Yesterday in Atlanta, over 2000 cyclists rode to the capitol to rally for better legislation and better facilities in Georgia. It was the Sixth Annual Georgia Rides to the Capitol put on by Georgia Bikes, and by all accounts it was a huge success: Lt. Governor Casey Cagle on the ride in from Decatur, along with many metro Atlanta mayors and city officials. The rally at the Capitol even featured an appearance by Governor Deal!

So, where are we in the legislative calendar? Georgia Bikes identified 2 priorities during this session which were introduced as HB 101 and HB 180:

HB 101 clarifies multiple areas of traffic code related to bicycling, including defining bike lanes and clearly establishing that bicyclists have the right of way in bike lanes, better defining the right to take the lane when it’s too narrow to share (among other reasons) legalizing the use of a rear red light instead of a reflector as well as the sale of clipless pedals and recumbents.  HB 101 passed the full House of Representatives and has now passed the Senate Public Safety Committee.  Current version is here.  It will next be heard in the Senate Rules Committee and, if reported favorably there, will go to the Senate floor and if successful there, to the Governor’s desk to sign.

HB 180 defines safe passing of a bicycle by a motor vehicle as 3 feet or greater; this is the law now in 19 states though not yet in Georgia.  In the 2011 session, HB 180 made it out of the House Public Safety Committee but did not make it out of the Rules Committee and to the floor before crossover day.  As such, HB 180 will not be considered in the Senate this year, though the current legislature and all the bills introduced but not passed this year can restart the process in 2012 without a reintroduction of the bill.

Savannah Bicycle Campaign will continue to work with Georgia Bikes to ensure that these issues remain at the forefront.  We appreciate all of you who answered the call to contact your legislators to support these measures, and we hope you will continue to do so in the future!  If you have specific legislative concerns that are not being addressed, we want to hear about those too.

Opening and closing day Sunset Social Rides
Free Bike Valet at selected shows!

It’s a great season for music in the hostess city. The curtain has now closed on the remarkable Savannah Stopover Festival, and on the horizon in just over a week is the always impressive Savannah Music Festival. We are thrilled to announce a partnership with the SMF that we hope will increase bicycling to the shows, just as SMF Executive Director (and Savannah Bicycle Campaign board member) Rob Gibson does as he makes his way about the festival during its 17 day, 100 show run.

Opening night, 7:30pm Thu March 24: Sunset Social Ride.
We’ll gather at Ellis Square and launch a Wheelie-style conversationally paced 4-5 mile ride through downtown to finish at Trustees Theater in time for riders to take their seats at the much anticipated Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings show. A white front light is required. A helmet and a rear red light are strongly recommended.

Bike valet (multiple shows, below)
FREE (though your donation is much appreciated) parking for your bicycle immediately outside the venue at selected shows — don’t fret about where you can park, ride your bike and leave the parking and watching to us!  Valet is available starting 30 minutes before showtime and will close 30 minutes after the show ends.

SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS at Trustees Theater, March 24, 8:30 PM (opening night)

THE AVETT BROTHERS at Johnny Mercer Theater, March 30, 9 PM

ROBERT RANDOLPH AND THE FAMILY BAND at Trustees Theater, April 1, 9 PM

BAND OF HORSES at Johnny Mercer Theater, April 4, 7:30 PM

CITIZEN COPE SOLO at Trustees Theater, April 5, 8 PM

MACEO PARKER at Charles H. Morris Center, April 9, 8:30 PM & 10:30 PM (closing night)

Closing night, 7:00pm Sat April 9: Sunset Social Ride.
We’ll gather at the Charles Morris Center and launch another triumphant Wheelie-style 4-5 mile ride through downtown to finish at back at the Morris Center for the first of two Maceo Parker Funky Dance Party shows. Park your bike at the valet and get your funk on! For the ride, a white front light is required; a helmet and a rear red light are again vigorously recommended.

Don’t have tickets for the festival shows yet? No problem — call the Savannah Music Festival Box Office at 912-525-5050 or savannahmusicfestival.org. OR… if you want a chance to see some of these shows for free, VOLUNTEER with us to work the bike valets! Fill out this SMF web form to indicate your availability and MAKE SURE YOU PUT “Bicycle Campaign” in the final field marked “How did you learn about this volunteer opportunity?” There are two brief orientations.

Rising gasoline prices are front page news in Savannah. Today, WSAV’s Joann Merrigan offered advice on how to use less gas. While all her suggestions were helpful, she failed to mention the most effective strategy for using less gas: Leave your car at home!

According to the Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, 25 percent of all trips are made within a mile of the home, 40 percent of all trips are within two miles of the home, and 50 percent of the working population commutes five miles or less to work.  Yet more than 82 percent of trips five miles or less are made by personal motor vehicle.

The situation is clear. Many people are driving short distances to work—short distances that easily bikeable.

But others are recognizing there is a better way. The combination of rising digits on gas station signs and beautiful spring weather in Savannah has a lot of folks opting to commute to work by bicycle.

Want to join them?

This Friday, the Savannah Bicycle Campaign invites you to take 2 Wheels 2 Work by riding to work in the company of experienced bicycle commuters. We’ll depart from the Habersham Village Shopping Center at 7:30 a.m. and head north into downtown Savannah to enjoy free pre-work coffee from Jittery Joe’s.

Sure feels like spring! Join in the excitement and give a hand to the SBC for one of many upcoming events — the first is coming this Saturday with the Historic Savannah Foundation Run for Preservation!

– HSF Run for Preservation, Sat 2/26/11 7:30-9am, 12 needed for course signage
– 2Wheels2Work: Fri 3/4/11 7:30am-8:00am, 3-4 marshals
– Spoked Festival Ride: Fri 3/4/11 6-7:30pm, 4 marshals
– SMF Opening Night Ride: Thu 3/24/11 7:15-8:30pm, 4 marshals
– Tybee Bike Rodeo (kids bike ed): Sat 3/26/11 time TBA, 8 needed
– Multiple opportunities for bike valet volunteers at the Savannah Music Festival (see below) — join us for these and you may get to see part of the show!
– SMF Closing Night Ride: Saturday 4/9/11 7:15-8:30pm, 4 marshals

All opportunities are listed on the form at this link, which you should use to indicate your availability.

Savannah Music Festival Bike Valet

We will be running bike valet for multiple shows at the Savannah Music Festival this year! Volunteer and you may have an opportunity to see part of the show! Shows are listed below, and you should indicate your availability for those dates, indicating “Bike Valet” and the desired shift time on this SMF web form. Please put “Bicycle Campaign” in the final field marked “How did you learn about this volunteer opportunity?” There are two brief orientations set up for early March.

– Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: Trustees Theater, 3/24/11 7:30-10:30pm
– The Avett Brothers: Johnny Mercer Theater, 3/30/11 7:30-10:30pm
– Robert Randolph and the Family Band: Trustees Theater, 4/1/11 8-10:30pm
– Band of Horses: Johnny Mercer Theater, 4/4/11 6:30-9:30pm
– Citizen Cope: Trustees Theater, 4/5/11 7-10pm
– Maceo Parker: Charles H. Morris Center, 4/9/11, 7:30pm-10pm or 10pm-midnight

Curious about the latest advocacy efforts, the status of local bicycle infrastructure projects or upcoming rides and events? Do you like beer, food or spending time with fellow cyclists? If you answered yes to one or more of these, your Savannah Bicycle Campaign invites you to the monthly Bike to Beer social, downstairs at Moon River Brewing Company on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. Whether you’re a long-time SBC member or simply want to know more about how bicycles make Savannah better, all are welcome. You can even bring your bike downstairs with you. Otherwise, secure bicycle parking is available nearby at the corner of Bryan and Bull streets and on the west side of city hall.

That’s right, when you buy one of these cute widdle bikes, the Savannah Bicycle Campaign will donate a second one to a child of a Construction Apprentice Program student, a program that helps unemployed and underemployed Chatham County residents get back on their feet. And when they go gleefully rocketing off on one of these truly fine kids’ rides from Specialized Bikes (builders of some of the world’s better bicycles), they may be headed for a life of health and happiness perched on a bicycle saddle. As will your child.

The third gift isn’t frankincense, myrrh or gold, but the proceeds of the sale of the bicycle will help the SBC purchase larger bicycles that will be used to teach area 4th and 5th graders in safe (and happy) bicycle riding. Asking price is MSRP but we’ll be entertaining best offers both on a parallel E-Bay listing (for an online payment) and through direct contact. If someone would like to go above MSRP, you’ll be helping several worthy causes.

There are a total of 6 bikes available for sale/donation, ranging in gender design (boy, girl) and size (12″-16″ frames, good for children 3-9). Interested gifters can pick the gifts for their child and the child in need. Bikes are already fully assembled (training wheels included) and are available for pick-up in either Ardsley Park or Downtown Savannah.

Payments can be facilitated through a this cross-listing on Ebay , cash or check made payable to the Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

For more information, please contact Garrison at (912) 373-4683.