savanna Ga

[nuts4shovels]

I am visiting the area and wondering if there are any bike restrictions in the city area.

some time ago I remember some topic concerning this.  anyone thanx

Nuts

[blk-betty]

GA is a helmet state.

Last and only time we were ever pulled over was in Savannah.  Buddy in the lead, my wife next in line and me coming up behind.  We were in the city/historic district at a green light making a left hand turn, couple of girls standing on the sidewalk of the sidestreet we were tuing onto, buddy procceds to make the left turn unto the side street and my wife follows behind him about 5 feet, at the time my buddy passes the girls on the sidewalk they both  decide to cross the street and they are about 2-3 feet into the road when my wife passes by them with plenty of room to spare, I waited till the crossed then followed through the intersection.  Next thing I know were being pulled over, never even saw a cop until the blue lights were behind us.  Cops says my wife failed to yield to the pedestrian, askd where we were from (had out of state tags) and what we were doing in Savannah.  Took my wife's license and registration and once he found out she was clean (no driving tickets in last 10 years) they let us go but not without a long lecture about Savannah being a big tourist city with lots of pedestrian traffic, yada yada, yada.  While he was running her license 2 more police cars arrived and they had a little powwow waiting for us to be released.

What is harrassment, probably not in my book but others would disagree.  Was it justified, yea if the law says pedestrians have the right of way.  My beef is the girls had to see all 3 bikes (we were stopped and staggared) and they didn't begin to move off the sidewalk until my buddy passed by yet he technically still in the intersection and my wife ahd already commited to make the turn when they stepped off the sidewalk.  Since no one was hurt or inconvienced it seems to be a no-call and shouldn't have warranted a stop by the cops.   

[Sonny S.]

No burn out's in front of Vinnie VanGoGo's 

[Panzer]

BB.
I look at it this way...........
The cop must have been sitting nearby.......a hi traffic intersection.
Since towns people saw the cop see you three, he had to pull you over, or he would get flack from the town's people, maybe the store owners.
I don't agree with the lecture, or the DMV check, a simple warning would have surficed.
I guess it's like: if you got muscle, flaunt it & it goes to some peoples head.
Just MO.

[nuts4shovels]

Whom do you pay for security, the first cop or the judge.

Nuts

[Dennis The Menace]

Mark, sounds like same old Savannah I knew in the late 80's when I lived there.  The cops were head busters.  But, he did right to let you guys go.  It would have been way too dangerous on a bike to stop in the oncoming traffic lanes because the peds jumped out at the last minute.  I have been in same situation, and to keep goin through is what I did, careful of the peds.  But, I wont stop in oncoming traffic lanes for anyone, unless there are no vehicles approaching.  I trust nobody to stop for my old butt.

As for what was posted, Savannah is indeed a tourist town and its best experienced by parking the bike and walking around.  I will be out that way in January.  I have a new customer in Tucker, GA and the OL is flying out with me and we will spend a few days in Savannah and see an old friend in Hinesville.  Will be good to get back there, tho I wont be riding. :-(

menace

[blk-betty]

But, he did right to let you guys go. 

Dennis - That was my thoughts as well.  More of a hassle than anything else and I think he just wanted to make a point that when visiting "his" city we needed to pay attention to the tourist pedestrians.  Funny thing is we live in Charleston and have the same or more pedestrain/tourist traffic - all his lecturing was preaching to the choir - but like you said, when my wife started rolling to make the turn the girls were still on the sidewalk and she was commited to get through the intersection regardless that they stepped off the sidewalk.  I held up waited for them to cross the road then proceeded through.  A no call in my book but they got a job a to do and I understand that.  Like I said we're clean so no worries but had it been someone else that may be carrying or had a few drinks they likely would have been hauled away on the spot.

[Gulfstream]

I've been in the Savannah area for 15 years. For the most part it's biker friendly and there's no restrictions...you're probably thinking about Atlanta, they "outlawed" bikes in some of the downtown areas. I've never been hassled by the PoPo and we have a fair amount of bikes in the area. Just watch for the idiot drivers with a cell phone glued to their head and you'll be fine. There are some "unsavory" areas close to the downtown/tourist section so stay on the main roads. Have fun and enjoy out little historical town with all its local flavor! BTW, burnouts in front of Vinnie's are okay...if the man's not around.

[wavlovr1]

I was born and raised in Savannah Georgia. Haven't been back there in 30 years or more. Cops were always a pain in that city, even when I was a teen. Of course I provoked them just a little as best I remember.

My sister tells me that drug crime had gotten really out of control downtown a few years back. With all the tourist traffic and crime; they are starting to get tougher from what I have heard.

I'm in South Dakota now. Pedestrain right of way here is much tougher than most places. You have to stop for them even if they step out in front of you in the middle of a block. After living here I just got in the habit of being prepared to stop anywhere anytime for people who don't even look like they are thinking of crossing. Kinda like deer dodging...

jb