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DEL.ICIO.USAre Peachtree City, Fayette friendly to bicyclists?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My colleague, Aixa Pascual, wrote a story this week about a move by cycling enthusiasts in Peachtree City to get the city designated as a “certified bicycle friendly community” by the Washington-based League of American Bicyclists.
While the group feels the city is mostly friendly to bike riders, they feel it could be more so with the certification, which would create a greater awareness about cycling safety and possibly lead to designated bike lanes along main roads.
“The certification tells you something about a community, too,” said Steve Shackelford, who estimates there are a minimum 1,500 road cyclists in Peachtree City alone. “Bicycle friendly communities benefit from the designation in terms of attracting quality residents and tourism as well.”
Though I am not a cyclist myself, I am somewhat familiar with the passion of local cyclists, as my husband took up the sport when we moved here six years ago. While the city’s 100 miles of cart paths might seem like a biker’s paradise, riding on them at speeds averaging between 15 and 20 miles per hour can be a dangerous proposition, especially when you come face to face with strollers, runners, small pets and golf carts coasting down the center of the path.
For safety and the opportunity to experience the scenery of wide open spaces, most cyclists take to the miles and miles of smooth and comfortable Fayette County roads.
For the most part, local motorists are accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists and don’t seem to mind their presence as long as the riders adhere to the right and don’t ride in groups three or four abreast.
However, there are some folks who are antagonistic to riders, even when they are observing good cycling etiquette. My husband, who is a stickler for following the rules of the road, has been flipped off, veered at, honked at and even verbally abused just for wearing cycling gear.
Are you a local cyclist? What’s been your experience riding around Peachtree City and Fayette County? Where does the city fall on the cycling friendly spectrum?
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