Decatur Top 10 Bike Initiatives
Decatur Metro | January 28, 2010A new bike advocacy group in the city of Decatur, “Bike Decatur“, recently sent a list to the Decatur city commission of ten action items they hope to see funding for in the 2010/2011 city budget. According to member Thomas Stuart, membership is open to all Decatur residents with completion of a short survey, which can be found on their Google group site.
- Church Street Bike Lanes – Install bike lanes on Church Street from downtown to city limits.
- Gateway Signs – Install “Decatur Supports Bicycling” or similar signs at city limits on major arterials (e.g., Columbia, Candler, Ponce/Scott, Clairemont, Church, College, etc.).
- Ponce de Leon Ave Bike Lanes – Completion of Ponce de Leon & W. Trinity bicycle lanes with TE grant funding.
- Bicycle Parking – Install 25 city-funded bicycle racks throughout commercial districts;
- Shared-Lane Markings (also known as “sharrows”) Implement a Shared-Lane Marking (“sharrows”) pilot project along a central artery used regularly by bicyclists
- Bicycle Route Signs – Install signs (Share the Road, Bicycle Route, etc.) along 20% of the Community Transportation Plan’s bike route network streets.
- Safe Routes to Schools Program – Continue training in classrooms & support safe cycling and walking travel to all city school sites; Specifically at the Fifth Ave Academy site – develop a SRTS school site plan during the design phase so safe routes are part of the process, not an afterthought.
- Cycling Accommodations at Railroad Crossings – Ensure that the railroad intersections at Candler and McDonough (now being re-designed), as well as the adjacent PATH trail, have safe and accessible bicycle accommodations.
- Bicycle Map – Develop a citywide bicycle suitability map, similar to those published for Emory University or the City of Atlanta
- Citizen Involvement -Develop a citizen taskforce and host public workshops to provide input into the design details and locations of above items.
Number 11: Educate and reeducate bikers on the rules of the road.
Number 12: Educate motorists that just because some cyclists don’t follow the rules, that it’s not all of us, and remind them that many many motorists don’t follow the rules.
Well said, Chris.
Thanks Chris.
Can they move that one up to #1? And they should also start suggesting to their own members that they consider Defensive Driving principles when venturing out onto roads full of 5,000 pound vehicles travelling twice their speed.
GVW doesn’t = morality.
Defensive cycling = exercising the legal right to “take the lane” when necessary.
Defensive driving = behaving on the roadways as if you understand the risks to yourself and others. It applies to all.
That’s covered in #7.
Now if we could educate automobile drivers on the rules that would be even better.
Education for cyclist AND motorists is on the list, it just did not make our first top 10 list.
For your reference:
http://www.gohs.state.ga.us/gabikelaws.html
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.
____________________
Many, many pedals violate this idiotic law. In fact, Bicycle South sells a whole bunch of them. The pedals on my bike don’t have reflectors and never will. I suppose I’ll have to be arrested.
Each of the 5 bikes I have bought from Bike South over the years (including a carbon racing bike) came with cheap disposable reflector pedals per the law. They’re aware of the law and very careful about it. The law doesn’t prohibit them from selling you an aftermarket pedal that doesn’t have reflectors. They’ll even install them for you.
Agreed that this is a completely stupid law considering current cycling technology.
“or a pedal for use on a bicycle ”
…well my face is red on that one.
Who do we talk to to get this law modified? No way will a decent, modern pedal provide a visible surface for a reflector.
Fred is involved, as he is Safe Routes To Schools, which trains youngsters to safely use the streets and sidewalks to bike and walk to school.
Any day my car remains in the driveway is a good day. I bike commute daily and do some riding for pleasure on weekends. Watch for me; I’ll watch out for you. Slow down, Decatur. Expect drivers passing through your neighborhoods to do so, as well.
Join the group.
Most of these are a wate of time and money. A sign that Decatur supports cycling? Really, to what end? Why not a sign that Decatur also supports free association or free speech? As for the city funded bike parking, this is a solution in search of a problem. Take downtown. There are numerous places to park a bike, and the racks that are already there are almost never full. Also, many trees, fences, etc., are perfectly suitable for locking a bike. And if people are so clueless as to need a suitability map to bike Decatur, then I just don’t know what to say. It’s not rocket science.
Yes, these things will only serve to keep people alive and improve the quality of life in Decatur. Such a waste! Who needs people and quality of life anyway?
Please explain how a bike rack will save a life. Same for a sign that says the city supports bicycles.
Don’t be fooled by off-brands. Always look for the distinctive, blue-sky avatar for the original “Scott”.
Got some anger there, other Scott?
Proper bike racks will enhance safety by preventing people from locking to benches, doorways, fences trees etc. which is a nuisance and hazard.
Road signs reminds motorists that bikes are allowed on the road and to be expected. My experience is that some motorists need constant reminding of this.
We need more signs on our roadways like we need more smoothie shops and mexican restaurants. Or grackles. We are at a point where there are so many road signs that we don’t even see them anymore.
Here’s a good article on the phenomenon – http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/traffic/1
Although I would like more good restaurants, Mexican or otherwise, less signage and light-age maybe a better solution:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1533248/Is-this-the-end-of-the-road-for-traffic-lights.html
Excellent point —
I wonder how many Decatur residents bicycle on a regular basis. And how does that compare with other leisure/recreational activities? (while recognizing that bicycle commuting is different from recreational cycling, of course.)
These are questions that will be answered by folks who complete the survey on the initiative’s web site. We are interested in knowing this, as well.
DO NOT lock bikes to trees. Street trees are already very stressed and bikes and locks typically damage the cambium layer, one of the most sensitive part of a tree, also compresses what little soil is availabe to the tree. Please lock bikes to bike racks. In regards to there being many bike racks, there are many locations where there are no bike racks convenient like the old First Union Building and Nanston Dental Building.
Signage: replace the current lame city slogan (“City of Homes, Schools and Places of Worship”) with the suggestion made in the past DM thread on this topic:
“Dykes on bikes, tykes on trikes.”
Why are reflectors on the pedals bad?
Thats like complaining about the side blinkers on my car.
Land,
I think the reflectors themselves are not the problem. But people who can’t imagine riding a sub $1000 bike usually have pedals that clip to their shoes, etc. and those don’t enough surface for reflectors.
They also refuse to have streamers hanging from their handlebars. More Aerodynamic: Yes. More fun: No.
Because it ‘s like the law requires you mount an whale oil lamp to the radiator grill of your velocipede,
Most practical pedal styles have no place for a reflector and many are designed to be enclosed by the shoe’s sole.
The shoe has the reflective material on it.
Heh! That made me laugh out loud. Good one, Ridge…
Reflectors on pedals are not bad. I have them on the cheap bike I ride to work. I also use numerous flashing lights when I commute in the dark.
But all my road bikes and have clipless pedals, and there is no room for reflectors on those. My shoes, however, have a reflective strip on the heel to make up for it.
Teaching safe bicycle riding should be required in elementary schools. If they learn how to ride a bike safely and learn the rules of the road, they will be much better prepared to learn how to drive later. Just a thought….
Agree, the issue should simply be: have reflective materials in enough places to be seen. It’s not needed on the pedals. A flashing tail light is far more effective.
What has happened to Fred Boykin, our bike shop owning city commissioner?
He seemed to chime in on almost every topic during the election.
Hello, hello, hello, hello?
I guess we’ll hear back from him if this blog is still around in Sept 2013.
The Bike Decatur list reflects 10 items we feel are important for biking in Decatur. (It is not a top ten list). The city wants to promote itself as a walking/bike riding community and these suggestions can only help. And many of the items are on the city’s master plan anyway but have not been implemented yet. Dem’s negative comments at 1:52 in the morning reflect his views on the subject but I would like to think most of Decatur supports biking and walking in Decatur.
My post reflects my thinking about the list, not the issue if cycling in general. I bike to work and ride everywhere I can around Decatur. I just don’t think that the city needs to put up signs, build more bike racks, etc. It seems wasteful. Also not sure we need to rip up Church to install bike lanes. It’s not like you can’t get around without traveling on that street.
we definitely need more racks.
The sparse few racks we have are always full when I need to park my families bikes to shop or dine in the square.
Interesting. We have the opposite experience. I bike to the square with my 2 kids all the time and we’ve never once had trouble finding a spot at one of the racks.
There’s one little staple rack in front of Iberian Pig and one in front of Eddie’s none at the courthouse. Those together will handle 4 bikes. all told maybe all the racks around the square can handle 20 bikes tops. Not nearly enough. It’s actually very rare in good weather that I can find free rack space where I shop and dine.
As a Decatur resident, bicycle commuter and bike shop owner, I think the Top 10 list that Bike Decatur has posted is worth a good look. Decatur has twice applied for a Bicycle Friendly Community designation and never received better than “Honorable Mention”. Roswell is a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community. I would certainly hope Decatur could at least rank as well as Roswell. I believe we can do better and I believe there are a lot of residents that would like to see us make that list.
The City Commission retreat starts in a few hours and I intend to bring up this Top 10 list – and Bike Decatur’s Vision for Cycling in Decatur document while we are there.
I read the blogs. Just because I don’t chime in doesn’t mean I’m not here. I read the blogs to hear what the community has to say. I welcome this discussion
I’ve resided in Decatur for 18 years and I’m an active cyclist. I’ll frequently ride my bike downtown to avoid having to pay to park. While I don’t think bike racks are a NECESSITY — I can always find a telephone pole or fence somewhere to lock my bike — I think they’re a nice addition to the city.
True, a lot of cyclists don’t obey the traffic laws that pertain to them, but you gotta admit, motorists aren’t that much better. How many motorists run stop signs, ignore crosswalks, speed, talk on cell phones. We ALL need to share the road and be safer while operating our vehicles, whether they be propelled by motors or feet.
Decatur is a very small city geographically, and cycling is an excellent way of getting around. Lotta motorists harbor resentment at bikes “blocking” their way. But honestly, I’ve never really impeded the flow of traffic for more than a few minutes while cycling. Frequently, a car will roar past me in order to speed to the next stop light, where I often catch up to them.
It’s a fact that children who learn the principles of safe cycling are learning the principles of safely operating a vehicle, and are better drivers.
Do we always have the same symbol on our comments?
I guess we do.
Here’s a great book for bike riders/lovers: THE IMMORTAL CLASS, by Travis Hugh Culley. It’s truly a cult book — wish they could make a movie of it.
Why doesn’t this new group take it upon themselves to draft a city bicycle map? And the city already is doing a fine job with Safe Routes to School. They could help with some public workshops. The city can’t be all things to all people. It’s easy to whine, tougher to step up to the plate.
Atlanta Bicycle Coalition sponsors workshops to train adults who want to ride safely, as does the Safe Routes program for children. These programs, taught by professionals, welcome volunteers.
The list is intended to encourage the City to “step up to the plate” on several items that are in the transportation plan and suggest others that will make Decatur a more enjoyable and safer place to ride.
I think a good bike route map could be done as an overlay to the City’s existing walking tour of Decatur map. Or by encouraging businesses to sponsor the publication of maps for advertising purposes, even possibly offering discounts or incentives to customers who bike to work, dine, or shop. Why would they do that? It’s good for business. Cycling reduces traffic congestion, one of our major problems. Other than walking it’s the easiest way to navigate down town. People will bike if it’s presented as healthy, safe, practical, and fun. However maps are produced they will be collaborative efforts, probably available in print and on the internet. And produced with lots of volunteer effort.
I’ve lived in the city, or on the fringe for almost 20 years. Decatur is fine for the advanced cyclist. The cyclist who would be comfortable riding down Clairmont at 5:30 pm. The cyclist who will go find the one place they can lock their bicycle, no matter how inconvenient it is.
We can’t forget about the casual riders and the people who would like to ride bikes, IF they had the facilities. As the manager of Bicycle South, I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard people comment about how they would like to ride, if….
I think this Top 10 list looks great. The bike lanes, signs, parking racks, and map will all help to encourage people to start riding their old bikes again or start riding period. Safe Routes to School and the map are going to help educate.
Decatur Bikes next meeting is Feb 10th, 7pm, at the Corner Pub. YOU are encouraged to attend. And please go to the groups webpage and fill out the survey, and become a member.