shekel/ Anon- your desperation is showing.
…of course that is just an opinion. Seeing as your opinion requires no foundation in reality or fact- as you have stated many times before- Memphis may in fact be a great city. Even if it is simply the opinions of others that Memphis is a great city, that viewpoint is just as valid as your opinion that Memphis is not a great city. Wonderful corner in which you have painted yourself.
Anon- why do you believe that an impromptu poll of individuals (real or invented) lends credibility to your “opinion”. Your attempts to sidestep the question pointed directly at you have failed. You state at one point that opinions are just that- viewpoints that require no substantiation or facts that can be freely expressed on a website and should not be hampered by criticism or requests for support. You then reidicule other opinions that differ from your own as being “silly” or ridiculous. Which is it as you are proving to be quite the hypocrite?
I urge people who want a laugh to read in today’s WSJ an article about the ridiculous intersection of so-called urban BIKE RIDING and fashion,, it even mentions the battle in NYC about more damn bike lanes, and the article mentions that in 2009 the ‘bike riders’ of Portland were less than 10% ,, so I would estimate the ‘bike riders’ in southern, auto-cultured, mostly African Memphis would be around 1 % ?? what’s the urgency for bike lanes in Memphis TN ?? it’s not urban really at all like NYC, and it’s sure not the demographic (culturally or racially) of Portland !
Anyway the WSJ article highlighted some of the craziness of fashion intersecting biking, and the ‘types’ of people who are doing it, who they are, and even how stupid they look in their ‘garb’.