Bicycles to share city roads on Earth Day

NEARLY a thousand bike enthusiasts are expected to pedal to and from Plaza Independencia in Cebu City tomorrow morning to celebrate Earth Day.

The activity aims to raise “awareness for bicycle lanes, bicycle rights and bicycle racks,” said Vince Cinches of the ecology group 350.org Pilipinas.

Bikers will share the road with motorists, he said.

“We will not totally close the road to motorists on that day. In fact, the other lane will be open to polluting vehicles.”

Bikers will start at 8 a.m. and finish two hours after.

They will stop over at Cebu City Hall and the Provincial Capitol to raise a “bike lane” flag.

Sylvan Jakosalem, chief of the Cebu City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom), said motorists should not drive too fast due to the expected large number of bicycle riders on the road tomorrow.

“We also advise the participating bikers to maintain a biking style wherein they don’t crisscross the roads. This is to share the road, not to rule it,” Jakosalem said.

Citom traffic enforcers will be fielded from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

“It will be the participants who will be responsible for their safety,” said Jakosalem

Cinches said they “will police their ranks” and are ready with a map of their route.

In their Facebook page, 350.org Pilipinas said their goal in staging the biking activity is to create “a formidable presence of bicycle riders and supporters during the daytime.”

They said they will “ride in a safe but massive manner, so that vehicular traffic can no longer ignore our existence to share the roads.”

Cinches said individuals and groups who share their advocacy have been holding the bicycle run every April 22 to promote the citizen’s role in the protection of natural ressources. Correspondents Jessa Chrisna Marie J. Agua and Tweeny M. Malinao