May 18, 2022 was a good day for mountain bikers who love narrow trails. The decision by the governor's office of Affoltern am Albis showed that mountain biking is permitted on many more trails on Zurich's local mountain than the Grün Stadt Zürich authority suggests in its communication.

So far so good. But what does that mean? It is definitely not a free pass for mountain bikers. Various bans (paths with stairs, trails built on your own initiative) remain in place. And it remains to be seen what the city of Zurich will make of the neighboring district's decision. A week after Ride made the decision on the situation on the Uetliberg public, the Swiss television news show Tagesschau addresses the discussion about mountain bikers on narrow trails and shows not only Zurich's local mountain but also the Augstmatthorn in the Bernese Oberland.

Allowed in the canton of Zurich, forbidden in the canton of Bern

On its ridge, the bike ban is a reality and, according to various eyewitnesses, is also enforced. Michael Roschi, Managing Director of Wanderwege Schweiz, would like to see a separation of hiking and mountain biking on highly frequented trails. After all, the position paper from SAC, Swiss Hiking Trails, bfu, Swiss Cycling, SwitzerlandMobility and Cableways Switzerland advocates coexistence. However, the more popular mountain biking becomes, the louder and more frequent the calls for bike bans become. The fact that prohibition signs and threats of fines do not make mountain bikers disappear is clear to most people who know the conditions on the ground.

The ruling on the Uetliberg clarifies the legal situation. What's more, the legal argument could be applied to other cantons with laws similar to those in Zurich. And there are quite a few. The question is how the relevant authorities will react. Will the city of Zurich accept the decision or will it create other facts with a new regulation? Because the law also says: "Exceptions are regulated by the municipality". It is at least possible for municipalities to impose an official driving ban on road after road. The procedure would cost time and money, and an appeal could be lodged against it. However, it remains to be seen whether those who prefer a liberal regulation or those who believe that bicycles belong on the road and nowhere else will prevail in the end.

Cries of triumph are out of place

How the situation develops in Zurich, Bern and many other cantons in Switzerland also depends on us mountain bikers. Howls of triumph over the Zurich decision are definitely out of place. What we can do: Show that we know how to deal with freedom and that we do not strain it. If we do our bit for coexistence - there is no need to repeat here how this works - then it will continue to have a chance. Even outside the tourism cantons. Sharing existing routes is the most cost-effective and ecological solution. It is a compromise, and we are actually good at that in Switzerland.

Daily news report from May 24, 2022