LEAGUE HONORS NORTH GEORGIA BICYCLE DEALERS ASSOCIATION AT NATIONAL
BIKE SUMMIT®
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2003
Contact: Patrick J. McCormick
Communications Director, League of American Bicyclists
Phone: 202-822-1333; fax: 202-822-1334
Email: Patrick@bikeleague.org
(WASHINGTON, DC) -The League of American Bicyclists, the national
membership
organization of cyclists, honored the North Georgia Bicycle Dealers
Association (NGBDA) with its State Bicycle Leadership Award at the
2003 National Bike Summit® on March 6. Congressman James Oberstar
(D-MN), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure and cycling's best friend in Congress, made the
presentation at a reception in the Rayburn House Office Building on
Capitol Hill. The award recognizes NGBDA for its outstanding
contributions to the quality of the cycling advocacy environment in
Georgia and at the Summit.
Nearly the entire NGBDA, united by the, "Belief that cycling
contributes to the quality of our lives and to the improvement of
personal and environmental health," took part in the Summit. As a
result, Georgia had one of the largest state delegations at the
event.
Fred Boykin, with Bicycle South, Inc. in Decatur, Georgia says "We
realized that serious bicycling advocacy was not an option for us in
Georgia—it was a necessity, based on Georgia's less than stellar
performance under ISTEA and TEA-21 and a number of high profile
cyclist crash deaths last year. We also strongly believe that
investing in bicycling projects and programs can help ease north
Georgia traffic congestion, address air quality and health issues,
improve everyone's quality of life, and can also be beneficial to
local economies since such activities are typically contracted out
to a local business."
The North Georgia Bicycle Dealers Association has 11 members
representing 14 bicycle retail locations across northern Georgia.
Formed in 1990, the organization is dedicated to bringing the best
bicycles and services to north Georgia. The organization is active
in promoting bicycle safety, ensuring land access, promoting pro-
bicycle legislation, developing bicycling facilities, and fostering
local mountain bike racing. A full 80%
of monies raised through the organization's fundraising events has
been donated toward these activities. Dan Thornton, with Free Flite
Bicycles, Inc. in Marietta, Georgia is the organization's current
President. Additional information about the organization can be
viewed at www.bike4fun.com
# # # # #
***Athen's "@ The Hub Bicycles" store website (www.hubbikes.com) has
a photo from the Award presentation.***
The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun,
fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education
for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests
of 42.5 million American cyclists, including its 300,000 members and
affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit
www.bikeleague.org or www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Dennis Hoffarth
Atlanta Bicycle Campaign
P.O.B. 5525
Atlanta, Georgia 31107
404-881-1112
Fred Boykin
Bicycle South, Inc. and City of Decatur Commissioner
2098 North Decatur Road
Decatur, Georgia 30033
404-636-4444
GEORGIA BICYCLING ADVOCATES CONVENE ON CAPITOL HILL TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE
'Local Bicycle Retailers and Organizations Are Part of a Large
Georgia Delegation Promoting Bicycling'
Atlanta, GA – Nineteen representatives from Georgia and nearly
400 other bicycling-related leaders convened on Capitol Hill at the
2003 National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. the first week of
March. The Georgians included owners of ten bicycle stores, all
members of the North Georgia Bicycle Dealers Association (NGBDA) as
well as representatives of the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign (ABC),
Southern Bicycle League (SBL), Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association
(SORBA), Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG), Coosa Valley Cycling
Association, Coastal Georgia Greenway, Cycle Cobb Bicycle Users
Group, and DeKalb Bicycle Users Group. They joined industry
leaders, transportation professionals, and key legislators and
government officials for a three-day forum on improving bicycling
policies and initiatives nationally. One entire day was spent
educating decision-makers in Washington.
Spearheaded by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) and America
Bikes, attendees of the Summit held meetings with over 80 Senators
and hundreds of Representatives. The nineteen-member Georgia
delegation had meetings with each of Georgia's fifteen Senators and
Representatives and/or their staff.
The delegation worked hard to communicate that America benefits from
bicycling with its capabilities to improve communities throughout
the United States at a time of crippling highway congestion, poor
air quality, costly energy dependence, and a growing health
epidemics caused in part by physical inactivity. Georgia ranks 49th
in portion of commuters biking or walking to work. Although boasting
a few great riding locations such as the Silver Comet Trail spanning
from Smyrna to Rockmart and the LAB-recognized "Bicycle Friendly
Community" of Metter, it is not considered a bicycling-friendly
state with 10.4% of all traffic deaths in 2000 involving a
pedestrian or cyclist and there being several high profile bicyclist
crash deaths in 2002.
The good news is that the potential is tremendous, and countless
surveys show people want to ride their bikes more often. Communities
that incorporate bicycle and walking trails into their planning and
development have seen increases in property values up to 15
percent. While it's hard to put a price tag on the fun and joy
of bicycling, the health benefits of riding are very tangible.
People who exercise regularly save more than $500 annually in health
costs and add years to their life expectancy.
The Summit participants focused much of their time on communicating
the importance of supporting Reauthorization of TEA-21 (the
Transportation Equity Act for the Twenty First Century) that helps
fund bicycle facilities and programs, creates bicycle-friendly
transportation systems, and might provide a safe routes to school
initiative. If you'd like to learn more about bicycle advocacy
or find out how you can help, please visit the websites of Bike
Belong at www.bikesbelong.org, LAB at www.bikeleague.org, America
Bikes at www.americabikes.org, NGBDA at www.bike4fun.com, and ABC at
www.atlantabike.org.