You can only walk 6 kilometers per hour if you want to follow the law in Slovakia.
The Slovak parliament Tuesday afternoon adopted an amendment to the traffic law that sets a maximum permitted speed on sidewalks in urban areas at 6 kph.
The limit applies to pedestrians, cyclists, skaters, and scooter and e-scooter riders — all of who are allowed on sidewalks — and aims to avoid frequent collisions.
The amendment sparked a wave of amusement on social media, with some wondering whether running to catch a bus could get them fined.
On Thursday, the police clarified the law was not intended for pedestrians. “‘I must clarify that this is not true,” police Vice President Rastislav Polakovič told Slovak media. “The rule is intended for people using roller skates, scooters, skateboards, skis, or similar sports equipment, as well as cyclists up to 10 years old, including their escorts. The measurements should focus on these groups.”
“The main goal is to increase safety on sidewalks in light of the increasing number of collisions with scooter riders,” said the author of the amendment, Ľubomír Vážny of the leftist-populist Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico, which is part of the ruling coalition.
The amendment will be useful in proving violations, the lawmaker said, “especially in cases where it’s necessary to objectively determine whether they were moving faster than what’s considered an appropriate speed in areas meant primarily for pedestrians.”