Viewfinder: Roswell Mayor Leads Bike Ride to Capitol

Roswell Mayor Jere Wood led about 750 cyclists from the city to the state capitol, where they joined an estimated 2,000 cyclists lobbying legislators for cycling safety as part of the sixth annual Georgia Rides To The Capitol.

On the steps of the capitol, cyclists, attired in a rainbow sea of colorful jerseys and spandex, munched on cookies as they listened to a parade of officials talk about Georgia’s efforts to improve cycling in the state. 

Cycling advocates urged lawmakers to pass a law that would require motor vehicles to leave at least three feet when passing a cyclist. Although that bill did not “cross over” and is dead for this session, the cyclists were undeterred, frequently breaking into chants of “Three Feet Rule.”

Wood said passing the three-foot law is a top legislative priority for cyclists.

Another bicycling bill still alive is House Bill 101, sponsored by State Representatives Doug McKillip, R-Athens, and Doug Holt, R-Social Circle, would revise Georgia laws pertaining to bicycles, specifying that cyclists have the right-of-way in bike lanes, establishing minimum guidelines for safe bicycle facilities, prohibiting children under one on bicycles, legalizing clipless pedals and recumbent bicycles and requiring bicyclists use headlights when riding at night, among other matters.

Wood and the Decatur mayor originated the cycling event, which helped persuade state legislators to authorize a special “Share The Road” license plate.  Tuesday, Harris Blackwood, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety,  announced a $164,000 grant to the statewide cycling advocacy group Georgia Bikes and two local cycling groups, the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign and the Savannah Bicycle Campaign, to be used to promote cycling education and cycling safety.

The event, sponsored in part by , "raises awareness for cycling in the state," said Wood. Roswell has become a popular destination for cyclists, and has attracted permanent cycling residents to the town.

"Every time I ride, I meet people who say they moved to Roswell because it's a great place to ride," said Wood.

Cycling also has a positive economic impact on the city, said Eric Broadwell, president of , a non profit advocacy group that promotes recreational and commuter cycling in the area. Their efforts led to the official designation of Roswell as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

"More than 60 percent people who ride come here from out of town" said Broadwell. "We get significant economic impact as well.

Broadwell  praised Wood's cycling ability."For his age, he is a serious cyclist," said Broadwell.  "He rides strong. Riding keeps him in shape."

Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, a triathlete used to riding at 17 m.p.h., pedaled from Decatur on his expensive carbon-fiber bike that he admitted “cost more than my first car.”

“Cycling is great exercise,” said Cagle. “I’m seeing the cycling community grow across Georgia.” But he said traffic poses a threat and advocated better laws to protect cyclists and creation of more paths. He also touted his office’s Healthy Kids Challenge, a program to fight childhood obesity.

Downtown spectators watched the parade of cyclists roll through on every kind of bike imaginable, from expensive racing bicycles, to tandem bicycles, bikes with an extra wheel towing a child, laid-back recumbent bicycles, fixed-gear bicycles and at least one old-fashioned “Penny Farthing” bicycle with a high seat, an enormous front wheel and a tiny rear wheel, ridden by Tim Byrd of Conyers.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, who did not cycle, spoke to the gathered cyclists and thanked them for their efforts to adopt local schools and for working to help provide bicycles for “those who would not otherwise afford it.”  Encouraging young people to bicycle is a key to reducing Georgia’s obesity rate, which Deal said climbed from less than 10 percent before 1990 to 27.2 percent last year, “an alarming statistic.”

Tom Morris of Decatur, an active cyclist, says bicyclists must show more respect for traffic laws if they want better biking.

“If cyclists want respect, you have to show respect,” said Morris. Cyclists who habitually ignore traffic laws by blowing through stop signs and red lights represent “the extremes” of cycling,  Morris said. “This is a good represenstation of the cycling community in a public way.”

Dan Conroy, who pedaled in from Roswell, agreed with Morris.

“We all need to share the road, whether we’re on a bike or in a car,” said Conroy, a Suwanee surveyor.