Joeff Davis
MASSIVE ATTACK: A growing number of Atlantans are taking part in cycling collectives such as Critical Mass.
Not long after moving to Atlanta from Denver 20 years ago, Ed McBrayer decided to try a recommended Sunday morning bike ride from Decatur to Stone Mountain. As he rode along busy Ponce de Leon Avenue, his leisurely outing quickly turned into an effort to stay out of harm's way.
"MARTA buses were passing a few feet from us," says McBrayer, who's now executive director of nonprofit trail-building organization PATH Foundation. "I thought, 'This ain't a bike ride, this is survival.'"
In past decades, it seemed the only cyclists you'd find on Atlanta's car-choked roads were spandex-clad gearheads, eccentrics with a death wish, or college kids who couldn't afford a car.
But times have changed. While we still lag behind such two-wheeled cities as Portland, Ore., or New York, you'll now encounter every bike subculture and niche imaginable, from fixed-gear hipsters along Edgewood Avenue to office-bound commuters on the Freedom Parkway trail to girls in sun dresses pedaling gliders in Virginia-Highland.
And thanks to the work of bike advocacy groups, the increasing popularity of bike-centric social events and even a more entrenched coolness factor — call it "bike chic" — the city is slowly becoming ever more hospitable to riders.
"The climate has definitely changed," says Rebecca Serna, executive director of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group that lobbies for cyclists' rights and better bike infrastructure. "There's a growing idea that cycling in intown Atlanta is a great way to get around."
Serna and other cyclists are quick to point out, however, that Atlanta's streets are still dominated by drivers, many of whom mistakenly view the roads as theirs alone. In addition to much-needed courtesy from motorists, more riders to boost awareness and improved bike infrastructure could help Atlanta become a true bike-friendly town.
Eventually, the entire Beltline — a 22-mile loop of transit that will one day circle the city — will become a bike trail, too. In addition to the Beltline's recently completed two-and-a-half mile trail in southwest Atlanta — and the just-announced Beltline path that will stretch the same distance from Piedmont Park to DeKalb Avenue — the city has plans to build nearly 15 more miles of dedicated and shared bike lanes this year. Connect Atlanta, the city's first-ever transportation plan approved in 2008, calls for more than 200 miles of bike lanes arranged in an efficient network linking neighborhoods to bike-friendly routes. Three weeks ago, the PATH Foundation finished the draft phase of the spider-like trail network connecting Centennial Olympic Park, the Beltline and the suburbs over the next 20 years.
"Atlanta seems to have conceded that we're all about the car and that's not going to change," Lisa Safstrom, a Reynoldstown resident who cycles every day to her Midtown job as a transportation planner, says. "Unfortunately, the citizens disagree."
Related Stories
-
Cycling resources in Atlanta 1
Cyclists aren't alone with these local facilities
-
Atlanta cycling statistics
How many miles of bike lanes are in Atlanta, and how many miles is the city planning to add?
-
Commuters among us 7
The commuters: Mick Bailey, Porscha Johnson and Kyle Torok
-
Bike paths and lanes 3
Present and future
-
Atlanta's cycling community needs some help 92
The city must make it easier on cyclists
Showing 1-12 of 20
Add a comment | All comments »
It's not rocket science, we just need ALL new road construction and repair to add bike lanes. Sharing does not and will not and should not work. Who really thinks it's a good idea to mix 8000 pound SUVs with bicycles in the same lane? Taking a lane is not the answer. It makes no sense to have vehicles with an 18mph cruising speed mixing with vehicles that go 30-40-50-60 mph while the driver is eating a burger and fixing their hair. I ride my bike in a manner where I lane split and run red lights, but that's because I've been riding a bike in this hellhole of city since the early 90's. My goal was and is to get out of the way and to get the hell off the road ASAP. We just need to spend the money on the bike lanes EVERYWHERE. They work, they are safe and the end the animosity. A statewide or metro county area gas tax would do it. It would even create jobs, OMG.
Clearly someone at CL is involved with Critical Mass. They are absolutely the wrong way to promote cycling. They cork intersections and then have the gall to complain when people uncork them. They are not making any friends for cyclists.
Right now taking the lane is essential to a safe commute. I chose a route where cars rarely move faster than 30 mph. When it would be safe for an SUV to pass me I move to the shoulder but if it wouldn't I take the lane and that is the safest option.
I have a problem with motorists moving into the shoulder to prevent me from passing them when traffic is stopped. I'm new to Atlanta so can some one fill me in on if it would be ok to pepper spray these people as I go around them on the left? Thanks!
Well, it generally doesn't make sense to use a huge 2+ ton vehicle to move a 200 pound person and maybe their briefcase. Everyone should have the option to make any trip under 5 miles by bicycle instead of car.
But in general, the "danger" of riding a bicycle and the "safety" of riding in a car are both drastically over-estimated. There isn't much difference in actual risk unless you are being reckless on the bicycle. I've been cycling to work, shopping, etc. almost every day for over 5 years and most drivers have been attentive and courteous. I've been honked at more in my car than on my bike.
And there isn't much difference in time, either. For the 30-mile commute, yes, it's faster if you can drive it at 60-MPH or take your bike on a train. But for short trips, in town, with traffic and red lights and such, you can bike it almost as quickly as driving. Sometimes faster when you factor in parking garages.
Recent traffic studies actually show that drivers save time by slowing down a little bit, because the time savings from speeding are negligible but the gains in crash-reduction are major. Plus, a lot of the traffic we have is from people driving a half-mile trip because they aren't comfortable doing it on foot or by bike - if the streets are safer you can eliminate a lot of that local car traffic and really free up the whole road system.
I think Critical Mass is a great thing in cities where there's already a big cycling scene- the one in San Francisco, for example, is fantastic. However, for a city like Atlanta that is so bike-unfriendly, I'm afraid CM is counter to our interest of promoting a share-the-road mentality. So many drivers are already aggravated by bikes on the road; why do anything to piss them off more? I don't get how it helps us here!?!
The problem with CM is that that they blow a party horn and tell you it's all for fun. But then they move into the political protest arena when they overtake whole roads and cork intersections. You can't have it both ways. When you make it a protest and put it in people's face, it's not about happy Friday and clown hats anymore. That's why CM rides have so many negative incidents and draw such bad PR to the cause. There are other groups out there that run better organized rides. In fact, a central tenet of a CM ride is disorganization and clandestine routes so there is nothing or no one to be held accountable. The party horn, clown hat and fake smile is disingenuous when it's really a guerrilla political protest. Call it what it is. It's not wise that CL is using CM to promote bike rights. Even the bike community has moved past CM and their smug passive aggressive tactics.
As one of the participants of Critical Mass, I'll simply state that corking intersections is explicitly necessary for a ride of its size. I've been in large group rides where all the road laws are followed, and it results in circumstances where drivers are mixed inbetween bicycles, or have to wait at a light through several red-green cycles in order to get through, which agitates them even more. Corking, when done correctly, is quite frankly safer and less disruptive to traffic than the alternative. I'll note that not a single cyclist from Atlanta's mass has been injured from being hit by a car in the year since I've attended. The only two times I've seen a car strike a bicycle during Mass are from drivers knowingly and intentionally hitting a cyclist at low speeds to "make a point".
Also, the notion that Critical Mass only serves to piss people off is blatantly untrue. While there will always be people that take a negative view toward it, the vast majority of reactions I experience when on the ride are amused bewilderment, enjoyment, or praise. We encounter far more playful horn-honking from passing motorists, waving from car windows, and high-fives from bystanders and passing drivers than we do negative reactions. Even the drivers at corked intersections overwhelmingly wait patiently and understandingly for the minute it takes the ride to pass by.
I think without question, David has summed up the argument against such activities. And, more to the point, if Atlanta is at the very beginning of establishing itself as any kind of bicycle community, how much sense does it make to upset the balance with forced entry?
Maybe you disagree, Stephen, but the point of all of this is not to force-feed the Atlanta community a concept of bicycles, but rather find a safe alternative. CM does wonders for the creation of youtube videos - as you've no doubt found - but has it made Atlanta any better come Monday morning when someone's interested in leaving their car in the driveway and electing to ride a bike. I would absolutely agree as well with the point that CM works in San Fran because of the already well defined bicycle culture. (Though is quickly loosing any clout or even looked at a necessary alternative: consider that CM started in the late 90's when the county was less than interested in anything consider green (fuel-consumption, etc) - forcing drivers to accept bicyclist made sense - with CM in Atlanta, are you pushing a green agenda, or just an "us against them" agenda - and if it is "us against them" how well will that make change for the city?) It's safe to say that there's very little "us against them" in San Fran.
Proving you can ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE RULES may not be as much fun or lessen the likelihood of being an internet celebrity, but, mabe, just maybe it will help everyone.
FYI, Los Angeles (where I lived until about a month ago) just had its first Critical Mass that followed the rules and had the support of LAPD. This was highly controversial to veteran CM-ers before the ride, but guess what- it was a SUCCESS! See, there's no need to do a protest ride that involves breaking laws and pissing people off. Check it out: http://la.streetsblog.org/2010/06/26/kumba… AND http://laist.com/2010/06/28/success_critic…
I think you may be forgetting the huge variety of both cyclists (participating in CM) and drivers on the roads. There are a myriad of viewpoints, opinions, and motivations: some just want to have fun and haven't thought even once about corking, while others are there to make a point.
Some riders do so for environmental reasons, or for health, for fun or for style, or just because they have to. Many participate in CM because it's fun to ride with other cyclists, while others consider it as supporting a particular idea.
In truth, it supports a lot of ideas that not everyone agrees with, but it's not very destructive in its approach so even with those ideas you don't agree with, you can still participate and not feel like you're doing any kind of disservice.
Thanks CL! For decades you've been highlighting and elevating our emerging coolness.
We started out talking about the groundswell of cyclists in Atlanta but have gravitated toward Critical Mass. It is worthwhile asking if this event is what the cycling community wants to represent this resurgence.
How is corking legal? Why don't cyclists have to obey traffic control devices?
Latest in Cover Story
-
Best of the Blotter
Atlanta police confront naked shopping, Hilarey Clinton and violent baptisms
-
Why YOU should vote for John Oxendine! 17
GOP gubernatorial candidate is Georgia's best hope. No, we're not kidding.
-
From the pander-riffic mind of John Oxendine:
Real quotes from the Republican gubernatorial candidate
- More »
Author Archives
-
Dear Congress, please save Georgia's budget. Sincerely, Georgia
Washington, D.C. is both the problem and our savior
-
Toyoko Inn Co.'s downtown "no frills" hotel still a go 4
Japanese hotel firm's 700-room project to be located on Forsyth Street
- More »
-
Bizarre crimes from Atlanta police reports
-
Why ATL needs Black Pride 2
Gay forebears who fought for rights, acceptance, and respect need to be celebrated and remembered
-
Brent Bomber, dungeon owner and swinging party promoter
'I never anticipated the lifestyle becoming this big a part of my life'
Comments (20) RSS