Simple Things YOU Can Do for Better Biking in Atlanta

"Yeah... But I Just Want to Ride My Bike"

We all would rather be riding our bikes, but without letting the powers that be know what they can do to make our riding easier, it gets harder to ride safely. And besides, bicycle advocacy does not have to be all about attending boring planning meetings or debating the appropriate width of a wide curb lane with the local public works department. There are innumerable simple things that every cyclist can do that will move our cause along just a tiny bit more. Try one of these, and if you like it, come back for more!

Bike Lanes in Buckhead- ABC worked for many years to get the City of Atlanta to stripe bicycle lanes. In 1999 we were rewarded by the appearance of lanes on numerous streets in Buckhead as part of their standard re-striping cycle. Habersham, Moores Mill, Wieuca, and others are now "bicycle-friendly." A key person in making this happen was City Councilwoman Claire Muller, who represents much of Buckhead. Call her office and let her know you appreciate her support of your bicycle lifestyle- 404-330-6030.
Who was that masked man? Joey Ledford, a.k.a. "The Lane Ranger" covers the traffic beat for the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. He has really been a resource in promoting awareness of the problems of auto dependence, the pollution effects of sprawl, and the growing problem of road rage. He has also used his column to promote bicycle transportation, bicycle awareness, and even used a bicycle question in his Driver’s IQ test. Send him an e-mail at: traffic@ajc.com and thank him for his support over the last few months.
Where do you park? Does the building where you work have a bicycle parking rack? If so, find out who was responsible for getting it there and maintaining it, and personally thank them. If there is not a rack, ask your facilities department to get one and put it in an appropriate place (if you aren’t sure where it should go, ABC can help). Likewise, thank the manager at the library, shopping mall, or university for looking out for your interests.
Thank a car…. er, a driver- Just Read This! Some motorists are on our side. The next time a motorist waves you through an intersection, make sure to give an exaggerated display of thanks. It’s an easy way to make a friend for the bicycle community.
A Dream to Dream. And it has a real shot of coming true! Call your Atlanta Regional Commission representative and tell them that you support the proposed bicycle accommodation policy that will require bicycle facilities (wide curb lanes or bike lanes) on all new or improved roads in the metro Atlanta region.
Where do you belong? There are groups other than ABC that are advocating for better bicycling facilities in metro Atlanta, among them are the various Bicycle User Groups (BUGs), the Southern Bicycle League, and the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA). Check out our Links Page. Find out what the missions of these great organizations are, and if you support the work they are doing, BECOME A MEMBER!
More and More ABC Members!!Do you have friends who ride a bicycle on the road often, but who are not members of the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign? Ask them to join!! Anybody who rides a bicycle on the streets of metro Atlanta should be a member, because ABC is fighting for the rights and cycling environment of ALL cyclists in the region.
Bikes On Trains!! MARTA still has one of the nation’s most liberal policies of bikes on trains. You can take your bike on any car of any train at any time of the day that the trains run!! Call MARTA’s customer service line at 404-848-5000 (option #2, then "comments and commendations") and let them know how much you appreciate it. Or better yet, send a letter with your thoughts to:

Jack Stephens · MARTA · 2424 Piedmont Road · Atlanta, GA 30324
Ride 'em If You Got 'em! Metro Atlanta does not have a lot of bike lanes, wide curb lanes and "Share the Road" signs today, but the more we use what we have, the better our chance of getting more in the future. On your next bike ride go to the places where bikes are explicitly recognized, then just be visible. Suggestions include Columns Drive in Marietta, Habersham Drive in Buckhead, Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard in Southwest Atlanta, and the on-road portions of the Atlanta to Stone Mountain route.
Straighten a Grate! Do you know where there is a parallel grate in the city of Atlanta? Call 404-330-6250 and tell them about it.

The Atlanta Bicycle Campaign · PO Box 5525, Atlanta, GA 31107 · 404-881-1112 · email us!