Community Corner

Should Georgians Have To Register Their Bicycles?

Proposed legislation is aimed at safety, a sponsor says. A public hearing will be Monday, and you can share your thoughts now.

By Patch Editor Steve Burns

Legislation has been proposed in Georgia that would require anyone riding a bicycle on a public roadway in Georgia to register that mode of transportation, just like a motor vehicle. And a public hearing will be held Monday (Oct. 7) in Hall County on the issue.

The legislation also would mandate that cyclists ride in single file on public roadways -- and restricts the number that can ride single file.

House Bill 689, which is sponsored by three Hall County legislators, would "provide for the acquisition of a license plate prior to the operation of a bicycle on streets with motor vehicle traffic," among other things.

Of course, bicycling advocates are concerned. “There’s a lot of interest in this, making sure it’s not going anywhere,” Brent Buice, executive director of Georgia Bikes, an advocacy group, said in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

When Rep. Lee Hawkins, one of the sponsors, was asked about his reason for sponsoring this bill he replied, “As a delegation, we have had  numerous complaints from motorist who are concerned about these safety issues. Some of the complaints had become very heated. I was asked to sign on to this legislation as a response to the concerns of these constituents. It would be irresponsible to ignore this issue until we are forced to do so by resulting fatalities.”

The bill would apply to the high-priced cycles ridden by those cycling groups in Gwinnett and elsewhere, as well as a starter bike with training wheels.

The public hearing will be Monday at the Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville, 30504, 6-8 p.m.

The 2014 session of the Georgia General Assembly begins in January.

What do you think? Should cyclists be required to register their vehicles in Georgia? Tell us in the comments below.



Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Brookhaven