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As you probably know cyclists are quite free to ride on most roads in the world. The only exceptions are the motorways where cycling is strictly forbidden (well, cyclists are allowed if they are driving a car). In Serbia, like in all countries around the world, cyclists are not allowed on the motorway at any time. That's why it's so amazing to see this story about a 25-year-old adventurer, Sam Williams, cycling through Serbia that was riding on the motorway to Nis from Belgrade:
"After about 20 miles (and several hours), I found myself face to face with a toll-booth. I stopped and had a look for a while, and couldn’t quite work out whether it was taking me onto the motorway or not. It didn’t look like it, and I hadn’t seen any signs suggesting that it would, but I couldn’t think of any other reason for there being a barrier there. After a couple of minutes of thinking over my options, the man in the booth came out and beckoned me over to the side. Nis?, he asked. I nodded. He beckoned me through the gap in the barrier and directed me along the road. Well, if the man says so, who am I to disagree? And there I was, cycling onto the motorway."
Even more impressive? Sam Williams received a warning instead of a fine of up to €3,000, and police let him go back to the motorway.
"Before I knew it, I had covered the remaining 20 miles to Nis and arrived at the next toll. This time, a man came out immediately and pointed over to the far side. I wasn’t quite sure what he was expecting me to do, but nevertheless I cycled over there and looked for a way to continue my journey. Then, a whistle; the police!
I was politely informed that what I was doing was illegal, and that I could face a €3,000 fine. In response, I did my best impression of a poor innocent fool (something that comes naturally) and apologised profusely. When I asked which way to go from here, he rolled his eyes and pointed back to the motorway, allowing me to continue my journey into Nis!"
It's well worth reading the whole thing (you can click the external link to the left to read the whole story), as there's plenty of food for thought. Basically, Sam Williams points out that cycling on a motorway in Serbia is safe. He goes through a pretty thorough explanation for why riding on the motorway in Serbia is by far the safest place to ride -- including the fact that on the motorway in Serbia "the roads are smooth, the traffic is no heavier than elsewhere, it’s all going one way and, thanks to the hard shoulder, you have a good 12-feet between yourself and everyone else."
So, while it's a very good blog post, and I agree with the overall Sam Williams conclusion (riding on the motorway in Serbia is by far the safest place to ride), I'm not sure that the Serbian government plans to put legislation in place soon that would allow cyclists on Serbian motorways. If Serbia achieves this, then the only thing left to crack is the minority of inconsiderate and aggressive Serbian drivers who still think the motorway is for them alone. Serbia could become one of the most cycle-friendly places in the world. Not a bad idea after all!