ATLANTA — It was a somber day for a local group of bicyclists who paid tribute to one of their own on Saturday.
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Dozens of bicyclists gathered at the West End Saturday morning before going on a memorial ride for Tom Duncan.
A distracted driver hit and killed Duncan during a group ride on Lee Street in southwest Atlanta earlier this month.
Channel 2 Action News was at the tribute Saturday where his brother had a message for drivers.
“Watch out for the bikers. There is a three-foot law on the right-hand side of the road for bicyclists. You need to give them way. Yes, we know everyone seems to be in a hurry but slow down,” Mike Duncan said.
Mike Duncan said on any given Saturday, his brother would’ve been leading the bicyclists on their ride.
“Outgoing Christian man, loved everyone, tried to be helpful to everyone, he was actually doing this ride as a team leader to help others as they learned to ride in their bicycle group,” Mike Duncan said.
Mike Duncan told Channel 2′s Candace McCowan that his brother was helping a newer cyclist earlier this month while out with a group. That was when he was struck by a driver near Tyler Perry Studios.
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“He loved riding on the road, he’d ridden hundreds and thousands of miles, he had also taken up mountain biking, this is his passion,” Mike Duncan said.
Tom Duncan was the second cyclist killed in a four-week period in the metro Atlanta area.
The other, Barry Collier, was struck on Thanksgiving Day while riding in Lithonia and died days later.
In Collier’s case, the driver has yet to be found, but in Tom Duncan’s, the driver did stop.
Those who knew the cyclists believe their deaths are a clear sign there needs to be a change.
“It’s unfortunate that drivers are not always educated about sharing the road with cyclists,” Kris Dunbar, Aztec Cycles, told Channel 2 Action News.
In the wake of his death, Tom Duncan leaves behind a wife, two children and grandchildren. For friends, family and his fellow cyclists, they hope this memorial ride was a reminder to drivers.
“Be aware of where you’re riding at, be alert of what’s in front of you, watch out for the bikers, there is a free foot law on the right hand side of the road, you need to give them way,” Mike Duncan said.
There is also a GoFundMe to raise money for Duncan’s family, here.
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