AJC LTE's 2/8/2007

AJC Letters to the Editor:

Cobb Opinions: READER RESPONSE: Bike 'cruising' law criticized
Only lawyers stand to benefit here

By Timothy Carroll, Frank Jewell
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/08/07

At a Feb. 1 meeting to discuss the proposed Columns Drive "No Cruising" ordinance, Commissioner [Joe Lee] Thompson reported that lawyers for Cobb County brought up the ordinance and said that they believe it is fully legal, although this type of restrictive ordinance singling out bicycles has never been passed anywhere else in the country.

Are these the same lawyers Cobb County depended on for the decision that it would be legal to paste labels inside biology textbooks?

Are these the same lawyers Cobb County consulted who thought it would be legal to spend tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on laptop computers, even though that was not why the taxes had been approved?

How many millions of Cobb County taxpayer dollars in legal fees have been spent trying to defend these ill-thought-out "legal decisions"?

How many more millions are the people of Cobb County willing to let be spent to defend decisions that cater to a small minority of residents?

How much of this money will end up in the pockets of lawyers recommending these legal decisions and strategies?

I would rather see our tax dollars benefit the residents of our county, not lawyers.

TIMOTHY CARROLL

Marietta (Columns Drive resident)

Common sense on all sides is best solution

As usual, our community leaders are proposing legislation without determining the root cause of the actual problem.

If restrictions are put on cyclists, they also should be placed on runners and walkers.

As a bike commuter, I often use Columns Drive as part of my route to work. On mornings when I want to get a little more exercise, I make five or more loops on Columns. It is hard for cyclists to use the "bike" lanes when walkers and runners use the lanes as sidewalks.

If only everyone used common sense, the problem would solve itself. Walkers, runners and cyclists should always keep as close to the curb as safely possible and when approached by oncoming traffic (any type of traffic) they should always form a single-file line to pass.

FRANK JEWELL, Marietta