The people of Podgorica want bicycle paths

Visitors to the "Vijesti" portal agree on one thing - Podgorica needs bicycle paths.

In the two hours that the survey lasted, 91 percent of the survey participants answered that they wanted bicycle paths in Podgorica.

3 percent of those surveyed do not support that idea, while 4 percent of them declared that they are not interested.

By riding from Trg Republike to Trgaj, more than 400 cyclists marked the World Car-Free Day today and in this way sent a message to other citizens to ride bicycles as much as possible and live healthy lifestyles.

The organizers of today's action are the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, the association "Biciklo.me", "Montenegrofototreking", with the support of the Red Cross, the cycling association and the national tourist organization.

Today's action is part of the "ecological week" that the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Environmental Protection Agency is conducting from September 15 until today and part of the "Connect the threads" campaign that is being conducted in 2012 and 2013 on the way to justify the status of Montenegro as "ecological states".

PR of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, Milica Lekić, said that today's activity showed that the awareness of environmental protection in Montenegro has increased.

"Awareness of the necessity of using bicycles has grown, both for economic reasons and because it improves the overall health of the body and does not pollute the environment," said Lekić.

Lekić is sure that, given today's response, there will be even more similar actions.

For some, a bicycle is a shame

The President of the Cycling Association of Montenegro, Branko Hajduković, emphasized that the cyclists have shown that the bicycle can be a multi-purpose means of transport and a very popular tourist item in the developed world.

"In Montenegro, it is a shame for some who have learned to use a bicycle for comfort, and Podgorica is the city that has the best conditions for using a bicycle as the best alternative means of transportation for short distances. "Podgorica is flat and has an extremely favorable climate for the development of cycling, and events like this are important to change the culture of living and raise the level of traffic culture," said Hajduković.

He asked the question "why are conditions not created in Podgorica for the use of bicycles in city driving?". and pointed out that it is not true that bicycle paths should be built.

"Today, these people will demand that one meter on both sides of Podgorica's boulevards be marked and that cyclists know that they will not be hit by a car there. This is the third campaign in a series, and we have reoriented the famous ``King Nikola's Paths'' race into the ``King Nikola's Paths'' race, giving it an educational character," added Hajduković.

Maja's first time on Tragaje, at least if she remembers

Radmila Bošković said that she joined the action because it is a beautiful day and because she likes to socialize and recreate.

She found out about the campaign from a friend, because, as she says, she doesn't watch television or read newspapers, but she was delighted with the idea.

"I ride a bicycle every day and it is my mode of transportation here, primarily for my health, but also for my pocket," she pointed out.

Maja Boljević, who regularly rides a bicycle and is a member of the "Biciklo.me" group, found out about the campaign through the newspaper.

"I've never been to Tragaje, maybe I did when I was little. I came with a friend and I hope it will be good," said Boljević and told everyone to come to the next tour, of which there will be as many as possible.

Petar was born with a bicycle

Sixty-eight-year-old Petar Stamatović says that he was born with a bicycle, but as a child he did not have the money to buy one.

"Now I have five of them, and if I had known, I could have lent them to someone on this day so that they could leave their car and take a bicycle for recreation and health," said Stamatović and told his fellow citizens to ride bicycles more and not to become alienated.

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