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BUUDOE PRRTV
1BSS 5. IWIlPHin ST. • 70E-S43-B3B3
3E8S OIL HUIV. • 7BB-31B-2337
wiuw.nuepomrsBomesHOP.iom
MONDAY,
AUGUST 24 • 7PM
GRUET SPARKLING
WINE TASTING
CHEESE & DESSERTS
PAIRED WITH THE WINE
CALL FOR RESERVATIONS
& MORE INFORMATION
1235 S. MilLEDGE AVE • 706-208-0059
WWW.AROMASWINEBAR.COW
10 FLAGPOLE.COM • AUGUST 12,2009
THE RULES 6 BEGS OF LITE IN ATHENS
ew to town? Then don't miss the Flagpole Guide to Athens,
or the story about it in this issue: there's a lot of informa
tion there that'll help you navigate this city. Meanwhile,
whether you're new here or just getting into going out,
here's a time-honored and field-tested but current list of advice
and reminders about the quirks of the town's landscape, legal
and otherwise. Take these like the words of an older sibling
who's been here, done this, and is just lookin' out for ya.
• SMOKING: Smoking is prohibited indoors in all public spaces
in Athens-Clarke County 24/7, except in tobacco shops and
hookah bars. It is also prohibited in public parks.
• OPEN CONTAINERS: The rule is that you can't possess an
open container of alcohol on the city's right-of-way. In a nut
shell, that means staying inside the railings of downtown's
sidewalk cafes. On game days, it means not walking around
with a drink unless you're on the UGA campus.
• CLOSING TIME: Downtown bars and clubs close at 2:45 a.m.,
and the last drinks are served 45 minutes prior, at 2 a.m.
(Establishments that get most of their revenue from food,
not drinks, can stay open later—24 hours a day if they want
to.) Package stores close around 11 or 11:30 p.m., depending
which one and what night of the week. Package stores and bars
are all closed on Sunday per state law, but the aforementioned
restaurant/bars can serve drinks then.
have resident-only on-street parking, so check signage. And,
newcomers, parallel-park only in the direction of traffic on the
correct side of the street: a car facing the wrong way will earn
a ticket.
• BIKING: A great town for it/Athens sees more bicycling all
the time. A helmet is a good idea for very obvious reasons, and
good lights for nighttime biking are not only required by state
law but fundamental to your safety and that of others on the
road. In general, day or night, it's best to ride in a way that's
consistent, not erratic, to signal your turns and otherwise obey
traffic laws: it's not only safer, but also tamps down on car-
bike road rage. (Bikes on sidewalks? A new state law prohibits
it. At press time, local officials are still seeking full clarity.) A
fine resource is the BikeAthens local bike map, and a fresh ver
sion is due out soon.
• THE BUS: Fares on Athens Transit went up over the summer,
with the adult fare now at Si.50. UGA students, faculty and
staff (with ID) still ride free, as do bicycles on the buses' front
racks. Meanwhile, ncm-UGA folks can ride campus buses any
time for free. v k
• WATER: As of press time, the state is under "non-drought' r
watering restrictions, but it's been a very dry summer in town,
and the severe drought of 2007-08 (we almost ran out of
water!) is still fresh in locals' minds. So, take it upon yourself
not to waste water, indoors or out, and keep an eye out for any
changes to the outdoor restrictions.
• TRASH: Athens-Clarke County has had a healthy recycling
program for many years, and officials want to ramp up recy
cling even more in the years to come. Learn the guidelines and
do your part.
• NEIGHBORS: Touchy issues in past homeowner-renter conflict
have revolved around things like trash cans left by the curb all
week, couches in yards, cars parked all over yards, late-night
noise and so forth—and all of the above are covered in various
local ordinances, so you can indeed get a ticket for them. Just
be aware.
• THEFT: Whether back in town or new in town, you may not
know that thefts and burglaries are very common in Athens
right now. Common sense is the rule, so don't leave electronics,
valuables or bikes in plain sight in cars or houses. They will
disappear.
What else? There probably are some things missing from this
list, but then again that's sort of the point: most of this stuff
you have to learn for yourself, and Athens is ever-changing
anyway. Have fun, be responsible, stay smart and keep open
to whatever happens next, and you and this town should get
along fine.
Ben Emanuel
• EYES IN THE SKY: Be forewarned thfl
downtown Police Department video
cameras operate 24/7 to deter crimg
and the potentially excessive rowdi
ness of our sometimes big, late-night
crowds.
• GETTING HOME: First off, don't drive
drunk. It's stupid and dangerous, and
besides that, the legal penalties for DUI
are really pretty steep nowadays—just
as the legal limit for blood-alcohol
content is now quite low. In addition
to designating a driver, there are other
options, of course, from buses (when
available) to walking or biking (safely!)
to getting a cab. Just be aware that
cabs can be frustrating, as they typi
cally take several different passengers
per trip and don't have fareboxes, as in
big dries. And when walking at night, always go with friends
and stick to safe, well-lit areas.
Monday through Thursday nights, according to the Campus
Transit website, the UGA overnight bus runs the full length of
camptis from about 1 a.m. until 6 a.m. Also, when it's running,
students' free "Watchdawgs" van service is a good option. The
UGA Police Department's campus escort van service operates
(on campus and to Greek houses only) Sunday-Thursday 6
p.m.-2 a.m. and Friday 6 p.m.-lO p.m. (just call 706-542-
2000). There's also the newish scooter-based DD-for-hire com
pany Zingo.
» GETTING HELP: It used to be you'd see a lot of the T-shirts
around here that say "Athens.. GA: A Drinking Town with a
Football Problem." Whether football, music or something else
is your game, the drinking part is truly quite common. But that
doesn't mean it's for everybody, and it doesn't mean it's never
taken to excess. The thing to do if you or a friend may have a
drinking or drug problem is to get professional help, and the
good news is that there are plenty of resources to turn to here,
both on and off campus. UGA's Fontaine Center offers a useful
local resource directory—not just for students—online at www.
uhs.uga.edu/aod/resources.html.
•PARKING: If you 're back in town after a summer away, you'll
notice quickly that downtown parking fees have gone up to 50
cents an hour, and meters now run until 7 p.m. (Apparently
a few 25-cent meters have lingered past the changeover, but
they are fast disappearing.) Ticket fines have gone up, too.
More and more neighborhoods near campus and Five Points
MICHAEL GOETHE