I'm sure Atlanta is very car centric but you obviously have not been to the rust belt. Here the entire economy and infastructure is based on the automobile. In Cleveland at least high densitity residential means 1/4 acre single family homes and the suburbs are all based on 1mile x 1mile grids of multilane high speed arteries with residential cul de sacs. The only thing it has going for it for bicycle commuting is that the area has had basically flat population growth and Cleveland has lost half it population in the last 50 years so riding on city streets is really not that bad.
Craig

Saying there is no place in Atlanta to ride a bike is like saying there's no place in the Atlantic for a fish to swim!

I've got my map highlighted with all the routes I've tried, and the thing is covered in yellow, page after page.

You'll have to get with a native Atlantan and ride along...you've missed quite a bit, I think!

(The neat part is crossing a freeway on a quiet bridge on some neighborhood street and seeing the packed freeway below, with all those driver who don't know how much fun you're having!)

I think the secret is finding all the interconnected neighborhood streets. Most of the older neighborhoods located intown (inside I-285) have numerous routes through them. I second the idea of finding a native Atlantan and going for a ride.

As far a flag-waving goes, I am currently trying a 'social experiement'. I have just reinstalled a page-sized US flag mounted on a short spring-loaded pole on the back of my commuter. I rode earlier this year with the flag and got thumbs up and high fives from guys in pickup trucks, instead yells and honks. If using symbolism works, I have no trouble using it for my own best interests.

Does anyone from Atl know a messenger there named Scott Burns?

Jeff, do you think a flag on a jersey would help?
Like this one of these?