Paris Takes to the Streets: A Call for Peace in a Chaotic World
Ah, Paris! The city of love, lights, and… err… SUVs? Yes, friends, the roadways of our beloved capital have transformed into a battleground, and this Saturday, October 19, the good people of Paris gathered at the Place de la République to demand an end to “motorized violence.” Now, watching cyclists rally for survival against the backdrop of honking cars is like watching one of those old cartoons where Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner—there’s a lot of noise, chaos, and someone always ends up in a heap on the ground.
Pedal Power vs. Motorized Mayhem
In light of the tragic death of 27-year-old cyclist Paul Varry, crushed—yes, crushed—by an SUV, a few hundred brave souls hopped on their bikes (presumably hoping not to be crushed themselves) and rolled over to join the protest. Their demands? Less speed, more tenderness—or as I like to call it, “please don’t turn me into a pancake.”
Gathered under colorful banners of slogans like “stop motorized vehicle violence” or “police officers, don’t let us down,” one can only wonder if any motorist ever approached a red light and thought, “Gee, I should probably let the cyclists have their moment.” But alas, it’s France; one does not pull over for cyclists marked with ‘peace’ signs when they can instead practice their drift racing skills!
Voices from the Protest
Véronique, a spirited thirty-something cyclist who rides an electric bike as part of her concierge business, eloquently articulated the sentiment while dodging the kind of metal beasts that treat the streets like their personal racetrack: “At some point, you have to calm down. The road belongs to no one and everyone.” Well said, Véronique! Kaiser Wilhelm once said, “The road to greatness is paved with self-discipline,” or was that just my last trip in an Uber? Regardless, it seems more like the road is paved with the corpses of a hundred cyclists trying to dodge diminutive SUVs!
The Statistics Are In—And They’re Grim
Now, we’re not just pushing pedals here; this protest comes in the context of a tragic increase in cycling fatalities. This year alone, 226 cyclists have met their untimely and quite preventable demise in crashes, marking yet another year where the number surpasses 200. Our dear Paul is not just a statistical blip; he was an activist who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kill him? A mere technical salesman, just one wrong turn from making history—or making headlines. The driver has been indicted for murder, which might make for a riveting courtroom drama, but it doesn’t bring our cyclists back, now, does it?
Looking Ahead: Will Authorities Listen?
Anne Monmarché, the president of Paris en Selle—the savior of cyclist rights—made it clear: “Motorized violence kills. We want public authorities to really take up the subject.” It’s refreshing to hear this kind of robust advocacy! I mean, why does it take a protest—combined with a tragic death—to remind us that, you know, your average car can be likened to a large metal brick, barreling down our very streets? Will French Minister of Transport François Durovray hear their cries? Or will it just be another roundtable discussion that leads to… well, nothing more than a fruit basket and dry biscuits? Invitation to say “merci beaucoup” is now hitting the recycling bin!
In Conclusion: Let’s Keep Our Streets Safe
So, as the crowd observed a minute of silence for Paul and his fallen comrades, we are left to ponder a serious question: what’s it going to take for motorists to stop acting like they’re racing on the Grand Prix? Perhaps some road signs that shout, “Don’t be a jerk; yield to bikes” might help. At the very least, we need to keep the conversation going about making our streets safer for everyone, be they on two wheels or four. Because when it comes down to it, the road should belong to everyone. And wouldn’t it be lovely if we could all share it without ending up as grease spots on the asphalt? Cheers!
The demonstration took place on the Place de la République, this Saturday, October 19, a few days after the death of Paul Varry, crushed by an SUV.
Several hundred people demonstrated in Paris this Saturday, October 19, to demand an end to “motorized violence” and to demand measures to pacify cohabitation between cyclists and motorists. This demonstration comes just days after the death of 27-year-old cyclist Paul Varry in the capital.
The participants, many of whom came by bike, gathered at Place de la République, in the center of Paris, under the slogans “less speed, more tenderness”, “walk or cycle, for peaceful streets”, “stop violence”. motorized vehicles”, or even “police officers, don’t let us down”.
“At some point, you have to calm down. The road belongs to no one and everyone,” Véronique told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “It could have been me, a car is a weapon,” says this thirty-year-old, who travels around Paris every day on an electric bike for her concierge business, La fille à vélo.
“Motorized violence kills”
“Motorized violence kills. We want the public authorities to really take up the subject,” demanded Anne Monmarché, president of Paris en Selle, an association which campaigns to improve cycling conditions and claims a thousand members. “We must protect the most vulnerable. Paul is no longer there, but we are here,” she added at the end of her speech, very moved.
She will be part of a delegation which will be received Monday afternoon by the Minister of Transport, François Durovray.
“The idea is to listen to the proposals of the associative actors representing cyclists with respect, in order to co-construct future policies together,” his office told AFP.
226 deaths in 2023
Paul Varry, 27, an active member of the Paris en Selle association, died on the public highway on Tuesday, run over by a motorist with whom he had just had a dispute, on Boulevard Malesherbes, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. The driver, a 52-year-old technical salesman, was indicted for murder and imprisoned.
The demonstrators in Paris respected a minute of silence at 5:45 p.m., the time when the drama unfolded, followed by a very long round of applause.
Gatherings were planned at the same time in front of the town halls of many other cities in France, at the call of Paris en Selle, the French Federation of Bicycle Users (FUB) and the association Better Travel by Bicycle.
In 2023, 226 cyclists died on the roads of France, exceeding the threshold of 200 deaths for the third year in a row.
