Paris: Police Crackdown on Bad Cycling after Velib Success

[Artemisia]

Article in today's FIGARO (in French) with some nice video and blog
material:

http://tinyurl.com/3xxjea

The upshot is that Velib, the Parisian public bike scheme, has been a
huge success and has already resulted in a significant multiplication
of the number of cyclists on the streets, which will become even more
dramatic with the September "Rentrée" (because in France everyone is
out of town at the same time). Whereas poor cycling practises (riding
on sidewalks, against traffic, running red lights, etc.) were
previously more or less tolerated or ignored, police have now been
instructed to crack down on cycling infractions to keep order and to
make sure that the transition towards a cycling city happens
peacefully. They will also show less tolerance to motorists who
endanger cyclists, e.g. parking in cycling lanes.

Overall, sounds like a good thing. I prefer that this be a recognized
traffic control issue rather than seeing it fester into "lycra lout"
behavior on one hand, and mortiferous motorist sense of outraged
entitlement on the other, as it has in the UK. OTOH it probably means
that I will never be able to cycle in Paris, despite my subscription
to Velib, due to my inability to do hand signals on a bike. (They
don't seem to recognize that some people just _can't_).

Cheers all

EFR
Ile de France

 

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

>OTOH it probably means
>that I will never be able to cycle in Paris, despite my subscription
>to Velib, due to my inability to do hand signals on a bike. (They
>don't seem to recognize that some people just _can't_).

I'll bet you CAN! My 14-year-old son has been taking part in a track racing
clinic for kids at the Hellyer Velodrome (San Jose, California). They do a
lot of skills drills, one of them being a water bottle hand-off from the
track to a coach. Being able to do this obviously requires taking one hand
off the bars, something they're scared to do at first. Turns out there's a
simple technique that makes it a whole lot easier. If you're signaling with
your left hand, first move your right hand towards the center of the bar
(doesn't have to be all the way in). You'll find you're a lot more stable
this way, because the remaining hand isn't pushing the bar so much (which is
a problem when there's not a hand at the other end to counteract that
force).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


"Artemisia" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Article in today's FIGARO (in French) with some nice video and blog
material:

http://tinyurl.com/3xxjea

The upshot is that Velib, the Parisian public bike scheme, has been a
huge success and has already resulted in a significant multiplication
of the number of cyclists on the streets, which will become even more
dramatic with the September "Rentrée" (because in France everyone is
out of town at the same time). Whereas poor cycling practises (riding
on sidewalks, against traffic, running red lights, etc.) were
previously more or less tolerated or ignored, police have now been
instructed to crack down on cycling infractions to keep order and to
make sure that the transition towards a cycling city happens
peacefully. They will also show less tolerance to motorists who
endanger cyclists, e.g. parking in cycling lanes.

Overall, sounds like a good thing. I prefer that this be a recognized
traffic control issue rather than seeing it fester into "lycra lout"
behavior on one hand, and mortiferous motorist sense of outraged
entitlement on the other, as it has in the UK. OTOH it probably means
that I will never be able to cycle in Paris, despite my subscription
to Velib, due to my inability to do hand signals on a bike. (They
don't seem to recognize that some people just _can't_).

Cheers all

EFR
Ile de France

 

[Artemisia]

On 31 août, 07:42, "Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'll bet you CAN! My 14-year-old son has been taking part in a track racing
> clinic for kids at the Hellyer Velodrome (San Jose, California).

I take it your son doesn't wear a bra ...


> Turns out there's a
> simple technique that makes it a whole lot easier. If you're signaling with
> your left hand, first move your right hand towards the center of the bar
> (doesn't have to be all the way in).

Thanks for the tip: I'll certainly give this a try as soon as I'm on a
safe, flat, traffic-free path.

Cheers,

EFR
Ile de France

 

[Simon Geller]

Artemisia said the following on 30/08/2007 09:52:
I will never be able to cycle in Paris, despite my subscription
> to Velib, due to my inability to do hand signals on a bike. (They
> don't seem to recognize that some people just _can't_).
>
> Cheers all
>
> EFR
> Ile de France


I think if I really couldn't do hand signals, even after training, I
would stop at junctions and walk the bike across. I wouldn't let it stop
me cycling.

Simon

 

[Peter Clinch]

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:

> I'll bet you CAN! My 14-year-old son has been taking part in a track racing
> clinic for kids at the Hellyer Velodrome (San Jose, California). They do a
> lot of skills drills, one of them being a water bottle hand-off from the
> track to a coach. Being able to do this obviously requires taking one hand
> off the bars, something they're scared to do at first. Turns out there's a
> simple technique that makes it a whole lot easier. If you're signaling with
> your left hand, first move your right hand towards the center of the bar
> (doesn't have to be all the way in). You'll find you're a lot more stable
> this way, because the remaining hand isn't pushing the bar so much (which is
> a problem when there's not a hand at the other end to counteract that
> force).

Maybe useful up to a point, but now try braking and signalling at the
same time... Ooops! But perhaps that's a good way to start off before
refining technique.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Peter Clinch]

Artemisia wrote:

> OTOH it probably means
> that I will never be able to cycle in Paris, despite my subscription
> to Velib, due to my inability to do hand signals on a bike. (They
> don't seem to recognize that some people just _can't_).

What's the problem? Loss of control, or some problem raising your arms?

if the former, your prospective new 'bent trike should probably solve
it. There is no default steering input because you don't lean on the
bars, so no odd veering if you take a hand off.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Adrian Godwin]

Simon Geller <[email protected]> wrote:

> I think if I really couldn't do hand signals, even after training, I
> would stop at junctions and walk the bike across. I wouldn't let it stop
> me cycling.
>

There was a query here a little while ago about electric indicators
for use on a bike. I saw something like this at the Mildenhall
rally - a set of front and rear lights (with orange indicators) in an
integrated package. Here they are :

http://www.timani-ltd.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_19&products_id=99


Or the manufacturer here :

http://www.bicygnals.com/


I don't know how well it works, or whether it overcomes the problems
described for the older system, but it might help.

-adrian

 

[Artemisia]

On 31 août, 11:10, Simon Geller <[email protected]> wrote:

> I think if I really couldn't do hand signals, even after training, I
> would stop at junctions and walk the bike across. I wouldn't let it stop
> me cycling.

And that's exactly what I do.

EFR
Ile de France

 

[Artemisia]

On 31 août, 11:27, Peter Clinch <[email protected]> wrote:

> What's the problem? Loss of control, or some problem raising your arms?

Instant loss of balance, and hence control.

> if the former, your prospective new 'bent trike should probably solve
> it. There is no default steering input because you don't lean on the
> bars, so no odd veering if you take a hand off.

Exactly, that's why I started turning to the Dark to begin with. On
the Greenspeeds at Westcountry Recumbents, I was happily signalling
all over the place.

EFR
Ile de France

 

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

>> I'll bet you CAN! My 14-year-old son has been taking part in a track
>> racing
>> clinic for kids at the Hellyer Velodrome (San Jose, California). They do
>> a
>> lot of skills drills, one of them being a water bottle hand-off from the
>> track to a coach. Being able to do this obviously requires taking one
>> hand
>> off the bars, something they're scared to do at first. Turns out there's
>> a
>> simple technique that makes it a whole lot easier. If you're signaling
>> with
>> your left hand, first move your right hand towards the center of the bar
>> (doesn't have to be all the way in). You'll find you're a lot more stable
>> this way, because the remaining hand isn't pushing the bar so much (which
>> is
>> a problem when there's not a hand at the other end to counteract that
>> force).
>
> Maybe useful up to a point, but now try braking and signalling at the
> same time... Ooops! But perhaps that's a good way to start off before
> refining technique.

The Velib might have a foot brake for the rear, so it might not be so bad.
Plus, it's quite likely, even in the city, that you can approach the
intersection at a speed where you won't have to be braking while turning.
And finally, the important part about signaling is to do so BEFORE you turn,
not during it. I doubt you'll get a ticket if you were to signal, then move
your hand back to the bar, brake and ride through the corner.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

 

[James Thomson]

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email protected]> a écrit:

> The Velib might have a foot brake for the rear, so it might not be so bad.

They use hand-operated Shimano roller brakes, front and rear.

I don't think failure to signal is likely to attract the attention of les
flics. The Paris police are perpetually shifting their attention - or
threatening to shift their attention - from one group to another.

I'm not exactly a stickler for *le code de la route*, but the closest I've
come to a problems in nearly six years here was when a bored plod at a bike
sale at the local mairie threatened to confiscate my bike for lack of pedal
reflectors.

James Thomson