Below is the official press release summarizing our successful resolution of the SB 468 issue with state Senator Butch Miller:
Georgia Bikes Works With Senator Miller to Preserve Rights and Safety of Road Users
Last week, Georgia Senator Butch Miller of Gainesville introduced Senate Bill 468, which would have required single-file bicycle riding.
Georgia Bikes, the statewide bicycle safety advocacy organization, responded immediately, working with Senator Miller to draft revised language that protected the right to ride two abreast. At the February 23rd Senate Transportation Committee hearing on the bill, Georgia Bikes representatives testified on the safety benefits of side-by-side riding.
As bicycling safety advocates conveyed to the Senate Transportation Committee, requiring single file riding places cyclists at much greater risk of being in a dangerous crash, as motorists are less likely to see them and are inclined to pass them without the safe and legally required three foot buffer.
On February 28th, Senator Miller’s office confirmed to Georgia Bikes that the Senator will not pursue passage of SB 468, preferring instead to work with Georgia Bikes on the implementation of a Complete Streets policy over the remainder of this and into the next legislative session. Complete Streets policies emphasize that public roads should be designed for moving people, not just automobiles, and should include facilities that improve safety and access for transit users, pedestrians, and bicyclists of all ages and abilities.
“Senator Miller recognizes that legislating common sense and courtesy is difficult to accomplish and that thoughtful transportation policies will benefit all Georgians,” says Georgia Bikes Executive Director Brent Buice. “Georgia’s cyclists sincerely thank the Senator for his dedication to protecting the rights and safety of all of Georgia’s road users.”