ABC members respond to AJC letter slamming cyclists

Mr. Segars, I understand your anger and frustration. I know what it is like to feel overwhelmed with life, tired, frustrated and wanting to take it our on something or someone. You are right, those cyclists have been clogging-up the Metro Atlanta roadways for just too darn long! Finally, someone has discovered the "problem" with the Atlanta commute, too many cyclists! My goodness, please, let's get some bike lanes so that these cyclists can get out of our way.

Erica Crabb Moon
Share the Road Project Manager
Atlanta Bicycle Campaign

I am a daily bicycle commuter, riding from Decatur to my job in Downtown Atlanta. I ride responsively, obeying traffic laws, and wish to be treated as any other lawful vehicle. By riding my bicycle to work, I produce less pollution, improve my health, and reduce the traffic congestion on city streets. I do not consider myself a hazard to others, and resent being labeled as such.

Jeff McMichael, Decatur

In a recent letter to the editor, it was implied that the increase in cyclists on the road detracted from the commute and ongoing needs of Atlanta's efficiency and productivity. Perhaps the author failed to recognize that

(a) gas prices are forcing extremely productive members of society to use alternative forms of transportation, and
(b) that the current environmental crisis is something that we have to tend to in practice, not just in word.

In addition, many folks fail to realize that Georgia law permits cyclists to share the road responsibly with automobiles. We should honor and reward Atlanta citizens who take cycling seriously because they curb obesity (which saves tax payers from costs of insurance burdens later in life), and curb America's dependency on foreign oil.

So while automobiles continue to fund nations with questionable foreign policies oversees by purchasing gas (oil), cyclists are patriots that are standing up for American-made energy efficiency and health!

Although cyclists may slow traffic, they will add to America's quality of life in the long run. Perhaps drivers need to slow down, pause, and smell the roses when cyclists are in the lane, and realize that life is about quality of living, not the rat-race productivity in a profit-driven culture!"

Joe LaGuardia

Most cyclists obey the rules of the road but not all cyclists do. Just like most automobile drivers obey the rules but not all automobile drivers do.

Per Georgia law, Georgia Transportation Code 40-6-294, bicycles are allowed to ride on the road, not the sidewalk. Riding bicycles reduces traffic, pollution, and increases general health. Bicycles are a good alternative mode of transportation compared to automobiles.

Do not make the assumption that all cyclists are not productive members of society without a destination. Myself included, there are about 10 cyclists that ride to work at a major company in Midtown every day as productive members of society with a destination.

Atlanta Bicycle Campaign cyclists obey the transportation codes of Georgia while reducing traffic and improving the environment.

Less cars, more bikes, better earth and health!

Philip Gilbert

As the director of a community bicycle repair shop, I can affirm Mr. Segar's observation that there are indeed more cyclists on the road. This is because more and more people are wisely choosing a cheaper, cleaner, and friendlier way to get from place to place, like home and school, work and stores.

We may be having more fun on our commute, but our purpose isn't recreation. Rather, we are going about our productive days while making Atlanta a cleaner, safer place to live and work.

Rachael Spiewak, Executive Director
Sopo Bicycle Cooperative

I commute on my bicycle a total of 25 miles to and from work most weekdays. My employer pays me to be a productive member of society trying to reach an actual destination. I ride recreationally perhaps twice a year.

Bicycles are vehicles with the same rights to the road as automobiles under Georgia law. This includes roads such as US 41 and Ga. 5. I'll be happy to give up my bike if Mr. Segars will agree to ferry me to and from my job every day. I'm sure he won't mind paying for the gas in order to get an extra cyclist off the road.

Charles Shapiro

I agree that we should get bikes off the street. Instead, there should be bike lanes on all the roadways so that cyclists can travel safely without having to worry about being run down by an inattentive driver lost in a cell phone conversation.

Cycling is a healthy, clean alternative to driving. In bike friendly cities such as Seattle and Sacramento, with which I am personally familiar, many, many people cycle to and from work. And here in Roswell, even on hazardous roads such as Holcolmb Bridge Road, Mansel Road and Ga. 9, I see people who are obviously riding bikes to work, not simply out pleasure riding. Not that long ago, I could ride my bike from East Roswell to my office near Perimeter Mall. It required me riding a couple miles on Holcomb Bridge. I would not even dare to ride that stretch of road today.

It is important to take immediate and forceful action to improve conditions for safe biking so that we do not have to rely on the unpredictable behavior of inattentive drivers in order to be safe on the streets.

Thomas McMurrain, Roswell

I would like to point out a few things to Mr. Segars.
1) Many motorists ignore the rules of the road as well. That is why there are "red light" cameras at major intersections in Cobb County.
2) I ride my bike 13 miles to work, each way, to be a productive member of society.
3) In all 50 states it is legal for cyclist to be on the roads. Maybe you should ask your local politicians to create more bike lanes on the roads to make it safer for all.

John Tackett, Systems Analyst

Gosh, I'm afraid the irate driver has missed the trend.

When the mayor of Roswell and the mayor of Decatur and a couple thousand other people have just recently biked from their home towns to the state capitol in downtown Atlanta to meet the mayor of Atlanta and Georgia politicians, you know that bikes and cars can co-exist on the roads.

Car drivers just need to be a bit more careful to keep alert for cyclists, and cyclists need to obey the rules of the road. Just like my car's license plate says: "Share the road" - and that's the law.

Richard Higgins, Georgia Tech Professor (retired)
Decatur

Kurtis Segars' letter decrying the increaded number of bicycles on Marietta roads is shortsighted.

Does he think that only cars and trucks have the right to use our streets? We must all share the road. If Mr. Segars would like more distance between cars and bicycles, he should lobby for more bike lanes. How can he also assume that the cyclists he sees are not themselves commuting? Cyclists are certainly "productive members of society" with "actual destinations."

Kurtis could give them credit for leaving him more gas to buy and keeping his air clean - while breathing his exhaust. Indeed, communities should do more - much more- to encourage cycling, both for commuting and healthy recreation. Perhaps Mr. Segars should try biking himself!

Michael Moore

Marietta's Kurtis Segars wrote to the paper complaining about problems in the streets. However, his reasoning for the hazard of cyclists could apply to motorists.

For years motorists have caused traffic problems on the streets. They drive too fast, avoid the rules of the road, cause accidents that kill and maim people.

More and more of "these people" are driving down major highways during rush hour. I'm seeing more and more motorists on the road during rush hour. We need to write our politicians to get these people off the road.

Here's an idea: let's encourage more people to take alternative ways to work. Carpooling, taking mass transit or teleworking are all options. But one transportation method is efficient, uses no fuel, doesn't pollute and has health benefits for the driver. Bicycling makes sense for those productive members of our society who work near where they live.

I consider myself a productive member of society, Mr. Segars, and I sometimes ride my bicycle to work. I try as much as I can to avoid major streets, but sometimes that's not possible or practical. However, even when I'm in heavy traffic, I rarely delay a motorist more than a minute. Sometimes, I actually can pedal faster than traffic. I honestly don't think bikes are the reason Mr. Segars or anyone else is late for work.

I do observe the rules of the road, but Mr. Segars is correct. If banning cyclists from the road is reasonable because some disobey traffic laws, then why not take traffic-law scofflaw motorists off the road? Frankly, that would make a lot more sense, because motorists are the ones killing and maiming people. Ever hear of anybody killed in by a hit-and-run bicyclists? Ever had traffic delayed by a three-bicycle pile-up?

Biking to work, school or the library isn't for everyone. But if more people took a bike for small errands, it would take more cars off the road, and traffic and our air quality would actually improve.

Diane Loupe, Decatur