Tickets for unsafe and illegal bicycle riding are few in Richmond County, but accidents involving bikes on the road aren't.
So far this year there has been a slight increase in the number of cyclists hit by a car: 21 from Jan. 1 to July 11, up from 18 in the same period last year in Richmond County. The last bicycle fatality occurred in 2007.
Nationally, about 30 percent of bicycle accidents in which the rider is treated in an emergency room involve a motor vehicle, according to statistics from Georgia Bikes, an organization dedicated to improving cycling in the state. In 70 percent of those wrecks, the cyclist is at fault.
Dennis Ellis, of the Richmond County Traffic Engineering Department, sifts through each year's bicycle accident reports to compile a list of where they occur. He said people don't take cycling seriously, citing the state's lax helmet laws, in which no one younger than 16 can be fined or imprisoned for not wearing a helmet.
"We don't really take it that seriously until a kid gets hit," Mr. Ellis said. "(Bike riders) have the assumption that, 'I'm on a bicycle, so everybody has to look out for me.' And granted, the driver should as best they can, but when they dart out into traffic or some from a side street, a lot of times there's nothing that can be done."
Though state law says bicycles are subject to the same rules of the road as cars, few citations are given out for cycling infractions in Richmond County. County records make no distinction between vehicle and bicycle traffic violations, making those involving bikes hard to track. But sheriff's Col. Gary Powell said warnings are usually issued.
"I've never seen a ticket on a bicyclist," he said.
Brett Ardery, the owner of Outspokin Bicycles on Walton Way, said it's almost a rule of thumb that cyclists who wear helmets follow traffic rules.
He said many older people are taking up the sport, and they tend to be cautious and law-abiding.
Many are also using bikes for their daily commute. The number of bike commuters rose from about 483,145 in 2003 to about 664,859 in 2007, a 37.6 percent increase, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
As the number of riders on the road increases, so does the need for riders and law enforcement to brush up on their bike rules, Mr. Ardery said.
"I think the police need to be a little more educated about what the law is, too," he said. "I don't think they spend much time with that, but some of them are cyclists and know the rules."
Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.
BIKE-VEHICLE WRECKS IN RICHMOND COUNTY
|
YEAR |
NUMBER OF WRECKS | FATALITIES | INJURIES |
| 2009 | 21* | 0 | 18 |
| 2008 | 34 | 0 | 22 |
| 2007 | 40 | 1 | 33 |
| 2006 | 44 | 0 | 42 |
| 2005 | 47 | 0 | 34 |
Source: Richmond County Traffic Engineering *through July 11
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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These road gnats want to have the same rights as an automobile but don't want to observe the same laws. They will ride between cars to get to the redlight ahead of traffic then ride straight on through. Broad street is the worse palce of all. They should be ticketed and fined for these violations just as motorists are. Some of the guy riders should also be ticketed for wearing these hot pink bike pants. Come on guys, were man colors!
All fashion sense aside, maybe the hot pink pants are worn to increase their visibility.
Some bo-hog's fashion-obsessed sissy will get "her" feelings hurt when "she" reads the above-presented disparaging comment about males' wearing hot-pink attire.
That's alright, it is plain to see that Pirates Life is jealous of the hot pink pants. If only he could be that bold rather than sitting behind his computer and calling bicycle riders road gnats.
i'll be so glad when they finally connect the towpath to the north augusta greenway..
In a perfect world there'd be bike paths everywhere. In the meantime, bikes are the smallest thing on the road. The riders had better be cautious and aware every second they're on the "car path".
I always see bicyclists on 28 going towards the Herring Hut. That's like suicide.
Our family knows that bike riders have to follow the exact same rules as any other vehicle with wheels (skateboards, roller blades, cars/trucks) like stopping for a stop sign, signalling before turning L or R, etc. I was explaining to a group of HS Freshman the other night that they must follow the same rules as if driving a car. Two were stunned. Mine understood because she was taught this since she was pushing training wheels. It's the parent's responsibility to know the rules of the road and start teaching them to the kids as they began to ride their own bikes at a younger age. Practice by the children and them witnessing their parents doing the right thing is absolutely imperative!
I would like to know how many of the cyclist involved in accidents are actually cyclists, recreational riders, or children. Cyclists know the rules of the road, and we generally follow them. Bums riding along Gordon highway, and kids riding in their neighborhoods without helmets and zero parental involvement should not be used to stereotype those of us who do follow the rules, I wear a helmet, ALWAYS! Go to the greenway or the towpath and see how many "law abiding" adults are wearing a helmet? Less than 25% of them. I love the excuse alot of ladies use, that it will mess up their hair, or the predominate one guys use, I don't want to look stupid You think wearing a helmet messes up your hair? Wait until you bury your skull in the pavement, see how much hair you have left, and see how stupid you look laying in a bed with a resucitator attached. Then again, who cares, don't wear one, it will just be one less idiot taking up already tight space for other cyclists who do obey the laws, or one less kid who's parents didn't care enough to begin with to buy them a helmet.
Lately Ive seen many driving on the wrong side of the road coming directly at traffic. Aren't they supposed to ride with traffic? I can understand where Pirate is coming from though. It's very irritating when 10 cars must slow to a creep to pass one person on a bicycle.. Can some not choose another place to ride?
Yes you are supposed to ride with traffic, the traffic code specifically states that, here is an exerpt from Georgia traffic code 40-6-294 "Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, except when turning left or avoiding hazards to safe cycling, when the lane is too narrow to share safely with a motor vehicle, when traveling at the same speed as traffic, or while exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction"
Just wait until 3,300 cyclist come to town at the end of September. APirate is going to be keel hauled :)
I think automobile drivers have far more accidents than kids on bicycles :)
Removed-4-V,...they better stop at the stop signs during that race...LOL G-dog, I'll be the one with hot green and black bikers on. NOT ~~
big vike that is a good point about wearing a helmet. Last summer I crashed my bike after my wheel getting caught in the rail road crossing. I always wore my helmet since starting cycling 4 years ago and that day it paid off. If i would have worried about looking like a dork with a helmet on then I probably would not be sitting here typing this message now. There is even a dent on the left side of my old helmet from that crash. Is fashion really worth risking brain damage or death. I think not. I find that wearing a helmet looks more sporty any way. If you dont want to wear a helmet then ride a stationary bike. Hey at least if you look dorky then the motorist see you so it is already serving its purpose in safety.