Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama said he would no longer allow bike runs in the city after seeing thousands swarm the street during Earth Hour on Saturday night.
He said they looked “like ants”.
“They were everywhere as if they owned the road.”
About 4,000 bikers signed up for the Earth Hour Night Ride, which swelled to about 5,000.
Rama said he won’t allow another one unless organizers comply with all safety and traffic conditions given by the local government such as designated lanes, proper safety gear and marshals, among others.
The mayor admitted he was upset with the bike run, which showed a dramatic surge of participants this year.
The mayor said the event, which drew the participation of several cycling associations and was sponsored this year by outdoor adventure supplier Habagat, needed better planning. He said he worried about potential accidents because he saw some riders without helmets or safety gear like lights.
(No accidents, however, were reported during the evening bike tour.)
Mayor Rama temporarily put on hold the approval of a bike run on Maundy Thursday by the Sugbo Bikers unless all conditions will be met.
About 300 participants were expected to join what was billed as a “penitential bike run.”
Rama said he just wants to make sure organizers meet all safety and traffic onditions set for the event.
For the Earth Hour Night Ride, the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) set four conditions, including the posting of marshals with reflectorized vests at each street intersection.
Another condition was that bikers would occupy only one lane as they traversed through 12 barangays.
“What happened to my directive? They should sit down and make everything clear,” the mayor said.
Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo, one of the organizers of Sugbo Bikers, said he’s ready to sit down with the mayor about the requirements.
Carillo said that unlike the Earth Hour Night Ride which had more than 80 groups participating, the proposed Holy Thursday bike run has only 14 groups and was well-planned.
Only members who register for the event can participate. There are 20 marshalls.
Members will wear helmets and safety gear sas they visit 14 churches and recite the rosary while riding.
Last year , the Cebu City Council passed the e Tindak Sugbo Lanes Ordinance which calls for the designation of priority bike lanes in the city as determined by a Tindak Sugbo board.
But bike enthusiasts and environment advocates are waiting for the mayor to designate mamebers of the special board, which he is supposed to head.
Unless the board is convened, the city can’t start implementing the ordinance such as marking out bike lanes, said the author Councilor Nida Cabrera.
Bikers’ groups have already informed the mayor’s office their official representative to the board but the mayor still has to appoint the other members. /CORRESPONDENT NESTLE L. SEMILLA