Not all cyclists, residents at odds
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/01/07
Cobb County's proposed "cruising" ban on cyclists who use Columns Drive has ignited debate among residents and riders. Yet some say the debate misses a huge point — that the road for the most part is a safe and courteous place to ride and drive.
"All you hear is the bad stuff," said resident Bonnie Fishman, who also rides on the 2 1/2-mile street in east Cobb near the Chattahoochee River. "You don't hear all the good stuff."
She said cyclists say "Good morning" to her as she waits with her first-grader for the bus, and that while there may be the occasional flare-up between rider and driver, the atmosphere is largely peaceful. Indeed, the mix of residents, riders, runners and walkers is part of the social fabric of Columns Drive, which the proposed ordinance would damage, she said. "This is not a normal place," said Fishman, who said she is among about a dozen homeowners who cycle on the street. "Why make it normal?" Some residents and riders say the proposed ordinance is too severe a way to address problems created by a few cyclists. The ordinance would prohibit a cyclist from passing a certain point on the road more twice in an hour. Many cyclists ride up and down the street several times, and they say the anti-cruising ordinance would effectively bar them from the road. The controversy has polarized some riders and residents. As the two sides have dug in their heels, they've been largely talking at each other, with homeowners saying cyclists are stealing their roadway and cyclists saying they have a right to ride. A community meeting set for tonight may reveal the depth of animosity and whether the two sides are ready to start talking to each other. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. at the Atlanta Country Club at 500 Atlanta Country Club Drive in east Cobb. Concerns out in the open People on both sides say they hope they can craft a solution without the county commissioners adopting the proposed cruising ordinance, which would impose fines of up to $500 on riders who loop around and around on the road. Columns Drive runs off Johnson Ferry Road and dead-ends in a parking lot by the Chattahoochee River. It draws dozens of cyclists to its long, wide shoulders. Many have made the road their training track, doing fast laps around it. Cyclist Jim Hunt said the public discussion, much of which occurred at a public hearing last week, has helped to narrow the problem. In his eyes, the homeowners' major complaint is that some speeding cyclists ride three or four abreast and jut into the road with little regard for cars. If those cyclists could limit themselves to two abreast, it would calm tempers, said Hunt, a 26-year-old Marietta man who rides there several times a week in nice weather. "If the cyclists could be a little more respectful to the drivers, and the drivers could be a little more patient, I think we can work together," he said. Cyclists have the most to lose should the Cobb County Board of Commissioners adopt the ordinance. At the same time, some residents insist they want dangers removed from their neighborhood. "Nobody who lives in this neighborhood wants to run over a person on a bicycle," said resident Larry Savage. Hunt hopes publicity will highlight the need for more cycling spots in north metro Atlanta. Cycling places there are rare, he said, aside from Columns Drive, the Silver Comet Trail and some riverfront parts of Roswell. Hope and skepticism Resident Lawrie Jordan also said he hopes the debate leads to solutions, but added that he's not sure talking to a few cyclists will make a big difference. "I'm not sure if they can exist in harmony with the pedestrians and cars," he said. Tim Carroll, a neighborhood resident who also cycles there, said he thinks the problems have been blown out of proportion by a handful of residents who don't want the bikers there. He said a "cruising" ban would embarrass many people in Cobb, much as the evolution stickers in school textbooks did. Cobb County officials say neighbor complaints have been building for 10 years, and the officials want a solution before tragedy strikes. Yet they may not want to adopt a measure perceived as anti-cycling, because cycling is considered a healthy recreational activity. Commissioner Joe Thompson proposed the cruising ordinance, which would not apply to cars or other motor vehicles, but he has not publicly said whether he supports it. The commissioners are expected to vote on the ordinance Feb. 27. "Both sides are taking the county seriously," Thompson said. "You have to admit I got a good discussion going on."
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