Bike Cobb

Is Joe Seconder, Self-Proclaimed Founder of BikeCobb.org, A Thief??

2008-08-07T21:48:00.004-05:00

Back in February 2007, there was little dust up in Cobb County over an ordinance being introduced by Joe Thompson that was effectively trying to ban cycling on a public road. I got involved. I was a cyclist and was against any type of restriction, plus I live on the road. I had no intention of letting a bunch of pinhead politicians tell me I cannot cycle in my neighborhood. I attended commission meetings, I posted all over the damn internet, I had heated discussions with homeowners and other cyclists. I also decided to document all that was going on with a blog- Bike Cobb. A permanent record of what was transpiring. I put a lot of work into it. I had many cyclists tell me they were reading it, sending links to friends and gave me thanks for the effort to keep everybody up-to-date. I also worked the press as much as I could, shooting emails to writers at the AJC and MDJ. I sent them contact information from homeowners. I did everything I could to fight this.

After the “compromise” proposal, that was no compromise (and I told all the cyclists who participated in that with Commissioner Joe Thompson that they were going to get worked over- and they did), I kept track of what was going on. Were police out? What were they doing? What was the effect? I posted pictures. I told of license checks. I did what I could. As winter approached nothing was happening, so no posting went on. I was waiting for the elections, because as I screamed from day 1, we had a chance to primary Joe Thompson.

During the winter, some guy moves to town- Joe Seconder. He was not involved in the Columns issue, sat in no commission meetings, did no battle over this contentious issue. He decided to start a bike advocacy group. Good for him. He originally registered “Cobb Cycling” on Yahoo Groups and started communicating. He sent me a few emails through my blog, Bike Cobb, but I didn’t respond, or even read the second one, because I was busy with my own thing and was not interested in working with him. Well Cobb Cycling got some people involved and they ended up setting up a website. Did they call it Cobb Cycling, after his Yahoo Group? No, Joe Seconder stole the name Bike Cobb. I guess he liked it more.

Let me point out, this is why people do not like to get involved in advocacy. You end up with unethical people doing unethical things, and just making people miserable. It was spring or summer before I read Joe Seconder's second email and realized Joe had stole the name of my blog for his advocacy group. Hell, Cobb Cycling sounded good to me. I really was a bit dumbfounded. I could not believe this guy had done this. How unethical was he? He had no respect for me, my blog, or all the effort I put in to the Columns issue and my blog. He just up and decided he liked the name so he would steal it. He stole from me.

Now he has a few excuses, as he has written and told me. Number 1: He felt he could take the name because I did not respond to his emails. Number 2: He felt he could take my name because we were both working on bicycle advocacy. I guess if he saw your bike at Columns and he asked if he could have it and you failed to respond, he would take it. Maybe, maybe not. He did do this to me however. He stole from me.

I was really unsure about how to pursue this. I didn’t want to seem petty, but I was pissed. I don’t like people taking things from me. And it has caused me trouble. I have had to explain to people, including a candidate for office, that I was the starter of Bike Cobb, but no ”maybe not the one you are thinking about.“ Plus, it really put me off my game on stuff I wanted to do for the election- like contacting candidates. The confusion and explanations were a bit much. Plus, I realized a few things about Joe Seconder’s Yahoo Group, which I did join to post election stuff, like I was doing on a bunch of other groups. What I recognized was that he deletes stuff he does not like. After he posted a glowing and completely bullshit post about Sam Olens being progressive on cycling/transportation issues, I called him on it and posted my experience with Olens. I do have experience with him from the “Columns commission meetings” and have kept track of him since then. Since I did not agree with Joe’s thoughts, he deleted the post. I posted on Woody Thompson’s background and friendships with the people who got Joe Thompson to introduce the Columns ordinance. He deleted that, along with another poster’s agreement. I can not say for sure how many posts he has removed, but removing any because you do not agree with them is pretty bad for an advocacy group.

Since I am all about pressuring politicians through exposure of facts, and Joe Seconder seems to be more about kissing up to them, I realized it would be best if any confusion between the two websites was removed. The best way for that to happen is for Joe Seconder to replace the name he stole with another one- like his original name Cobb Cycling. I asked him to do this. It would be very inexpensive. Domain registration for a year is only $15. Name changes on the website would be minor. He has not yet incorporated as a 501-c-3 group. All his flyers and stuff appear to be electronic so can be easily changed. He could keep the old domain and redirect to the new site so nobody would get lost or left out. His group is only 6 months old, so it is not like they have a long track record. His only response had been “Let’s have coffee.” I certainly will not do that since there may be future litigation. All communication should be in writing. Plus, I would feel the need to keep my hand on my wallet and eye on my car.

While I certainly have the legal right to the name Bike Cobb, I also have the moral right to it. I started using it a year before Joe stole it. I put a lot of effort into my website and advocacy with the commission. Why would somebody just come along and assume they can use it because they like it better than the name they were using? Is this an ethical person? Is this the kind of person you want to associate with for bike advocacy in Cobb County? Isn’t any group’s ethics or reputation only as good as the person running it?

So what about you Joe Seconder? You have admitted you decided to start using the name even though you knew I was using it for my blog, for cycling advocacy. Do you want to stand up, be a man, admit you made a mistake and correct it? Do you want to do what is right? Or do you want to try and keep using a name you stole? This is going to speak a lot about what type of man you are and what type of organization you are going to run. Do you want people to be able to trust you? Or do you want people worried about what you might take from them? You can end this whole thing by doing the right thing. Think about it.

Bike Cobb

2008-08-06T13:51:00.009-05:00

(Updated below)

Wow, some people...

In February of 2007 I started this blog, Bike Cobb, to document and archive information on the Cobb Commissions actions on the Columns Drive ordinance. At the time I was involved with other cyclists fighting this, attending commission meetings and spreading the word. Many people were involved and we won a partial victory and a partial loss- as a single file ordinance that is unenforceable by state law was passed. I immediately advocated trying to primary the commissioners supporting and voting for this- which was all of them, including Joe Thompson who introduced and championed the ordinance as well as Sam Olens the chairman.

Last night we primaried Joe Thompson and gave him more time to spend with his family, as Bob Ott won the Republican runoff for the District 3 Commission seat. This is great for cyclists. We have a voice and should use it. Annette Kesting who voted for the ordinance was defeated in her primary runoff, but that had more to do with shooting herself in the foot than it did with any cyclist.

So back to the past. A year after I started this blog and spent a lot of time fighting the Columns issue, I get an email to the Bike Cobb email address from Joe Seconder. It reads:

Hi there,

are you available to chat?

I've started www.bikecobb.org

Thanks,

Joe Seconder

Now I am thinking, this guy just sent an email to Bike Cobb, surely he is not stupid enough to name his advocacy group "Bike Cobb." He knows this blog exists, is named Bike Cobb, existed a year prior to this, and the efforts made to fight the Columns ordinance? I really did not give it a thought. Well, he was stupid enough, as I realized a few months later. At the time, I decided not to make any decision on it yet.

Well, during the last month of primaries, many people were posting on various triathlon yahoo groups, cycling yahoo groups and Joe's little yahoo group "Cobb Cycling," which he at least did not name Bike Cobb. As it turns out, Joe Seconder will delete your posts if he does not like the content. I posted about how Kesting and Thompson were outed, but Sam Olens wasn't and added that he was probably untouchable. Joe posted back how much he liked Olens and thought he was "open-minded in working with progressive ideas." This is the Sam Olens that voted yeah on the Columns ordinance. (And at the same time pushed through an ordinance that still allowed private and commercial burning in residential areas.) I thought that was odd, but remember Joe also posts on his bike advocacy about the Columns issue: "I Wasn't Around. Single Focus Effort. In the Past." He does not seem to concerned about it. I posted back that Sam is not concerned with cycling or cyclists, and I did not think he was progressive. I cannot give you the post verbatim, because the post was deleted by Joe. He also deleted another post:

Woody Thompson defeated Annette Kesting in the District 4 Commission seat Democratic primary. He may not be a cyclist supporter.

During the Columns fiasco at a commission meeting, I talked with Paul McNulty, president of one of the townhouse associations on Columns. He was one of the people speaking for the anti-cycling ordinance. Even back then he spoke about how Woody Thompson was going to challenge Kesting for the District 4 seat, maybe changing parties to do so. He said he was friends with him and seemed to be a big supporter. So Woody may not be our friend.

Hopefully Woody will stay away from anything anti-cycling, but I doubt he is somebody we can count on. Like Joe Thompson, he seems to be from the old boys club in Cobb County. He does have to face Republican candidate Barbara Hickey in the general. This may be another race cyclists may want to get and give feedback on.

He sent me back an email, which I assume covers both posts, which read:

I don't mind some personal opinions on this message board, but let's keep the banter to a minimum.

I've met with Sam. He's the chairman and I'm not going to get into the negative speech here. Feel free to keep the negative stuff to your old message board, please.

nuff said.

This is the message board he named "Cobb Cycling - Bike Cobb," the same name my blog was named a year prior. (BTW- I am opening a new store to sell all kinds of stuff. It is called Target!)

So what do you do? I hate to see somebody running a group using a name I originally used for a blog a year prior, who seems to have an agenda other than cycling issues? I hate to see that person using that name censor a group's posts because they do not match his beliefs or opinions. If somebody is going to have a non-profit for cyclists, opinions should at least be open for discussion. Kingdoms usually suck. Kingdoms with stupid and tyrannical kings suck more.

In any case, I am glad for the change at the commission. Two of the five commissioners who voted for the Columns Ordinance are gone. We have a shot at replacing two more in two year. Cyclists have a little muscle to flex now.

Update:

Well Joe Seconder decided to post his version of events leading up to his use of a name for bicycle advocacy in Cobb County that was already being used:

Hi All,

I'd like to set the record straight and provide full disclosure on a situation that has arisen.

I originally moved to Cobb County in 1984. I left the Atlanta area in 2001 and lived in Europe until the end of 2006. When I was in Europe, I regained my love of bicycling. Instead of just talking between friends about how the bicycling scene is inadequate in the Atlanta area, I wanted to get some advocacy initiatives started. I was really impressed with BikeRoswell, and how they collaborate with their elected representatives and government officials. I felt it was all about networking and getting a broad-based coalition going for the long haul.

I wanted to find a Cobb County version of the BikeRoswell group and get involved. I came across the bikecobb.blogspot.com in January. I saw there hadn't been a posting since September, 2007. On the homepage, there is an owner email account, so I sent an email. It went unanswered so I started the Yahoo group. Then I registered a couple of Websites (at my own expense). Then, between a few initial folks, it was mutually agreed upon that the name "BikeCobb" would be most appropriate. So we stuck with that, and used www.bikecobb.org. On June 2nd, the bikecobb.blogspot owner requested to join this Yahoo group and was approved. This was the first communication the group had with this person, and there was never any discussions regarding infringement, names, etc.

To make a long story short, I believe in life that "you get more flies with honey than you do vinegar".

Today, on the BikeCobb blog, the owner has posted a VERY shortened version of my original email from January. He also posted another personal I sent directly to him. This blog owner then emailed me today with what I consider inappropriate language between fellow bicycle advocates. I will not share his message publicly.

FYI, below is my full UNEDITED email I sent (unanswered) to the owner of the bikecobb blog.

You can read that here.

First off, full disclosure means telling you what he wants you to know. He does not mention deleting posts with opinions on candidates or elected officials he does not agree with. Two of my posts and at least one other were deleted. There was nothing profane, actionable or in bad taste in any of these. Somebody else called Kesting a slob, but that was the worst, and I don't think anybody would disagree with that.

Second, the email I posted from him was verbatim. I received it in March. The one he posted was received in January, which just illustrates that he decided to name his website for bicycle advocacy in Cobb County, GA, in February, "Bike Cobb" knowing another website using the same name for bicycle advocacy in Cobb County already existed. Not real smart. Just because I receive emails for coffee and talk does not mean I have to accept or even respond. I certainly do not give up any rights by doing neither.

My not posting while nothing newsworthy was going on certainly does not release any rights or the name of my website. I have no obligation to post a certain number of items a month. The website stayed active and did have traffic, including Joe Seconder. For him to choose to use that name knowing somebody else was using it for the same purpose in the same county and state was just poor judgment.

As far as "inappropriate language?" I called him a dick for deleting posts and I said he was an idiot for thinking Olens was "progressive." Believe me, for my general manner of speaking, that was mild. I am all about inappropriate language!

I asked to join "Cobb Cycling" on Yahoo groups as he said to post information on elections and to read what was going on with "Bike Cobb." I had still not decided how to pursue the matter, or if I wanted to. After seeing how Joe was deleting posts that did not jive with his opinion, I decided that it would be better to demand Joe change the name of his advocacy group so it did not reflect upon my blog and efforts. I have notified him of my intent and will send an official cease and desist letter shortly. Seeing how inexpensively he can change the name and domain, keeping the old domain to redirect to the new one, I hope he takes this avenue to avoid any litigation. Surely he accepted this risk when he chose tho use a name already in use.

It is sad that this has all happened on a day when we should be celebrating a victory, but Joe assumed this risk by using a name already in use and deleting people's posts that he did not agree with. I am not going to shirk away from my rights on any day, however.

Nah, nah, nah, nah... Nah, nah, nah, nah...

2008-08-06T08:04:00.005-05:00

Hey, hey, hey... Goodbye!

Bob Ott defeated Joe Thompson in the Cobb County Commissioner Republican primary race in District 2, by an almost 2 to 1 margin. I know the cycling community pushed hard with a get out the vote effort against Thompson, who was the commissioner who introduced the Columns Drive anti-cycling measure. While many other groups were happy to be rid of Thompson, I am very happy the cycling community was able to flex it muscles and show that it is a group of people to be considered.

Annette Kesting, the Democratic Commissioner from District 4 was defeated in the Democratic primary by Woody Thompson, a former 2-term Republican commissioner from District 4 who changed parties to challenge Kesting, who beat him 4 years ago in the general election. (Thompson was also formerly a Democrat who changed to Republican to... hey, whatever he has to do to get himself elected...) While Kesting did not introduce the anti-cycling ordinance, she did happily vote for it, so it is nice to see her ousted. I wish the cycling community could take some credit for that, but Kesting shot herself in the foot repeatedly and pretty much insured who own defeat.

Commission Chair Sam Olens, also voting for the anti-cycling ordinance, was not challenged. He seems to be the GOP's fair haired boy right now, and is probably untouchable.

The Commission may net out on Thompson's. We lose anti-cycling Joe Thompson and may gain Woody Thompson. I cannot say for sure how Woody Thompson will vote on cycling issues, but I do know that Paul McNulty, townhome owner on Columns, and one of the people pushing the anti-cycling ordinance, seemed to be a very big Woody Thompson supporter when I talked to him during a Cobb Commission meeting. Hopefully he has seen what can happen to commissioners who propose anti-cycling ordinances. He does have to face Republican Barbara Hickey in the general. This may be another race cyclists may want to get feedback on.

Barbara Hickey is an Smyrna etiquette school owner. Her website is here. She seems to be very active in the community, but not with any cycling organizations.

Congrats to Bob Ott and good luck in the general election!

Story in AJC.

Runoff Advanced/Absentee Voting

2008-07-28T08:09:00.001-05:00

You can vote in advance for the Republican Primary Runoff in Cobb County this week. This includes the Joe Thompson and Bob Ott District 2 Cobb Commissioner runoff. You do not to give a reason to vote in advance. Voting is open Monday thru Friday. You need to vote in person at one of the following locations at the listed times:

Elections and Registrations Office
736 Whitlock Avenue
Marietta, GA 30064
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

South Cobb Service Center
4700 AUstell Road
Austell, GA 30106
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

East Cobb Service Center
4400 Lower Roswell Road
Marietta, GA 30068
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

North Cobb Senior Center (Kenworth Park)
3900 Highway 293 (Old Hwy 41)
Acworth, GA 30101
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

West Cobb Parks & Recreation District Office
(Lost Mountain Park)
4845 Dallas Highway
Powder Springs, GA 30127
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Regular voting will be Tuesday August 5.

Again, you do not need to give a reason to vote early. If it is easier, do it. Any registered voter who voted in the GOP Primary or who did not vote at all in the primary is eligible to vote. Only those who voted in the Democratic Party primary are ineligible.

For those of you who do not remember, Joe Thompson is the commissioner who introduced the anti-cycling ordinances in an attempt to ban many cyclists from Columns Drive, a very bad precedent for all cyclists. (A history can be found at: http://bikecobb.blogspot.com/)

Bob Ott seems to be more interested in traffic solutions which include access for cyclists.

Bob Ott Signs Vandalized

2008-07-23T12:00:00.006-05:00

.
Bob Ott has forced anti-cycling Commissioner Joe Thompson into a runoff for the Republican nomination in Cobb County's District 2 Commissioner race. Thompson received 45% of the vote while Ott received 40%. This is a great chance for cyclists to show support for officials with balanced transportation plans that support cycling, and to help show that we will work against those without. Story on the primary here. The winner of the GOP primary in District 2 will win the election.

During the primary and now leading up to the runoff, there have been reports of Ott's large signs being vandalized, including one on Johnson Ferry near Columns Drive, which has been destroyed repeatedly. Hopefully awareness will help stop this.

For your own signs, and to help support a pro-cycling candidate, visit Bob Ott's website.

Joe Thompson is the commissioner who introduced the anti-cycling Columns ordinances. Supporting his opponent will show that cyclists take such behavior seriously. The runoff is August 5, and any registered voter in District 2 who did not vote in the primary or who voted on the GOP ballot During the primary is eligible to vote. Only those who voted in the Democratic primary is excluded from the GOP runoff election.

Election on July 15th!

2008-07-01T13:48:00.004-05:00

Answers to questions you may have about the election on July 15 for the evil Cobb County Commission.

---------

Every single incumbent voted against the Column's issue and none spoke favorably on cycling during the two contentious hearings. I would say they are all anti-cycling.

Concerning District 2, Bob Ott has done triathlons in the past and has done loops on Columns. I do not know if Ron Sifen cycles. Bob has a much better graphics designer. I do not know who designed Sifen's signs, but they really blow. You almost have to get out of the car and walk over to see what they say.

Vote for either and hope we can hold Thompson under 50% so we get a run off. Then vote for whoever is not Thompson during the run off.

Remember, to vote you will need a picture ID now. When you arrive at your polling place, you will be asked which primary ballot you want. You can take either a Republican or Democratic ballot. In Georgia you do not declare your party when you vote- although your choice in the primary binds you in case there are any runoff election. Thompson, Ott and Sifen are on the Republican ballot. If you wish to vote against Thompson, it is advisable to take the Republican ballot. Some guy is running for District 2 on the Dem ballot, but he will never win in Cobb County District 2, and to my knowledge, the Dem has not even campaigned. (Nothing partisan implied, just the facts.)

Basic Map:

http://www.cobbcountyga.gov/boc/index.htm

FAQs on voting here:

http://www.lwvga.org/elections/index.html

Sample Ballots:

http://www.cobbelections.org/

Vote, and get everybody you know to vote. If cyclists can help take out one incumbent, other politicians will be much more likely to listen to us.

Hyde Farm Saved!

2008-06-06T07:43:00.002-05:00

According to the AJC, a deal has been reached to save Hyde Farm. This could be very significant to cyclists in Cobb County, and Roswell, if we act. Now that Hyde Farm becomes a public park, bike trails could connect many current cycling areas. A little over 1 mile of trail could connect Johnson Ferry to Hyde Road, which connects with Lower Roswell. And with a few miles of bike lanes, which some East Cobb residents have sadly been fighting, we could connect Northside Drive at 285 to Azalea/Riverside Drive in Roswell.

Think of being able to cycle from Northside Drive, through Cochran Shoals, up Columns, through Hyde Park, up Hyde Road, turning onto Lower Roswell Road, onto Willeo Road, right onto Azalea, which turns into Riverside, past Martin's Landing all the way to Eves Road. This would be almost 15 miles of paths and bike lanes, many very family friendly and safe. This would not only increase property values in the area, but most like decrease the bike traffic on Columns- I think many folks would rather have a longer ride than doing repeats in the same area. Map of possible route.

Hyde Farm Possibilties
Find more Bike Rides in Marietta, Georgia

Naturally, there would be some resistance to such a bike path by non-cyclists. However, I think pointing out the benefits to families, the possibility of less cyclists on streets without bike lanes and paths, and the possibility of increased property values, can remove a lot of the resistance.

I think this is a great idea to push to Cobb County and The Trust for Public Land.

Commissioner Thompson Gets Challengers!

2008-06-02T10:46:00.005-05:00

Remember the big Columns Drive Flap when Cobb District 2 Commissioner Joe Lee Thompson tried to restrict, if not ban, cycling on Columns? Remember how he basically refused to listen to cyclists and ended up getting a bill rammed through the commission that is probably unenforceable and certainly at odds with state law?

Well, Thompson has two Republican challengers for the District 2 election, Bob Ott and Ron Sifren and one Democrat, James Royal.

Bob Ott is a former president of the East Cobb Civic Association, was a member of the Cobb County Planning Commission & Board of Zoning Appeals through the first of this year,is president/owner of DBO software and is a Delta Airlines Pilot. More information can be found at his website, www.bob4cobb.com, which sadly has music playing when you go there. (He has a picture of his children on bicycles during a slide show- perhaps he would be interested in family friendly bike paths?)

Ron Sifen is a former president of the Vinings Homeowners Association and the Cobb County Civic Coalition. I can find no website for his campaign. Update: Ron Sifen's website is http://ronsifen.com, sadly it resizes some browsers. He has been corresponding with cyclists on the Cobb Cycling Yahoo Group. He was against the Columns ordinance.

I can find no information at all on James Royal, other than he has filed and is running.

There was a candidate forum for the 3 Republican candidates Friday evening- it looks like James Royal was not invited. Joe Thompson declined to participate, and Bob Ott and Ron Sifen squared off on Development along Johnson Ferry Road. Article here.

If you are interested in sending a message to Commissioner Thompson, perhaps you should support one of these other candidates. Bob Ott seems to have the best chance against Thompson. Cobb County tends to keep incumbents in office and Republican party does not take kindly to people challenging its old guard, but this is a chance to send a message.

Great Article On Who Pays For Roads

2007-09-21T11:19:00.001-05:00

David Neiwart writing in the Seattle PI:

Indeed, most bicyclists in fact also own cars, so they're also paying the licensing fees and gas taxes as well. But by using their bikes in place of cars, the wear and tear (and subsequent maintenance costs) they inflict is exponentially less than that caused by cars and trucks.

A 1995 study titled "Whose Roads?" by cycling advocate Todd Litman laid all this out in detail. The study estimated that automobile users pay an average of 2.3 cents per mile in user fees, including fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees, while they actually impose 6.5 cents per mile in road service costs. Who pays the difference? It's picked up by general taxes and property assessments. So while bicyclists pay an equal share of those taxes, they impose costs averaging only 0.2 cents per mile in road service costs.

The amount bicyclists overpay leaps out when you look at the costs of local roads, the roads cyclists use most. Litman found that only a third of the funds for their construction and maintenance comes from vehicle user charges; local property, income and sales taxes pay the rest. Automobile user fees contribute only about 1 cent per mile toward the costs of local roads but simultaneously impose costs more than six times that amount.

Read the entire article! Some great information to use against those folks who feel that cyclists don't belong on the road because they do not pay for them.

Only a third of construction and maintenance costs of local roads come from "vehicle user charges." Only a third!

Assault on Columns

2007-05-22T15:08:00.000-05:00

From Sadlebred (Southeastern Cycling) and the Cobb County Police:

Columns Dr. From the Cobb County Police: "PENS Alert Aggravated Assault (05/17/07 @ 1130 hours in Zone 3) The Cobb County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons Unit is investigating an aggravated assault on Columns Drive in Marietta, Georgia.

According to investigators, the white male victim was jogging along Columns Drive when he got into a short verbal dispute with the black male suspect. The victim continued on his way and was later confronted by the suspect in a blue/green pick up truck. The suspect got out of his vehicle and ordered the man to apologize. The suspect then produced a handgun and fired a shot at the victim as he ran away. As the victim got the tag number off the truck, the suspect tried to run him over. The suspect fled the area before responding officers arrived. Suspect: Black male, light complexion, 6’00”- 6’03” tall, muscular build, close cropped hair, and armed with a stainless steel semi-automatic handgun.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact the Cobb County Police Department’s Crimes Against Persons Unit at (770) 499-3945."

Support Bike Racks!

2007-05-15T08:36:00.000-05:00

Drive Your Bike To Work Day!

It’s Bike Month!

You’ve got a bike, right?

The purple Schwinn mountain bike you were were going to ride every day. The one you crammed into the back of your car when you drove out west from Minnesota, now collecting dust in your garage.

Or the 1980's Bianchi Pista fixie conversion you bought pre-built off of Craigslist and walk the two blocks from your $1,800/month studio to Ritual every Tuesday night.

Or the Giant OCR that cost a pretty penny, but felt so light when you picked it up in the store that it seemed crazy not to buy it. You know the one.

Well, it's Bike Month, and it’s time your bike got the fresh air and exercise it deserves.

That’s right, Drive Your Bike to Work Day is almost here! On Monday, May 14th, hoist that bike onto the roof of your car and drive it to work!

C'mon everybody, show your support!

License Check on Columns!

2007-05-02T10:46:00.000-05:00

Very strange going ons indeed! There was a drivers license check on Columns Drive yesterday. When I drove home from work at a little after 5 o'clock this picture was taken of officers stopping all cars and checking for licenses and insurance/registration. This caused about a 15 minute delay.

When I cycled out to join a group ride the Cobb County officers were still checking. They were not bothering any cyclists, and just waved them on through. At a little after 6 o'clock there were 8 officers checking motorists. They were also writing tickets, and had a few people pulled off the road while they wrote.

I cannot remember the last time I saw a license check and I have certainly never seen one on Columns Drive. I wonder if the residents are experiencing some unexpected blow back for harassing the Cobb County Police concerning cyclists. I have yet to hear of a cyclists getting a ticket- warning yes, but no ticket. I have seen many motorists getting tickets due to the increased police presence.

Last year I did see police out with a radar car and several motorcyclists getting speeders midway down Columns. I would love to see the Cobb Police do this again. In any case, I am glad the police are being more visible there. After the BS ordinance was passed, many residents got very aggressive towards cyclists. This should help them rethink that attitude.

I would love to hear how many motorists got upset over the delay and gave the police grief for stopping cars and not cyclists. The officer I talked to was very nice and waited patiently while I dug through all the crap in my glove compartment looking for my registration. He even chuckled at all the stuff I had jammed in there. I have a very visible bike rack on my car, so he knows I was a cyclist. I was very polite and nice to him, and he checked my stuff and sent me on through.

May is National Bike Month!

2007-05-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

Check out AtlantaBike.org for tons of activities! And remember that May 18th is National Bike to Work Day.

Article in SFGate About Bike Advocacy

2007-04-27T09:42:00.000-05:00

Bike advocacy evolves from Critical Mass to political know-how

The political influence of San Francisco's pro-bike movement has risen steadily over the past decade to the point where the chief advocate for cyclists sits on a powerful city commission and elected officials rarely tell them no.

It's a long way from the early days, when bike enthusiasts could barely get city officials to return their calls.

But a series of attention-grabbing street protests that started 15 years ago in the form of the monthly Critical Mass rides, which attract hundreds to thousands of cyclists, put bike interests in full public view. Elected officials took notice.

"We've achieved a lot. There's no doubt about it,'' said Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, which boasts a membership on the plus side of 6,000, making it one of the largest advocacy groups in the city.

It was Shahum whom Mayor Gavin Newsom tapped last year to serve as a commissioner overseeing the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which is in charge of transit, traffic and parking operations in the city.

Cycling activists have successfully lobbied for more bike lanes -- even when they result in the loss of curbside parking and traffic lanes. They persuaded lawmakers to require secure bike parking in new commercial developments and fought for bike racks on buses. And despite a two-time loss at the polls, advocates pushed through a plan to ban cars along some roadways in Golden Gate Park on Saturdays.

....

More here.

Reelection Dates for Cobb Commissioners

2007-04-12T08:14:00.000-05:00

I was asked on a bike forum which commissioners were up for reelection next. Here is a summary of the current commissioners, dates of their next elections, their last elections and my opinion on possibilities for defeat. You can check your election ID to see if you are represented by any of these folks. If you do not have a voter ID card, get one because you are voting in the next election! If you are in any of these districts and would think about holding public office, this is a good level to get in on. Remember, the religious right assumed great control over local governments by running inexperienced people for this level of office with strong grassroots support. We can use their model to accomplish the same thing. We may have to reach across party lines to do it, but it is certainly possible.

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It looks like the Chair, and Districts 2 and 4 are up for reelection in 2008. The primary will be in July and the general in November.

The Chair is Sam Olens. He won the Republican primary in July 2004 with 81% of the vote. He ran unopposed in the general. His seat is voted on county wide, so it would be hard for a Democrat to unseat him- the country is trending back to the Dems but Cobb County is more like Alabama than it is the rest of the country.

He is a GOP golden boy, holds many elected offices, holds an appointment from Gov. Perdue, sits on many boards, has won many awards, and works as a lawyer. He seems like a pretty decent guy except for this boneheaded vote. He will be hard to oust. It would probably be hard to get any decent Republican to run against him since I am sure the GOP would make a serious effort to dissuade a challenger. Of course, if he is being groomed he may seek higher office in 2008. With the number of posts he holding now, I tend to think he may stay where he is.

On Olens I will say that he did inquire about adding additional lanes on Columns and did talk, for all talk is worth, about building other bike lanes in Cobb in the coming years to try and relieve some of the bike traffic on Columns. When I mentioned that if Columns has been such a hot button issue for so many years as some commissioners and homeowners were suggesting, maybe they should have been planning additional bike lane before now, he got rather hot and testy. It may be possible to encourage him to become a bike friendly ally. Still, his vote for the ordinance was a vote against cyclists.

Primarying him would be tough and beating him the general election tougher. Of course nothing would be impossible.

District 2 would be Joe Thompson. He is the guy who brought the ordinance up for the folks on Columns. He is very old. He ran unopposed in the general and won the Republican primary 70-30%. If he runs again, and from some sources in the Cobb GOP they were surprised he ran again last time, he is beatable in the primary. He is not well liked at all and many longtime GOP contributors did not donate to him in 2004. He is arrogant and dismissive. (He even refused to be interviewed by an scout who needed an interview with an elected official for an Eagle Scout badge. And this scout was the son of a wealthy, long-time GOP contributor.)

He is very beatable in the primary with a good candidate. He is the guy I would most like to see defeated for bringing up this ordinance.

District 4 is Annette Kesting. She won the Democratic primary with 63% of the vote and in the general she beat Republican Woody Thompson in the general by a razor thin margin of 51-49%. From one of the anti-bike homeowners on Columns I heard that Woody Thompson is planning to run again. However, he almost certainly would not be pro-bike and might actually be anti-bike like the folks on the commission now.

I heard Kesting speak at one of the commission meetings. She does not seem to be very bright at all. She gives constituents 8x10 glossies of herself and puts her picture on t-shirts for kids on some after school program. I think a good candidate could clean her clock in a primary. Although West Cobb leans Dem, if we could get a pro bike Republican through the GOP primary, we could beat her in the general as well. She is easily the most endangered commissioner during a re-election.

Up for reelection in 2010 would be Districts 1 and 3.

District 1 is Helen Goreham. While she ran unopposed in the general, she did face 5 challengers in the GOP primary, which she won with 53% without a runoff. She is beatable in the primary with a good candidate. With 5 challengers last time, I am sure she would be challenged again in 2010.

District 3 is Tim Lee. He ran unopposed in the GOP primary and won the general 72-28%. I have no idea how he would fare in a primary battle. It would take one heck of a Dem candidate to beat him in the general.

Issuing Tickets on Columns

2007-04-10T21:24:00.001-05:00

FYI- The police stopped two cyclists and gave them warnings for riding two abreast. Actually they were at the end turning and overlapped wheels, according to one of the cyclists. The police pulled in behind them and flashed his lights. As they started down the road they evidently did not get directly behind one another soon enough. The police pulled them over and issued them warnings. Supposedly the cop was "real nice" but he kept them for 35 minutes writing the warnings.

During this time home owners drove buy honking and even applauding, according to one of the cyclists. The officer said he normally would not have been there, but he was "dispatched" to the area because a homeowner complained. Funny, in the past month there have been less cyclists than normal. They have been following the rules. As a homeowner on Columns, I drive up and down Columns on a daily basis. I have seen no trouble. Yet, homeowners are still calling.

Do we now understand that the few bike hating, bitter, full-of-crap homeowners who are pushing this crusade against cyclists are not going to quit? They wanted to ban all cyclists and shut down the parking lot at the end of Columns. This is not going to stop. They are going to keep calling the police and trying to get more restrictive ordinances passed. How about we quit being nice and start demanding that as taxpayers we get to use the road that was paid for and is maintained by taxpayer money? How about we start working on getting this ordinance overturned and getting Georgia law to be the law?

More later, but two ideas to plant:

1) Three of the commissioners who voted for this dog come up for reelection in 2008. We need two Republicans and one Democrat to try and defeat these people during the primaries. These need to be bike friendly folks, or hell, just folks other than the pinheads now holding office. Since this type of restrictive ordinance can have an impact locally, statewide and perhaps nationally, I believe we can raise funds nationwide. A lot of people giving five or ten dollars can have a huge impact on a local race. This was done during the 2006 in many races. We can also make some alliances with other single issues groups. At the same time BS ordinance was passed, the commission voted to allow outdoor burning. Many people spoke against this during the meetings I attended. These people and others concerned about other issues could certainly help. A grassroots effort can work. I am going to do more research on this.

2)"I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part. We're just the guys to do it." A Critical Mass type ride on Columns? The first Thursday in May? (Can't do it during the Tour de Georgia.) How many cyclists can we get on Columns at 6:30 on a Thursday evening?

Andy Clarke Speaks

2007-03-19T09:19:00.000-05:00

You are invited to meet and hear Andy Clarke, Executive Director of The
League of American Bicyclists, Thursday, March 22, at 7:30 P.M., on "Building a Bicycle Friendly Community." This is at Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill St., Roswell, GA 3007.

Perhaps he can give us some pointers on how to make Cobb County a better cycling community.

Georgia Rides to the Capital

2007-03-08T11:55:00.000-05:00

Atlanta Mayor Franklin.

The Cobb Group coming down Northside Drive.

Georgia Rides to the Capital

2007-03-07T09:47:00.000-05:00

This is a DOT representative. To paraphrase him:

"We pay taxes. We vote. We deserve to be on the road just like other vehicles. Politicians are going to start realizing that."

The ride was a blast! I encourage everybody to show up for it next year.

More photos.

AJC photos.

New Signs on Columns

2007-03-05T19:28:00.000-05:00

The "Your Speed" sign has already quit working after two days. Your tax dollars at work.

Columns - The Morning After...

2007-03-05T10:09:00.000-05:00

Just to fill in people on the happenings at Columns the first weekend of the new ordinance.

There are two new temporary signs at the beginning of Columns. One is a “Your Speed Is Sign,” which I thought meant a new game to see who could get the high score. Sadly, it does not pick up cyclists well, if at all. Maybe we could complain and get a more sensitive sign. The other sign says “Buckle Up,” “Bicyclists Single File,” and “Strictly Enforced.” A friend and I rode Saturday and when traffic was clear rode side by side on our warm-up lap talking, yet were not banished. The auto traffic was much closer to the speed limit the entire weekend and motorists were on their best behavior.

I think there were more police than cyclists for much of Saturday morning. For parts of the morning there were four Cobb County Police cars circling Columns. What a ridiculous waste of manpower! There were also two police on mountain bikes who made one (1) lap before leaving. The female officer seemed to have a lot of trouble figuring out how to put her helmet on, so I am guessing they were not very experienced. I doubt they would be chasing down any law-breaking triathletes. When they first showed up, I reminded them to ride single file. They did not find that too amusing which meant passing them on the road and saying “Hey, be careful, the pigs are undercover out here,” would probably not go over well. When I left for the Airport Ride on Sunday, I only saw one police car. I am sure this increase is temporary, although my previous prediction of no increase was wrong so don’t believe anything I say.

(Speaking of the Airport Ride, is it now officially over for the season, since DST came early?)

If you do cycle out there and get a chance to talk to the police, thank them for being out there. Be friendly, or at least wave hello at them. Encourage them to keep an eye out for speeders and aggressive motorists. I doubt they are thrilled with having to patrol the area.

One good thing is that there was no large, organized group of runners that have become a very common on weekend mornings. I understand they have started a permit process for these. While I do like the charity groups and all the good they do, the congestion their huge groups caused was becoming dangerous. Without a group Saturday, the going was much smoother for everyone else on the road.

There was one altercation Saturday which sadly involved a cyclist, or pinhead, on a Bianchi who was threatening three runners for not staying single file. He ended up getting off his bike, throwing it and charging the runners. The male runner shoved him back, and so the cyclist, or pinhead, pulled out a pen and paper and tried to get his name. Invariably the police became involved.

#1 The ordinance as written does not mention runners.

#2 Everybody needs to worry about themselves, and not other people.

#3 Don’t be aggressive like the motorists we complain about.

#4 Don’t make cyclists look bad.

Remember on Tuesday it is the “Georgia Rides to the Capital.” With all the issues facing cyclists, this might be the time to take a morning off from work and make ourselves visible. If nothing else, get involved with a local advocacy group, join or donate some money. Oppose all elected officials who are not pro cycling, including all 5 on the Cobb Commission.

Cobb Ordinance Passed!

2007-02-28T00:53:00.000-05:00

Well we lost, kind of. We also won.

The single file ordinance passed. Nobody wanted this version passed. The homeowners and cyclists had written another version of the ordinance that they felt was better for safety and helping everybody get along. Thompson ignored everybody and passed his rather bizarre version. He is very out of touch with everybody. The commission voted for 200 pages of ordinances in one vote, so it passed 5-0. There was no individual vote on each issue.

I still believe this violates Georgia law, however this ordinance is pretty useless. Basically you have to ride single file in the multi-use lane on the right of the road. That is unless you can't. Then you can ride single file in the main lane. If you violate this and ride two abreast, the police "may" ask you to leave Columns and not return until 7 a.m. the next day. Which I guess means that if I ride double file, I won't get to sleep in my bed that evening. Nobody liked this. Not the not sleeping in my bed part, but the whole ordinance.

I don't seem to think the police will be down there banishing people for riding two abreast. However, I do see more horns being honked and more motorists yelling at and buzzing cyclists. I think anger will increase. However, I urge all cyclists to be sure to allow cars to pass when behind you. I do this on all rides and it just makes sense. I don't like the ordinance because I think it infringes on our access to public roads and will lead to more restrictions. In the end the commission is trying to legislate manners and common sense of both cyclists and motorists. We should try to keep up our end. However, if you are buzzed or threatened, call the police. Get any witnesses. I don't think the police will do anything, but we should start leaving a paper trail.

How did we win? The commissioners acknowledged that they need to start building more areas for runners and cyclists. What may be coming up soon is bike paths up Johnson Ferry to Lower Roswell, which would connect up to what is going on in Roswell. I would hope one day that we could have a path from the Johnson Ferry and Columns parking lot, through the national park and Hyde Farm to Hyde Road and then to Lower Roswell. However, the commissioners are very open now to increasing bike paths in Cobb, including East Cobb. Call them on this. Write them and thank them for this while encouraging it.

The commission also discussed widening Columns to incorporate another 3 foot lane in each direction. I don't know if this is feasible. If the median is narrowed the trees will surely be stressed and may die. While 3 foot could be taken from the outside for about 1.5 miles very easily, the middle section would be tough. Regardless the commission knows it needs to look for solutions. I encourage everybody to keep contacting the commissioners and pushing for more bike paths. We have momentum and need to keep pushing. Also mention you are against any restriction on cyclists access to public roads!

I talked with the president of the Chattahoochee Plantation Homeowners Association, which includes the homes on Columns. (He and his board were against the version of the ordinance passed, and wanted the one the homeowners and the cyclists had written.) They are going to start a permit process for the large groups that are dumping hundreds of runners on the road with aid stations and such. Hopefully this will cut down on the large running groups which are causing a lot of congestion. I feel everybody should be able to run there, but the large organized groups tend to stay together, run two or three abreast, and cause large amounts of congestion.

In the end the meeting was worse than a Scott Stapp concert, although honestly I have never seen a Scott Stapp concert and I am just imagining. I met some nice people. I met some 9 hour Half-Ironwoman who was sending me nasty emails. She was just as nasty in person. How the commission votes on issues all at once seems like a means to avoid being held accountable. I think some people show uup to talk at these meetings because they have nothing else to do. Wealthy areas like Columns get immediate attention while poor areas in West Cobb with serious issues are completely ignored- who wants to mess with a crack house? Although West Cobb gets a ton of bike lanes! I guess the meth manufacturers need them to cycle between making batches.

Commssioner Thompson is out of touch with everybody, seems to be old and fragile and is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Commssioner Kesting is a very dull knife as well. Both Kesting and Thompson are vulnerable, had to put up a fight in there respective primaries in their last election. A Republican is already planning a run against Kesting, and I think she would be more vulnerable in her primary. Thompson, if he runs again, can be beaten in the GOP primary, which is the election in this part of Cobb. I think every cyclist should support any opponent to all the commissioner since they made this vote and you should let them know this. Olsen, Lee and Goreham may be safe, but we should let them know that we care and vote.

Thanks to everybody who showed up and made an effort. Although the ordinance did pass, and should be overturned by a judge, we made noise and got a lot of attention which we can push to get some action. We have momentum and should use it to our advantage. Lets turn this into something good. Please support all the local advocacy groups- consider becoming members and making donations. A large list of them is available on the right column. I will keep this site up to archive important material concerning cycling in Cobb. And again, contact your local elected officials let them know you want more for cycling in our community.

Cobb Commission Meeting Tuesday Night

2007-02-26T09:07:00.001-05:00

Please remember Tuesday evening is the final Cobb Commission meeting concerning the restrictive ordinances on Columns Drive, which effectively takes away some of our access to the road. Please attend! We need a show of force to send a signal that we will not tolerate having our access to public roads taken away from us. Sure, you could have more listening to Scott Stapp CDs, watching a Ben Afflack and Jennifer Lopez movie, or having a root canal, however we need you to take this one night and support your fellow cyclists. We need to let the Cobb Commissioners that we are watching how they vote, and we will hold them responsible the next time they are up for election. (Emails phone and fax numbers follow, and there is time for all.)

If we let this restriction be adapted, which Georgia State law clearly states they cannot do without exclusive bike lanes in place, they will surely follow with more. While we all want to allow motorists to be able to pass us while cycling, which usually means dropping to single file for a moment, we do not want to lose two abreast riding which Georgia laws allows, or the right to take the lane to avoid obstacles or to get ready for a turn.

As it stands now many motorists believe that we are not allowed on the roadway. Starting to publicize that we have to be single file or in the bike lane in any area will surely lead to more motorists believing that we are not allowed to be on the road, and will surely lead to more unsafe conditions. How many times have you been buzzed by a car with somebody yelling "Get off the road," if not had something thrown at you. Now the terrorists,. .er motorists will feel more emboldened to continue with this behavior. Two cyclists were recently pulled over intown during a ride by the police with full lights and sirens. The officer informed them that they were not allowed to ride two abrest, took their IDs, and went back to his car to write tickets. Evidently somebody on the radio informed him that they could ride two abreast. The police were not even familiar with the law.

An enforced uniform code throughout the state, which currently does stand, is the safest for cyclists. We just need to educate the citizens and police on the law, enforce it along with other traffic laws, and us courtesy and common sense around motorists. A patchwork of different laws on various streets and counties will only lead to confusion, which will be taken out on cyclists.

Following is a letter sent out by Dennis Hoffarth of the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign. They are starting to get involved because they understand the importance of protecting our access to the roads. I support them in all they do to help us cyclists and urge you to read his letter and visit his website, http://www.atlantabike.org/, for more information on his organization. Joining and donating to his group is an excellent idea to help protect cyclist's rights in Georgia.

Please get involved! Tuesday evening can be very important. The J-Lo movie can wait!

Tim

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Dear ABC Members,

This is to ask you to take further action regarding proposed restrictions on bicycling on Columns Drive in Cobb County. Commissioner Joe Thompson got an earful from cyclists and other Cobb residents when he proposed a "no cruising" ordinance for this popular bicycling road. He appears to have dropped that idea, and picked up other ideas for restricting bicycle use. The most restrictive of these is the requirement that bicyclists be restricted to use of the shoulder area, and NOT the main travel lane.

I recommend that the County focus on enforcing existing state law which already requires cyclists to keep as far to the right as practicable (meaning in the shoulder area) UNLESS there are good reasons to move to the left. The law allows, for instance, for cyclists to move left to make a left turn and to avoid obstacles in the roadway. The full reading of the law is:

Riding on roadways and bicycle paths (40-26-294)

a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when turning left or avoiding hazards to safe cycling, when the lane is too narrow to share safely with a motor vehicle, when traveling at the same speed as traffic, or while exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction, provided, however, that every person operating a bicycle away from the right side of the roadway shall exercise reasonable care and shall give due consideration to the other applicable rules of the road. As used in this subsection, the term “hazards to safe cycling” includes, but is not limited to, surface debris, rough pavement, drain grates which are parallel to the side of the roadway, parked or stopped vehicles, potentially opening car doors, or any other objects which threaten the safety of a person operating a bicycle.

There are good reasons for the law as it now stands, and rightly allows them to move out of the shoulder when staying in the shoulder would result in a collision course with a pedestrian - i.e. a hazard to safe cycling. Requiring cyclists to stay in the shoulder at ALL times as proposed in the County legislation would be contrary to safe cycling, so I hope we do not end up with a compromise on that.

Any local restrictions on bicycling that go beyond state law will set a dangerous precedent, sure to be adopted by other counties and cities in metro Atlanta that may choose to restrict bicycling rather that invest in better bicycle accommodations.

If you live in Cobb, please write to your County Commissioner and copy the other commissioners with your message. Ask them to table any legislation that further restricts bicycle use beyond state law.

If you have friends or relatives in Cobb, please ask them to write. Please see contact info and map below.

The issue is expected to be voted on at the next County Commission meeting on February 27 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the County Courthouse at 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta.

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Samuel S. Olens
County Wide Commissioner/ Chairman
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3300
(770) 528-2606 fax
solens@cobbcounty.org

Tim Lee
District 3 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3318
(770) 528-2606 fax
tlee@cobbcounty.org

Joe L. Thompson
District 2 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3316
(770) 528-2606 fax
jthompson@cobbcounty.org

Annette Kesting
District 4 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3312
(770) 528-2606 fax
annette.kesting@cobbcounty.org

Helen Goreham
District 1 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3313
(770) 528-2606 fax
hgoreham@cobbcounty.org

Cobb County Commission chairman writes Op-ed in AJC

2007-02-19T10:45:00.000-05:00

Cobb County Commission Chairman Sam Olens writes an Op-ed for the AJC about transportation solutions for Atlanta. Funny, he does not mention cycling once.

"The solution to our traffic congestion is not one grandiose and costly (tunneling is estimated to cost $25 billion) silver bullet under downtown Atlanta. Let a private contractor come forward and build the tunnel at their own risk with tolling. In the meantime, we must aggressively expand our transit and express bus service, construct a region-wide system of managed lanes and truck-only lanes and more closely link transportation and land-use planning."

How about more biking lanes?

A Cyclist Writes A letter To Commissioner Thompson

2007-02-18T21:24:00.000-05:00

This is a letter mailed to an AJC writer and the Cobb County Commissioners from Barry Goppman, a cyclist.

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Mr Schneider:

I have followed the back and forth screaming, seemingly egged on by Cobb County Commissioner Joe Thompson.."I really got them talking didn't I", between cyclists and Columns Drive homeowners over the last two months. No matter what solution/compromise to this one confrontation of many like one's may result, it will be no more from my perspective, than putting a band aid on a gaping wound. It's akin to doctors treating the symptoms not the cause of an illness or disease. The problem is the same in scope as what happens on GA 400, The Northend 285 Perimeter, The Downtown Connector and other key Atlanta Area Roads during rush hour/peak use times..too many people/cars...not enough pavement. I am a cyclist and triathlete. I understand that Columns Drive offers for many, a "safer place than the normal Atlanta area road" to train or get a good workout in. I personally stopped riding or running on Columns Drive more than two years ago because it's dangerous. Not because of some inconsiderate or rule-breaking people on bikes, skates, and on foot trying to grab more than their "fair share" of this road. No, I stopped using Columns Drive because there is simply not enough pavement most of the time for the people and the cars who want to use it. People just get frustrated in trying to claim their "piece of the road" to use it for their own specific training or excesses purpose. My personal "straw that broke the camel's back" came while riding on Columns Drive one Saturday I had to constantly swing out into the main traffic lanes to avoid people who were walking 3,4,or even 5 abreast "training" for the 3 Day Cancer Walk. I always warn people on foot when I'm coming up on them and about to pass with an "on your left comment". More than once when I
repeatedly had to pass one of these groups of people, a few would repeatedly move out further on the road when they heard my warning and stick their elbow out in an attempt to knock me off my bike. They seemed to think they were the only people on the road. Similar types
of non-sharing, greediness or general unawareness by people occurs on The Silver Comet Trail in many high use sections.

Mr.Thompson, who I am guessing is not a cyclist or an individual who ever tried to claim a part of a road to ride or run on, seems to be just trying to appease people who live on one street in Cobb county by crafting his ban/limitations on cyclists. I would further doubt that he has had the "pleasure" of being almost or actually side-swiped by a car, screamed at, spat upon, doused with liquids (including beer and urine), and had his workout challenged with tacks thrown into the road. I doubt that he's never had to try to find safe and abundant of space roadway to pursue a goal of fitness or training to compete in an event covering many miles. If he had ever had these kind of challenges he might be more intent on finding a real solution to the real problem....finding a safe place to ride, run, walk, or skate uninhibited by cars and crowds of people.

I have lived in a major American City with a much greater challenge of available space to share..much greater...New York City and the greater New York Metropolitan Area. They found a solution to this type of problem many years ago that is still working today. It's simple and puts
current tax dollars paid by cyclists, runners, walkers, skaters and moms/dads pushing strollers( who all also drive automobiles) to use to benefit all. What's the solution you ask??? Simply close parts of key roads/parks to auto traffic during days/parts of days where the "exercise traffic potential" is high. No need to build anything, no need to add a tax or create a license fee to fund it. New York City closes a four mile loop of Central Park to automobile traffic every week Monday thru Friday. They also close auto traffic to all of Central Park for many hours every weekend. In nearby Westchester County, New York a seven mile stretch of one side of The Westchester Parkway, a very heavily used divided highway, is closed for eight to ten hours to automobile traffic every Sunday for most of the year! Wow..not rocket science and it eliminates debates and confrontations between people of different views.

Now if Mr. Thompson and the other Cobb County Commissioners really want to solve the "Columns Drive" type problem for all of Cobb County, that of not enough road for both cars and exercise oriented people to both get what they want and have already paid for, they have at least one solution to move forward on. I'm sure there are other working solutions to the problem working in other cities in the US that could be uncovered with a little research. Heck, I sure if asked, a group of us exercise oriented people would even take it upon ourselves to help with the
research at no charge. Thinking even further, our concerned elected county officials could be proactive and speak with officials from other counties in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area regarding roads that could provide solutions in their counties.

Why do simple things like this have to become so complicated. C'mon Commissioner Thompson, do what we are all paying you to do..make Cobb County a safer and healthier place to live and enjoy!!

Just my 2cents worth!!

Barry L Goppman..trying to be healthy and live to tell about it!!

A Little Heat.

2007-02-16T09:09:00.000-05:00

Funny, I have gotten some emails suggesting I shut up and accept the single file proposal. I have gotten just as many who are against it, and feel Cobb will later try and expand restrictions on cyclists. As long as I am getting people upset in some manner, I feel I am doing good. My main goal right now is to stir things up again.

The cyclist committee list has been updated to show one committee member who is against and kind of single file concession. I will update it to show any body's public position. Just email me at bikecobb (at) gmail.com.

A good comment in an email about the meeting at Atlanta Country Club was:

Being a constituant of Commissioner Thompson's, I was truely pissed when his first statement at the Atlanta country club meeting that "he was their to represent the interest of the homeowners, and to be clear, not those of the cyclist." (Pissed is an understatement.)

I knew that was going to be Thompson's attitude, which is why I was actually for a complete boycott of the meeting. I am a homeowner on Columns and Thompson was not representing me at all. He only cares about the opinion of just a few friends of his.

There are four other commissioners, those are who we need to convince to leave this whole thing alone.

An Open Letter To All

2007-02-14T13:46:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody,

I want to discuss 4 things concerning Columns Drive and cyclists, highlighted at first and then in more detail. If this cuts off due to the length, the entire post can be viewed at bikecobb.blogspot.com

1. Forward this as an email to everybody. Some cyclists are pushing for a bad compromise concerning Columns Drive out of fear and seem to be trying to shut down any debate. Everybody needs to be involved in this. That includes cyclists not just in Cobb County. Any person in the country can contribute to and support candidates in elections in Cobb. Therefore, they can also apply pressure. Give them the chance.

2. With a committee of cyclists pushing to allow an ordinance restricting our rights to be on the road, we really need to fight hard for the next few weeks. It is crunch time. We need to stress that while we have no problems trying to exist in harmony with motorists and homeowners, we will not allow Cobb County to start chipping away at our rights. We all need to write letters, send emails and attend the next county meeting on February 27, 2007 downtown Marietta.

3. We need to demand protection from motorists. Aggressive drivers and speeders endanger cyclists, as well as runners, walkers and bladders, and it is time Cobb County started enforcing all traffic laws on Columns and throughout the county.

4. Perhaps we can start a group for cycling advocacy in Cobb County- Bike Cobb, bikecobb.blogspot.com? If we get a good group of people together, we can make a difference.

Now in more detail:

1. Forward this to everybody! We need all cyclists involved in this debate. If Cobb County starts to restrict cyclist’s rights, which they should not be able to do in this instance due to Georgia law, then other counties may be able to follow suit. Cobb County will surely try again at a later date. If motorists do not like cyclists, they will just start passing ordinances to get us off the road. We need to stop this.

As the elections in 2006 showed, the grass roots and net roots can have a huge impact on elections. By net working on the internet, using spare cell minutes to place calls, seeking campaign contributions from across the country, and all types of various political activities, everyday people have shown they have immense power. We need to point out to all 5 commissioners that any vote to strip cyclists of their rights will result in an active campaign to replace them in either the primary or general election when they next run. They need to know that they may make a few homeowners on Columns and some bike hating motorists happy, but they will tee off a very affluent and active group of the community, state and possibly country.

Commissioner Thompson, who is probably a lost cause, comes up for reelection in 2008. He was challenged in the primary last time, and while he won by 70% to 30%, it was only a 5700 vote margin. In talking with long time GOP contributors, I found out that he is considered to be a crusty old curmudgeon who is not well liked. If he runs again, he can be made vulnerable. All elected officials can be challenged. We need let our elected officials know they work for us, and if we do not like they way they are serving we will seek to replace them. (I say we try to boot Thompson if he runs again, regardless of his vote. He stirred up this mess.)

Get all cyclists to let these commissioners know we are not happy with what is going on, and there will be consequences. Let the media know we are not happy. Make noise! The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Attend the meeting February 27, 2007. The meetings will begin promptly at 7:00 pm prior to the beginning of the regularly scheduled BOC meetings. The public hearings and BOC meetings will be held in the BOC Meeting Room, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta, GA 30030". Contact Laraine Vance, Planning Division Manager, at lvance (at) cobbcounty.org for more information.

Write the commission members. Contact information for the Cobb County Commission can be found at:

http://tinyurl.com/33eypq

Contact the media! Amanda Casciaro is the Marietta Daily News reporter who has written two very good articles on the Columns issue. Her email is: acasciaro (at) mdjonline.com

Craig Schneider is the writer who has been covering this for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. His email is: cschneider (at) ajc.com

2. There is a committee of cyclists that is allowing Cobb County to chip away at our rights because they are scared. I firmly believe that was Commissioner Thompson’s plan the entire time. We need to stand up to the Cobb County commissioners, Commissioner Thompson and the cyclist committee, who were not elected, are deciding what they think is right for us.

The cyclist committee is saying they agreed on a voluntary single file rule. Thompson and the homeowners are saying this will this be a county ordinance. I think both are dangerous and either will start to erode our rights to be on the roads.

If it is voluntary, and posted on a sign as planned, motorists will probably drive more aggressively, thinking they are in the right to do that. That would be incorrect and dangerous for cyclists, runners, skaters and walkers. The law says we are allowed to be 2 abreast. While I always make room for motorists to pass me, I do not want a motorist coming up behind me and buzzing me because he incorrectly thinks I am in the wrong.

If it is to be an ordinance, as Thompson told the AJC and MDJ, then we are giving up rights granted us by the State of Georgia. State law says those rights can only come under local authority if we are provided dedicated and exclusive bike lanes, which we do not have on Columns. If we set precedence by allowing them to take our rights, they may just keep on doing it. We need to draw the line now. Let the cyclist committee and the county commissioners know what you think and what you want.

Contact information for the committee of cyclists can be found at:

http://tinyurl.com/2lrk8q

Contact information for the Cobb County Commission can be found at:

http://tinyurl.com/33eypq

3. How many times have you been buzzed by a motorist on Columns or in Cobb County- when a car tries to see how close they can get to you as they pass? How many have had motorists throw stuff at you while you cycle- drinks, bottle, change, cigarettes, or anything? How many times have you had speeding cars and aggressive drivers endanger you? Are you sick of it?

While this debate on cycling is in the news and in front of the commission, lets open it up to include our demands for more protection from the Cobb County Police Department. Let’s tell them we want better traffic enforcement on Columns Drive and throughout Cobb County. Let’s tell them that we want a county campaign to educate drivers that we have the right to be on the road and aggressive action of any kind against cyclists, or runners, bladders and walkers is against the law and can be prosecuted.

Let’s also start collecting these stories to be given to the Cobb County Commission. Write your experiences down, include your name and contact information so it can be verified by the county if they desire, and send it to bikecobb@gmail.com. (Send them to the commissioners as well, if you like.) I will print these out and deliver them to the commission, if we have a decent collection. I would also like to print some on the blog bikecobb.blogspot.com. Let’s start a paper trail.

Let the commission know that not only will we demand to keep our rights as cyclists, but as cyclists, citizens and taxpayers we are demanding they help us exercise those rights in a safe manner with protection from aggressive motorists. Let’s change the direction of the debate and frame it better. Cyclists are not dangerous to cars, but cars are frequently dangerous to cyclists, and sometimes on purpose. It is cyclists who die due to aggressive motorists, not the other way around.

4. Eric Broadwell has been highly successful with Bike Roswell, www.bikeroswell.com. He and his group have made significant changes in Roswell. Roswell is much more biking friendly and bike lanes are being incorporated in many road projects. He has worked with, and sometimes, I imagine, against, elected officials to make this happen. Perhaps it is time cyclists started making the same effort in Cobb County – Bike Cobb – bikecobb.blogspot.com.

While people who know me will tell you that I am probably the last person on earth to try and sweet talk some politician into building us bike lanes, I do not mind doing some work. I want to try and facilitate an opportunity for cycling advocates to come together and work for better consideration from Cobb County and it elected officials. Hopefully we can get a good group of people to work together to make some changes. I am willing to try, but cannot, and will not, do it alone. We need numbers and knowledge.

What I would like to see us do is to protect our rights as cyclists and seek an increase in bike facilities for all cyclists; road, mountain, families, children, BMX. Cobb County needs to know that they cannot just build a softball field and think they are providing for recreation. We should work for bike lanes, off road trails, BMX parks, family cycling trails, and parking lots near those facilities.

We should also work to get these facilities though out Cobb County. Commissioner Thompson’s big argument is that we have the Silver Comet Trail to cycle on, which was built by The Path Foundation, not Cobb County. Many of us cannot get to The Silver Comet without a 1 hour drive each way. We want cycling facilities in East Cobb. We want them in North Cobb. We want them where ever there is a demand. We want facilities and bike lanes where we have access to them. We want all citizens of Cobb County to have easier and safer alternatives for cycling.

If you are interested in getting involved, please send me an email at bikecobb@gmail.com. Remember there is power in numbers.

Thanks for your time,

Tim Carroll

Current Proposal Erode Cyclists' Rights.

2007-02-13T08:43:00.000-05:00

Currently there are a group of cyclists who are negotiating with residents of Columns Drive and Cobb County to give up some of the rights of cyclists. Giving up our rights, or even the appearance of giving up our rights, is never acceptable and can lead to further losses down the road. We must work to maintain our rights while learning to live in harmony with motorists.

Below find information on:

The current proposal and how different groups are posing it differently.

A better proposal.

Action to take.

The officials, cyclists and advocates currently involved.

The Current Proposal:

The current proposal is being defined differently by the various parties right now. The cyclists involved have sent out the following email:

Dear fellow Athlete,

I am writing you today as part of a group who is trying to come up with a way to make Columns Drive a better place for cyclists, runners and residents. As you probably know, the residents who live and drive on Columns Drive have been unhappy with many cyclists for a long time and recently tried to pass an ordinance that would effectively prohibit cyclists from riding in circles on this street.

Many cyclists attended a public hearing at a Cobb County Council meeting in January to try and stop this ordinance from being passed. That huge public outcry resulted in Commissioner Joe Thompson and the Chattahoochee Neighbors Association hosting a meeting to work out a compromise. The meeting and subsequent follow-up meetings have generated some very good will among the two groups as they worked to understand and address each others concerns. While negotiations are still taking place and will need to be approved by all parties, the cyclists are trying to be proactive and provide recommendations to help resolve most of the issues.

We would like to solicit your support for the following ideas:

1. We need to communicate to as many cyclists as we can reach on the various e-mail lists of the importance of common courtesy with motorists. So, no more one finger salutes, or swearing at drivers who make a mistake and do not yield to a bicycle.

2. We are recommending that signs be posted at both ends of columns drive reminding cyclists and runners to use good behavior.

3. We have agreed to encourage all riders and runners to go single file on Columns Drive – cyclists with traffic and runners against traffic. No more riding two or three or four abreast.

4. We have recommended that we establish an ambassadors patrol of dedicated riders and runners who would be willing to wear a badge, pass out informational brochures to fellow cyclists and politely remind people about the rules of the road on Columns Drive if they appear to be breaking them.

The last I heard, less than 10 people had volunteered to patrol.

Meanwhile, according to the AJC, Commissioner Thompson is planning to replace the “No Cruising” ordinance with another “Single File” Ordinance. (Story here.)

Cobb County Commissioner Joe Lee Thompson said Tuesday that he may kill his controversial proposal to ban bicycle cruising on a popular road and replace it with a rule that cyclists travel in single-file lines.

Thompson said he started drafting the replacement ordinance Tuesday after a meeting Monday in which a committee of riders and residents tentatively agreed to the single-file rule.

Thompson said the police could be called to enforce the new ordinance against problem riders. It remains undetermined whether the new ordinance would include fines, Thompson said.

State law restricts cyclists to ride two abreast, but it lets local governments make that rule more restrictive, Thompson said. He said he expects the Cobb County Board of Commissioners to vote on the ordinance Feb. 27.

[Emphasis mine]

Now the cyclists involved are telling everybody that this is just a suggestion. Thompson and the homeowners are telling everybody that this will be law, and that they can make cycling laws more restrictive than state law. Let me repeat that, Thompson is saying that local communities are legally allowed to make cycling laws more restrictive than state laws. Imagine what anti cycling politicians like Thompson can do if they are allowed to do this to Columns. What other roads will they decide to start restricting cyclists’ rights on? How soon before they ban cyclists from some roads?

A better proposal:

This is outlined in a letter to all cyclists.

I want to thank the cyclists who have been working with the Columns homeowners at Commissioner Thompson's meetings. I think some progress has been made. However, I have serious issues with telling the homeowners that cyclists will abide by a single file ordinance or suggestion, or agreeing not to fight Cobb County if they try to pass such an ordinance.

Georgia law clearly states that cyclists may ride two abreast "as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable." Exceptions are made for cyclists turning left, when the lane is too narrow to safely hold a car and cyclists, and when there are hazards to safe cycling. For these exceptions, cyclists are permitted to take the lane, and automobiles must yield. Cyclists are also allowed to take the lane if they are traveling the same speed as traffic.

Georgia law states that a local authority may require cyclists to use cycling lanes instead of the roadway if cycling lanes are adjacent the roadway and are designated for the exclusive use of bicycle riders. Georgia law makes no other exemptions for restricting the use of public roadways by cyclists, and no other exemptions for taking away the rights of the cyclist.

The bike lanes on Columns do not qualify to meet the needs for an exemption because they do not meet the physical requirements of DOT guidelines, they are not designated for the exclusive use of cyclists, and they are inadequate due to capacity- the capacity having more to do with use by walkers, runner, and bladders rather than cyclists.

Joe Thompson and a few cyclists are now suggesting telling the automobile drivers on Columns Drive that cyclists must ride single file in a bike lane, except when passing, when that clearly goes against current state law. This is wrong and dangerous. The handful of aggressive drivers on Columns will now feel more emboldened to endanger cyclists if they "believe they are right" when cyclists ride according to the actual law. Tempers are going to flare and somebody is going to get hurt.

I think there are better solutions:

1. Enforce the laws on the books for cars and cyclists. If drivers know we have a legal right to be on the street, they won't be so aggressive. Discourage speeding. Enforce parking regulations- this includes landscapers. Enforce all cycling laws.

2. Discourage Team-In-Training and other groups from organizing large workouts there- this goes for cycling and running. When their running groups hit the road, many times over 100 people from the looks of it, it is impossible for cyclists to get into the lane to let cars by. They have a right to be there, but their large groups are
causing problems. They should voluntarily break up the groups and alternate sites.

3. Discourage all packs of cyclists over a certain number. Hell, training in a pack at Columns is not productive anyway.

4. Educate the cyclists that while they have a right to be there, they should be good stewards. That means making an effort to let cars pass them when it is safe, pack-in pack out, and public modesty.

5. Encourage the National Parks and Cobb County to provide public restrooms of some sort.

6. Encourage Cobb County to build more recreational facilities for cyclists and runners in East Cobb. Just building softball fields does not cut it anymore. Encourage more bike lanes that are safe, nice to ride on, and near parking.

Regarding cyclists and fingers: Cyclists do not flip the bird out of the blue. Cyclists flip the bird, and use profanity, when drivers are rude, aggressive and/or pose a risk to the cyclist's well being. If a driver is constantly being flipped off, they should be
encouraged to look at their driving habits. Blaming it all on the cyclist is a lot of BS.

Columns Drive is not a park, but it also not a subdivision. It is a public road that serves 1200+ apartments and condos, two parking lots for national parks, and two subdivision. Back in the day, it also was home to polo fields, and saw traffic for that. It is a busy street.

Cobb County has no right to restrict our use of it just because residents don't like the traffic. That would be like the residents on West Paces Ferry not liking traffic and deciding to only allow resident cars on it. We need to fight to maintain our rights, and not agree to give them up out of fear.

Suggestive signs are great. Taking with cyclists is great. However in no way should we advocate giving up our rights or suggest to others that we will. I don't think commissioner Thompson ever meant for the no cruising ordinance to get voted on, and if it did I believe he knew there were 3 votes against it. It is not legally sound but would at least make him look like he was doing something. Now he is using it as a club to get cyclists to give up rights needlessly. We need to make it clear to him that while we will work with the

homeowners and are willing to work on asking cyclists to respect the neighborhood, we will fight him every step of the way to protect our rights.

Giving up rights because some people are scared is never a solution.

Action to take:

Contact people! Below is a list of the cyclists currently giving away our rights. If you do not agree with them, contact them. Let them know what you think is acceptible!

This is a link to the people negotiating for cyclists with Cobb County and the anti-cycling residents from Columns. These are the people who are giving away your rights. Let them know what you think. Opinions vary, and they might not represent everybody.

This is a link to Cobb County officials who are involved and may vote on this. Contact them with your concerns. Emails are good but snail mail reportedly gets more consideration by politicians- Astroturf killed political emails. I doubt that Thompson can be swayed, but the others need to know what you like or do not like.

If you are a Columns or Cobb County resident, state that. Let them know that you only plan to support politicians for reelection that show they are committed to improving cycling conditions in the county, which does not include passing restrictive ordinances or using county money to defend these ordinances in court.

Also, show up to the county meeting on February 27, 2007. Come face to face with the commissioners who may vote to take away your rights. Tell them it is not acceptable and that you care and plan to fight.

Cyclist Committee.

2007-02-13T08:42:00.000-05:00

These are the people negotiating for cyclists with Cobb County and the anti-cycling residents from Columns. These are the people who are giving away your rights. Let them know what you think. Opinions vary, and they might not represent everybody.

Wendy Gardiner – wendygardiner (at) hotmail.com
Mike Wein – mike.wein (at) wein-associates.com
Mark Gernaziah – mar (at) cycleworksinc.com
Bob Bakert – bobbakert (at) aol.com
Frank Jewel – ~~fjewell (at) manh.com~~ Against Single File Proposal
Ken Lopez – lopezkenm (at) bellsouth.net
John Scott – mongoose62 (at) charter.net
Kathy Slough – kathy.karen (at) mindspring.com
Celeste Burr – celesteburr (at) yahoo.com
Dan Thornton – dan (at) freeflite.com
Eric Broadwell - ebroadwell (at) bikeroswell.com

Georgia State Law

2007-02-12T12:15:00.000-05:00

Current Georgia Law:

GEORGIA CODE UNANNOTATED

40-6-290 G

*** GEORGIA CODE SECTION *** 10/14/96

40-6-290.

The provisions of this part applicable to bicycles shall apply whenever a bicycle is operated upon a highway or upon any path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, subject to those exceptions stated in this part.

40-6-291.

The provisions of this chapter that apply to vehicles, but not exclusively to motor vehicles, shall apply to bicycles, except that the penalties prescribed in subsection (b) of Code Section 40-6-390,subsection (c) of Code Section 40-6-391, and subsection (a) of Code Section 40-6-393 shall not apply to persons riding bicycles.

40-6-292.

(a) A person propelling a bicycle shall not ride other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached thereto and shall allow no person to ride upon the handlebars.
(b) No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped.
(c) No person shall transport a child under the age of one year as a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, roadway, bicycle path, or sidewalk; provided, however, that a child under the age of one year may be transported on a bicycle trailer or in an infant sling so long as such child is seated in the bicycle trailer or carried in an infant sling according to the bicycle trailer's or infant sling's manufacturer's instructions, and the bicycle trailer is properly affixed to the bicycle according to the bicycle trailer's manufacturer's instructions or the infant sling is properly worn by the rider of the bicycle according to the infant sling's manufacturer's instructions and such child transported in a bicycle trailer or infant sling is wearing a bicycle helmet as required under paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of Code Section 40-6-296.
(d) No child between the ages of one year and four years shall ride as a passenger on a bicycle or bicycle trailer or be transported in an infant sling unless the child is securely seated in a child passenger bicycle seat, bicycle trailer, or infant sling according to the child passenger bicycle seat's, bicycle trailer's, or infant sling's manufacturer's instructions and the child passenger seat or bicycletrailer is properly affixed to the bicycle according to the child passenger bicycle seat's or bicycle trailer's manufacturer's instructions or the infant sling is worn according to the infant sling's manufacturer's instructions.
(e) Violation of subsections (c) and (d) of this Code section shall not constitute negligence per se nor contributory negligence per se or be considered evidence of negligence or liability.
(f) No person under the age of 16 years failing to comply with subsections (c) and (d) of this Code section may be fined or imprisoned.

40-6-293.

No person riding upon any bicycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, or toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself to any vehicle upon a roadway.

40-6-294.

(a) Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when turning left or avoiding hazards to safe cycling, when the lane is too narrow to share safely with a motor vehicle, when traveling at the same speed as traffic, or while exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction; provided, however, that every person operating a bicycle away from the right side of the roadway shall exercise reasonable care and shall give due consideration to the other applicable rules of the road. As used in this subsection, the term "hazards to safe cycling" includes, but is not limited to, surface debris, rough pavement, drain grates which areparallel to the side of the roadway, parked or stopped vehicles, potentially opening car doors, or any other objects which threaten the safety of a person operating a bicycle.
(b) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
(c) Whenever a usable path has been provided adjacent to a roadway and designated for the exclusive use of bicycle riders, then the appropriate governing authority may require that bicycle riders usesuch path and not use those sections of the roadway so specified by such local governing authority. The governing authority may be petitioned to remove restrictions upon demonstration that the path has become inadequate due to capacity, maintenance, or other causes.
(d) Paths subject to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Code section shall at a minimum be required to meet accepted guidelines, recommendations, and criteria with respect to planning, design, operation, and maintenance as set forth by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and such paths shall provide accessibility to destinations equivalent to the use of the roadway.
(e) Electric assisted bicycles as defined in Code Section 40-1-1 may be operated on bicycle paths.

40-6-295.

No person operating a bicycle shall carry any package, bundle, or other article which prevents him from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebars.

40-6-296.

(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a light on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of 300 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Department of Public Safety which shall be visible from a distance of 300 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlights on a motor vehicle. A light emitting a red light visible from a distance of 300 feet to the rear may be used in addition to the red reflector.
(b) Every bicycle sold or operated shall be equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheels skid on dry, level pavement.
(c) No bicycle shall be equipped or operated while equipped with a set of handlebars so raised that the operator must elevate his hands above his shoulders in order to grasp the normal steering grip area.
(d) No bicycle shall be equipped, modified, or altered in such a way as to cause the pedal in its lowermost position to be more than 12 inches above the ground, nor shall any bicycle be operated if so equipped.
(e)(1) No person under the age of 16 years shall operate or be a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, bicycle path, or sidewalk under the jurisdiction or control of this state or any local political subdivision thereof without wearing a bicycle helmet.
(2) For the purposes of this subsection, the term "bicycle helmet" means a piece of protective headgear which meets or exceeds the impact standards for bicycle helmets set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or the Snell Memorial Foundation.
(3) For the purposes of this subsection, a person shall be deemed to wear a helmet only if a helmet of good fit is fastened securely upon the head with the straps of the helmet.
(4) No bicycle without an accompanying protective bicycle helmet shall be rented or leased to or for the use of any person under the age of 16 years unless that person is in possession of a bicycle helmet at the time of the rental or lease.
(5) Violation of any provision of this subsection shall not constitute negligence per se nor contributory negligence per se or be considered evidence of negligence or liability.
(6) No person under the age of 16 failing to comply with any provision of this subsection may be fined or imprisoned.

40-6-297.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to sell a new bicycle or a pedal for use on a bicycle unless the pedals on such bicycle or such pedals are equipped with reflectors of a type approved by the Department of Public Safety. The reflector on each pedal shall be so designed and situated as to be visible from the front and rear of the bicycle during darkness from a distance of 200 feet. The commissioner of public safety is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations and establish standards for such reflectors.
(b) This Code section shall not apply to any bicycle purchased prior to July 1, 1972, by a retailer for the purpose of resale.

40-6-298.

(a) It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this part.
(b) The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit such child or ward to violate any of the provisions of this part.

40-6-299.

The Board of Public Safety is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to carry this part into effect and is authorized to establish regulations for any additional safety equipment or standards it shall require for bicycles.

Marietta Daily Journal Article 1/24/2007

2007-02-12T11:04:00.000-05:00

Article:

Roadsters pack hearing

Wednesday, January 24, 2007 1:13 AM EST
By Amanda Casciaro
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

MARIETTA - Cyclists, roller-bladers and inline skaters were in full force Tuesday, but it wasn't a clear day for riding that brought them out.

Athletes who frequent hotspot Columns Drive near million-dollar homes in Atlanta Country Club attended Tuesday's Cobb commission meeting to open discussion on a proposed ordinance that would limit how often they can train on the 2.5-mile road.

The ordinance, proposed by Commissioner Joe Lee Thompson, states cyclists, roller-bladers, skateboarders and inline skaters can only pass a given point on Columns Drive twice in an hour.

Commissioners are scheduled to make a final decision on the proposal, along with several other changes to the county code, on Feb. 23.

"I don't know what the solution is, but there's got to be one," said resident Paul McNulty, who has lived on Columns since 1979. "If the situation is left alone, it's not going to get any better."

Other residents, who argue the constant traffic of three- and four-wide cyclists on the road is a safety concern, said Tuesday if cyclists just followed Georgia law there wouldn't be a problem.

"Our primary concern has to do with large clusters of bikers getting out in the roadway," said resident Lawrie Jordan, 56. "We don't have a problem with runners or skaters. We would just like to see the rules and regulations of Georgia law followed."

State law mandates cyclists travel at a maximum of two abreast, and reflectors on each side of bikes must be installed if they ride at night.

Cyclists at Tuesday's meeting agreed the situation on Columns Drive has created conflict, but an ordinance regulating how often cyclists ride isn't the solution.

"This is one of the few safe places in Cobb County to ride," said Celeste Burr, who has trained on the road for about 30 years.

Ms. Burr suggested Cobb install a sidewalk along Columns to free an already-designated lane for cyclists and skaters.

"This is an outstanding asset to our community," cyclist Mike Wien said. "We should focus, I think, on preserving this wonderful asset."

Athletes who frequent the residential street say proximity to the Chattahoochee River Recreation Area and the absence of blind spots, dangerous curves and heavy automobile traffic make it an ideal place to ride.

"You can call it anything you want to, but Columns Drive is a residential street," Thompson said. "What direction we go in is up to you all, residents and (cyclists). We believe in bicycles; we encourage it. But we also believe in human beings and (preserving) where people live."

Discussion will continue on the proposed ordinance at a private public hearing Thompson has scheduled at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 at Atlanta Country Club.

Marietta Daily Journal Article 1/23/2007

2007-02-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

Article:

Athletes upset over proposed anti-cruising measures

Tuesday, January 23, 2007
By Amanda Casciaro
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer

MARIETTA - An ordinance a Cobb commissioner has proposed to limit traffic from cyclists, roller-bladers and inline skaters on Columns Drive near Atlanta Country Club has drawn applause from residents and ire from athletes who use the road as a training ground.

Commissioners have scheduled a public hearing on the no-cruising ordinance, along with several other county code amendments, during a 7 p.m. meeting tonight.

After years of complaints from residents who allege foot and bicycle traffic has made it difficult to get to and from their homes on Columns Drive, Commissioner Joe Lee Thompson said he proposed the ordinance to open debate on a solution for the 2.2-mile strip.

"The idea came out of concern from people who live along Columns Drive," Thompson said. "There's an awful lot of activity there and it's almost gotten to a point where Columns is a park, and it's not a park. It's a residential street."

The road, which leads to the Chattahoochee River Recreation Area, has become a hotspot for professional-grade cyclists, runners and even wheelchair athletes like Michael Mills.

The ordinance would prohibit anyone from passing any given point on the trail more than twice in one hour.

"On any given day, I'm anywhere between 10 and 15 miles on that road," said Mills, who has used Columns Drive to train for the past year and a half.

The ordinance "would limit my wife, Christie, from going out there with me and helping me train. One of the biggest things I think that bothered Christie and I the most is that we do this as a couple, and there's not a lot a person who's disabled can do with their spouse. It benefits both of us."

According to Mills, who was left paralyzed a 1993 car accident brought on by a drunken driver, the trail is the safest and most convenient means for him to train for events such as the upcoming ING half-marathon in Atlanta and the 2008 Paralympic Games.

"I've been going out there for a year and a half, and I have yet to have someone complain about me rolling past their driveways," Mills said. "If anything, people wave at me."

Thompson said that although many cyclists and athletes are courteous to residents trying to exit or enter their driveways, "this is a safety issue."

"Some of the cyclists want to go the whole distance as fast as they can, and of course, that's even faster than some of the automobiles. That creates a problem when you have families walking and skating," he said.

There are other places throughout Cobb where cyclists and other athletes can train, Thompson said, including the Silver Comet Trail and sidewalks along Roswell Road.

"It's the fact that it's a residential street," Thompson said. "You pick a street anyone lives on that all of a sudden starts being used as a park, and it's unfair for people who live there."

If the ordinance is approved Feb. 23, when the commission makes a final decision on proposed ordinances, the Cobb Police Department would be charged with enforcing it, Thompson said.

"A lot of people will obey the law just because it's the law," Thompson said. "But, obviously, the police would enforce it if a homeowner called.

On a crowded day when there were a lot of people there, there will be a marker up so (police) will be able to see who passes it twice in an hour. If that occurs, they can write them a ticket just like if someone didn't use their seatbelt."

Christie Mills, Michael Mill's wife, said the ordinance would affect her ability to train more than it would affect her husband's ability to use Columns Drive.

"It's just one of the few places I feel safe to let Michael train as far as the road goes," Christie Mills said. "He goes out to Silver Comet as well, but the traffic on that trail is so bad it's hard for him to weave around baby carriages and all that safely.

"It's just such a popular place to ride that this ordinance has really gotten a lot of eyebrows raised from cycling groups in the area."

Bike Cobb Mission Statement

2007-02-12T10:42:00.000-05:00

Bike Cobb seeks to:

Protect biker’s rights, as defined by the State of Georgia, and to defend against any erosion of cyclist's rights.

Increase the amount of cycling facilities for road cyclists, mountain bikers, families and children in Cobb County and surrounding areas, including bike lanes, bike paths, bike trails, BMX parks, and accompanying facilities.

Make cycling safer for all cyclists through motorist education, cyclist education, law enforcement education and increased police enforcement of laws.

Improve relations between cyclists and the local community while protecting our rights as cyclists and citizens.

Support and elect pro cycling county officials, using all grassroots, netroots and cycling support groups available.

Cobb County Contacts

2007-02-11T22:33:00.000-05:00

Contacts for Cobb County:

Samuel S. Olens
County Wide Commissioner/ Chairman
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3300
(770) 528-2606 fax
solens@cobbcounty.org

Tim Lee
District 3 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3318
(770) 528-2606 fax
tlee@cobbcounty.org

Joe L. Thompson
District 2 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3316
(770) 528-2606 fax
jthompson@cobbcounty.org

Annette Kesting
District 4 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3312
(770) 528-2606 fax
annette.kesting@cobbcounty.org

Helen Goreham
District 1 Commissioner
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-3313
(770) 528-2606 fax
hgoreham@cobbcounty.org

David Hankerson
County Manager
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta, GA 30090-9679
(770) 528-2600
(770) 528-2606 fax
dhankerson@cobbcounty.org

David Montanye
Planning Division Director
Cobb County Department of Transportation
1890 County Services Parkway
Marietta, Georgia 30008
770-528-1600
(770) 528-1601 fax
David.Montanye@cobbcounty.org

Laraine A. Vance
Planning Division Manager
Cobb County Department of Transportation
1890 County Services Parkway
Marietta, Georgia 30008
770) 528-1650
Fax: (770) 528-1601
lvance@cobbcounty.org

Information on Public Hearings:

Rob Hosack, AICP
Cobb County Community Development
191 Lawrence Street
Marietta, Georgia 30060
770-528-2125
770-528-2126 fax
rhosack@cobbcounty.org

AJC LTE's 2/8/2007

2007-02-11T22:25:00.000-05:00

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

AJC Article 2/1/2007

2007-02-11T22:20:00.000-05:00

Article in the AJC:

Not all cyclists, residents at odds

By CRAIG SCHNEIDER
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."

AJC Article on 1/23/2007

2007-02-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

The first slanted AJC Article:

Cobb targets cyclists
Fines up to $500 considered for riders who illegally use roads

By CRAIG SCHNEIDER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 01/23/07

Cyclists beware!

Cobb County officials are considering setting up some legal roadblocks on one of the most popular places to ride in metro Atlanta, setting up fines up to $500.

With its flat surface, wide shoulders and lack of parked cars, Columns Drive near Marietta draws dozens of cyclists on a nice day, including many who use the somewhat remote road as their training track, riding lap after lap up and down the 2 1/2 mile street.

But angry residents who live along the road in upwards of million-dollar homes say the cyclists whip along the street three or more abreast, cutting off cars, robbing the roadway and scaring people even as they step out to check their mailbox.

Tonight the county Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on a "cruising" ordinance that would crack down on those who buzz back and forth along the road. The ordinance would fine anyone who rides past a given point twice in an hour.

Biking advocates say the new law would effectively shut down the roadway to many riders. This would be the first such law in metro Atlanta, and possibly in the country, said Dennis Hoffarth, executive director of the advocacy group called The Atlanta Bicycle Campaign. And he believes any type of anti-cycling law would be a black eye to Atlanta.

But residents who purchased homes along the Chattahoochee River say they've had enough of dangerous, inconsiderate and at time rude cyclists.

"I'm talking about the speed bicyclist," said Paul McNulty, who has lived there about 17 years. "They'll go 30, 40, 50 miles per hour down Columns Drive. They want the drivers, the skaters, the walkers to get out of their way so they can have the whole road."

Some cyclists exceed the speed limit of 25 mph, sidle up to cars and "thump" on the car to get it out of their way, residents say.

"It's not being considerate, respectful or polite," McNulty said.

The bicyclists, for their part, say they have a legal right to ride there, and that while there are a few bad apples, the groups in general try to be safe and respectful.

"The cyclists have a right to the road," said Jim Hunt, 26, who has ridden the road two to three times a week for about five years. "I know that can be hard to swallow."

He added, though, that cyclists have a responsibility to stay on the shoulder.

In a sense, Columns Drive has become a victim of its own success, he said. On warm days, the shoulders can become congested with cyclists, joggers and walkers, and sometimes cyclists must enter into the road to avoid hitting some of them. He suggested the county consider adding sidewalks.

Hunt added, "I hope everybody would be willing to compromise. Patience is a big part of it."

Columns Road is among the safest routes for bike riding in metro Atlanta, and such places are few and far between, said Hoffarth of the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign. Consequently the road draws many riders from outside the area, which piques the homeowners even more.

His group met with public officials, residents and riders in October to try to broker a resolution. He believes the proposed cruising ordinance smacks of selective enforcement against the riders.

The law would fine a person $50 for the first violation, $100 for the second and $500 for the third within a year.

Hoffarth said he has checked with biking groups across the country and none have heard of such a law. He foresees a backlash locally and nationally, asserting that metro Atlanta would look as though it were cracking down on a healthy recreational activity.

"This could actually be an embarrassment across the country," he said.

Cobb Commissioner Joe Thompson, who represents this area, said he will await the public comment before deciding on the ordinance.

Some people involved with the issue are hoping the proposed ordinance is another attempt by the county to bring the warring parties together and create more compromise.

At the same time, Thompson believes some sort of change is needed.

"Columns Drive is simply not a park. It's a street in a subdivision," Thompson said. "It creates sort of an unsafe situation."

How This Started.

2007-02-11T21:57:00.000-05:00

A proposed ordinance by Commissioner Thompson of Cobb County, which many people find at odds with state law:

**(a**) Purpose and Intent.

The Board of Commissioners finds that traffic congestion on Columns Drive has increased significantly as a result of increased usage of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and increased residential
development in the area. Much of the congestion is caused by pedestrians using skate boards, roller skates, and in-line skates, and bicycle traffic, a significant portion of which is repetitive and appears to have a recreational rather than a transportation purpose. Repetitive bicycle traffic, and pedestrians using
skate boards, roller skates, and in-line skates adds to this congestion and presents a safety hazard to persons who travel along Columns Drive and those who live there. Therefore, the following ordinance is enacted to mitigate the effects of congestion on Columns Drive.
**(b**) Definitions.
**(1**) Cruise or cruising means to use a bicycle, skate board, roller skates, or in-line skates so as to pass a traffic control point within a no cruising zone more than twice within any one hour period.
**(2**) No cruising zone means the entirety of Columns Drive.
**(3**) Traffic control point means any point established by a police officer within a no cruising zone for the purpose of monitoring cruising.
**(c**) Prohibited Conduct and Enforcement.
**(1**) The Department of Transportation shall mark a no cruising zone by conspicuously posting appropriate signs at each entrance to the zone.
**(2**) A police officer shall mark a traffic control point with an appropriate sign.
**(3**) A person violates this ordinance by cruising in an area marked in accordance with this section as a no cruising zone. A citation may be issued for such violation at any time after the traffic control point is passed the second time within any one hour period.
**(d**) Exclusions. This section shall not apply to:
**(1**) An official public safety or emergency bicycle; or
**(2**) Any special event as declared by the Board of Commissioners.
**(e**) Penalties. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall pay a fine as established below:
**(1**) The sum of $50.00 upon the first violation within a one-year period.
**(2**) The sum of $100.00 upon the second violation within a one-year period.
**(3**) The sum of $500.00 upon the third and each subsequent violation within a one-year period.