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Metro: This Dangerously Trendy Habit We Need to Ban Right Now

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The Editor

© Capture d’écran X / Watch This

Last Thursday, September 10th, a man was spotted running on the roof of Line 6, phone in hand, near Bir-Hakeim station. The scene, captured by a passerby, is unfortunately far from being a first. This illegal, deadly, yet difficult-to-prosecute practice is deeply concerning authorities.

Fighting, running or hiding on the roof of a train is a real fantasy that has inspired a number of filmmakers, including Henri Verneuil. In 1975, in Fear Over the City, he films Jean-Paul Belmondo walking across the roof of the Paris metro. A mythical scene that, unfortunately, continues to give ideas to some reckless young people. Like this young man spotted last Thursday, as he was "surfing" on the roof of line 6 between Bir Hakeim and Passy stations.


An unfortunately very popular spot

On social media this Thursday, September 10, a video emerged of a man standing on the roof of line 6 at the level of the Bir-Hakeim footbridge. If the metro is at a standstill at mid

In the middle of the track, the surfer, on the other hand, doesn't seem destabilized by the situation. He strolls from one side of the train to the other, admiring the Seine, phone in hand. Faced with this situation, Valérie Pécresse, president of the region and of Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM), was quick to speak out, firmly condemning such behavior. Yet, unfortunately, this is not the first time that such a scene has taken place at this exact location. Indeed, Bir Hakeim station provides privileged access to the roofs of the metro trains, much to the frustration of the line's operators.


An activity to ban immediately

But here's the thing: as entertaining and thrilling as it might be for young people craving an adrenaline rush, it's above all an act of pure madness since the practice is extremely dangerous. As a reminder, since 2015, 3 people have died as a result of this practice in the capital. Beyond that, there are risks of falling, collisions, or even electrocution. And each surfing attempt also causes traffic disruptions lasting several hours, for safety reasons, affecting the daily lives of hundreds, even thousands of users. To try to curb this practice, currently subject to a €3,750 fine, a law has been proposed to add two months of jail time. A way to make people understand that...

Sure; everyone knows having fun is great, but not when there’s a risk of death…