Traffic/transportation, Nashville

Just in case you get any funny ideas about enjoying yourself in the wee hours of the morning! Obviously there is a problem involving hot-blooded young guys prowling the streets in their 'flash' cars as they try to impress the ladies!

No, not a caution not to take a tour, but a caution if you are driving to watch them carefully so as not to hit them. They seem to have a tendency to stop wherever they want, even if its in the middle of the street so their clients can see what they wish. I almost hit this one for two reasons. It stopped suddenly, and I was trying to take a foto of something across the street :o) Ok, but still good warning be careful, there are a lot of walkers on the street especially weekends, and always lots of tourbuses, with people getting on and off. Seemed a number of people just wander out and expect cars to stop for them. Just be careful. Along Broadway and West End Streets and generally downtown, there is a lot of traffic and "rubberneckers".

Having grown up on the west coast, learning to drive in Nashville was a major education. Having talked with folks from all over the country, I discovered I wasn't alone in this.

Nashville isn't built on a grid like most cities. It's more like driving along a spider's web with downtown at the center. There's also a quick transition from uban to rural driving in some areas. So here are some general pieces of advice:

1) Get a map. Without a good map, you will get lost everytime you leave the Interstates. Even residents get lost here.

2) If you miss an exit, loop back and get off at the one you wanted. Most roads don't run parallel, so it may not be easy to 'cut over' to your original street.

3) Avoid driving between 7:30-9:00 am and 4:30-6:30 pm. These are rush hours and getting anywhere worthwhile is frustrating. Wait an hour and drive the speed limit.

4) Nashvillians DO NOT merge well. Experienced city drivers will want to be alert at all onramps.

5) Be warned that locals give directions based on buildings, not street names or exit numbers. 'Turn left at the Krystal past the BP station.' Another good reason to have the map handy.

6) At stoplights, make sure you stay back far enough to see the lights. Many are placed so that the first driver in line has to crane over the dashboard to see it turn green.

7) Street names can change for no reason whatsoever. They can also shift without notice. Old Hickory Blvd, at one point, has a 2-mile shift. The unwary will continue onto Bell Rd, never knowing they should be much further south.

8) In case I didn't mention it, make sure you get a good map!!

As with any growing city, traffic can be either congested or 75 miles an hour BUMPER TO BUMPER. People drive like maniacs frequently and accidents are numerous in a typical day, causing major jams. (Frequently construction detours can gum up the works too)

This is a great city, but like any other there are places to avoid. Stay close to the main
hotel district downtown and don't wander down dark roads on foot or by car. I once stayed at the Hyatt, which IS lovely. Next morning I could see from my window that only two blocks away was a sleezy looking group of Housing Projects. Not a section I would wish to visit day or night.