If You're in a Car:  Observe the "Three-Foot Rule."  The 3-Foot Rule requires  motorists to give bicyclists a 3-foot margin when passing them.  Twenty states, including Georgia, have implemented the Three-Foot Rule for motorists.

And Now for Some Common Sense...

We have some observations and advice for cyclists from years of riding on the roads around Atlanta.  

• Wear your helmet!  Yes, we still have to tell some folks that one.  A helmet will save your life.  Your local bike shop sees cases nearly every day of someone who is alive because they wore a bike helmet. 
• Light up.  Run lights on your bike both day and night.  Front lights are just as important as  rear lights.  A flashing front light even during the daytime makes you much more visible to motorists.  Wearing reflective or "high vis" clothing also makes you stand out to a motorist. 
• Slow down at intersections even when the light is green and you have the right of way.  Remember the weight differential between you on your bike and a car is heavily skewed in the car's favor. 
• Watch in front of you.  Some of the more common bike-related accidents we see are from cars pulling out in front of a bike or from a car passing a bike and turning quickly.  Always be just as aware of cars in front of you as you are aware of cars behind you.
• Invest in a mirror for your helmet or eyeglasses.  This will help you see a car coming up from behind.
• Don't ride in clusters of riders.  Ride no more than two abreast.  Groups of riders taking up a road frustrates motorists and, more importantly, is against the law.  See bullet point five above.
• Hold your place in line.  When you come up to a red light, don't pass all of the cars in line and move up to the front of the line.  This is frustrating to all of the cars behind you who have to pass you again when the light turns green.  
• Get out of the turning lane.  The turn lane is for turning, not for "getting out of the way" of vehicular traffic.  This is dangerous since a motorist sees you move over into the turning lane and assumes you are turning - only to have you whip back out in front of them when the turning lane ends.
• Be courteous.  Even though the urge may be strong, resist the temptation to get confrontational with a motorist.  It may make you feel better short-term, but chances are it will make the motorist even more outraged next time he or she sees a cyclist on the road.     

To learn more about bicycle laws and bicycle advocacy in Georgia, visit Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and Georgia Bikes.