“Don't worry, you're allowed to run after the bus!”. A controversial change in the traffic code is forcing the Slovak police to clear things up
Man running after the bus. Photo source: Dreamstime.com
The Slovak police specified that the new amendment to the road traffic law, which sets the maximum speed allowed on sidewalks in urban areas, does not apply to pedestrians, after several local and international media outlets, including POLITICO, previously reported that the law, which sets a speed limit of 6 kilometers per hour, will also apply to pedestrians.
“I have to clarify that this is not true,” said the Deputy Chief of Police, Rastislav Polakovič, for the Slovak press, according to News,ro. “The rule is intended for people using rollerblades, scooters, skateboards, skis or similar sports equipment, as well as cyclists up to the age of 10, including their companions. The measures should focus on these groups,” the official said.
The initial announcement of the change to the traffic code caused a wave of amusement and confusion on social media, with some users wondering if running to catch the bus could get them a fine.
The legislation updated by the new amendment applies to various categories of sidewalk users. The measure, which will come into effect on January 1, 2026, was introduced to avoid collisions on pavements.
“The main goal is to increase safety on sidewalks, given the increasing number of collisions with scooter users,” said the amendment's author, Ľubomír Vážny, a member of Prime Minister Robert Fico's left-wing populist Smer party, which is part of the governing coalition.
The change caused negative reactions from the opposition, NGOs and political scientists.
“In the Czech Republic, this problem is addressed by banning scooters and e-bikes from sidewalks, while the Slovakian approach has resulted in rather bizarre legislation,” political scientist Lubomír Kopeček of Masaryk University in Brno told POLITICO.
Cyclists' advocacy group Cyklokoalícia (Cycling Coalition) said the legislation was problematic because it forced children under 10, who are now allowed to cycle on pavements, to cycle on the road.
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
