Giro di Sarajevo: Cyclists Want more Lanes

23 July 2008

Over 400 cyclists that took part in the recreational Giro di Sarajevo ride, took to the streets of Sarajevo last Sunday, July 20, aiming to point out at the lack of proper cycling lanes in the city. The ride was open to all citizens with bycicles older than 12 years of age.

Giro di Sarajevo (photo: Sarajevo-x.com)

The ride was interesting because it illustrates the growing trend of organizing initiatives through use of internet forums. Similar to previous experiences where forum debates managed to take up to several thousand people to the streets, it all started on the furmes of Sarajevo X portal.

A discussion topic `Cycling in Sarajevo` opened, with participants discussing the various problems faced by the cyclist in the capital city, and it slowly transformed into a concrete proposal to hold the recreational race. After that, another topic opened dedicated to the organization of the Giro di Sarajevo project.

The initiative quickly grew into a serious project with clearly set goals:

change legislation in favour of cyclists and cycling as sport, form of recreation and sustainable form of transport;
Securing funds in the city budget to commission a feasibility study and project documentation to build a professional cycling lane in Sarajevo.

The organizing committee won the support of municipal authorities, and the Cantonal Ministry of Interior approved the route and the plan to stop the traffic during the race. Numerous sponsors jumped in, securing refreshment and other surprises for the participants, while the media secured extensive coverage.

The ride proceeded without problems, at an average speed of 10km/h, to attract the attention of as many citizens as possible. On the finish line, at the Ars Aevi bridge, modest gifts were distributed and the cyclists that won a lottery got a t-shirt with the sign � I want my own lane.