The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition announced their annual awards last week and one of Decatur’s commissioners received a notable honor.  From the press release…

This year, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s Blinkie Awards launched The Inaugural Fred Boykin Lifetime Achievement Award: Fred Boykin, Decatur City Commissioner and owner, Bicycle South. Commissioner Boykin has been a dedicated public servant committed to making it safe for kids to bike and walk through the Safe Routes to School initiative. Through his leadership, Decatur schools now support higher rates of biking and walking to school than any other metro Atlanta school system, attracting new residents while helping children stay healthy and active. He is also the owner of Bicycle South, Inc., a Decatur-area business since 1972.

Joe sends along this announcement…

• Community Meeting: For a safer North Decatur Road
• Sept. 26, 2013 7:00 PM
• North Decatur Presbyterian Church 611 Medlock Rd, Decatur, GA (at the corner of Medlock Rd. & N. Decatur)

You know how dangerous N. Decatur Rd. is, now is your chance to let the County and the City of Decatur know. The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and Bike Emory will present the results of the Road Safety Audit that was conducted on N. Decatur Rd. from Church Street to Clifton Rd. to study and improve bicycle and pedestrian safety on N. Decatur.

Our DeKalb County Commissioner, Jeff Rader; County Traffic Engineering staff; City of Decatur Commissioner Fred Boykin; Decatur’s Director of Design, Environment and Construction; and PEDS will be present to answer questions.

Updates and ways to get involved will be provided on the CHCA website (http://clairmontheights.org) and the MANA website (www.medlockpark.org)

From the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s website…

Governor Nathan Deal [finalized] efforts to improve bicycling conditions and road safety in Georgia by signing HB 101, “The Better Bicycling Bill,” into law.

HB 101 modernizes a host of outdated bicycling laws in the state code and also implements a number of significant improvements for bicyclist and motorist safety. 101 makes lawful the sale and use of clipless pedals and recumbent-style bicycles, both popular and widely used in Georgia, which are technically illegal under the old code. Other changes include recognition of bicyclists’ right-of-way in dedicated bike lanes, establishing minimum design guidelines for bicycle lanes, and clarifying circumstances under which a cyclist may take the full travel lane due to unsafe conditions or obstructions.

Most significantly, however, a Senate amendment to the bill defines three feet as the minimum safe passing distance for motor vehicles overtaking cyclists. With the adoption of this law, Georgia joins a growing number of states with safe passing distance laws. Motor vehicles passing a cyclist too closely, known as “buzzing,” are a serious factor in causing bicycle crashes.

h/t: Fresh Loaf