EDITORIAL - Bike lanes not for city streets

A photo in a newspaper shows a group of bikers symbolically designating for themselves a bike lane on Osmeña Boulevard, apparently disappointed that the government has not heeded calls for the establishment of such a lane.

It does not take much intelligence, though, to divine why the government has not heeded those calls. Osmeña Boulevard, as are most city streets, cannot afford to give up an inch merely for the fun of enthusiasts.

The road network in Cebu City is congested many times over. It has not expanded to match the growth of motor vehicles. If biking enthusiasts want to have their fun, they can always have it in roads less traveled, the Transcentral Highway for instance.

The Transcentral Highway is perfect for having fun. It is challenging and it is scenic. It is therefore difficult to understand why enthusiasts would insist on Osmeña Boulevard or some other city street. Is it really fun they are after, or do they merely want to impose their will?

The ability to have fun is not diminished if enthusiasts cannot use Osmeña Boulevard. There is nothing on Osmeña Boulevard that enhances the fun enthusiasts are craving for. On the contrary, given the congestion and pollution, they can only get hurt, bike lane or not.

Enthusiasts cannot point to the bike lanes in other countries as an example because road conditions in those countries are simply not the same as those obtaining in the Philippines. What little road we have in relation to population and traffic, we have to use judiciously.

The Philippines is one of the smallest countries in the world. Yet, we are the 10th most populous nation in a world with 200 or so countries. With a population density such as ours, there can only be elbowing for space in roads, especially those in major cities like Cebu.

In other words, city roads in Cebu City should only be for utility and convenience, not for fun and practice. If you want fun and practice, go to the mountains, where your only rival is the extent of your imagination.