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Cyclist checks will soon be stepped up in Paris

undefined undefined 6 mars 2025 undefined 17h00

The Editor

© DR / Le Bonbon

This Wednesday, March 5th, many police officers were stationed in the 9th district to watch the cyclists. The result: nearly a hundred tickets issued in just a few hours! It looks like this operation might soon become the new norm.

We know that the place of bicycles in Paris is increasingly being debated. Traffic lights and pedestrian crossings often ignored, sharing the road is difficult with other users, resulting far too often in dramatic accidents... While the blame is shared, the sometimes reckless behavior of the many cycling enthusiasts definitely plays a part. To try to limit these risk-inducing excesses, the city has decided to step up its efforts. This initiative is widely supported by the Mayor of the 9th district.


Clear rules in place

When you navigate the streets of Paris, especially on the bike path, it sometimes feels like it's a bit of a jungle law. Who will be the fastest, the most agile at weaving through, the best at overtaking, etc. However, there are a whole bunch of known rules that everyone is familiar with, most often ... ignored. Among the main ones for bikes: don’t ride on the sidewalk without getting off, don’t wear headphones or a helmet, don’t look at your phone, stop when the light is red – undoubtedly the most obvious, and yet the most violated – or, in the same category, follow speed limits. Because yes, these also apply to bikes, especially in shared zones where pedestrians can be everywhere.


Hefty Penalties

Dangerous behaviors are far too common, and the Paris City Hall has decided to take action quickly. That's why a team of 11 police officers was deployed this Wednesday morning, March 5th, at an intersection in the 9th district. Equipped with speed cameras, stationed at every signal, they analyzed the behaviors of everyone around, to penalize those who deserved it. And the outcome is undeniable: 88 fines in less than 2 hours.

If most of the violations are related to disregarding traffic signs, there are still 4 speed excesses recorded, predominantly among fatbike users (it’s always the same ones!), who were caught going over 30 km/h in a zone limited to 20. It’s a tricky number to gauge for the owners of “traditional” bikes, but it’s pretty clear in the case of electric-assist bikes (EAB), since the speed is displayed on a screen. Nonetheless, regardless of the type of infraction, users are regretting their actions as they end up paying up to €90 in fines.


More Frequent Checks

And let’s just say, these checks are becoming increasingly frequent.

Operations like this should become the norm, or almost, since according to Nicolas Nordman, Deputy Mayor of Paris in charge of security, while some rules need to be clarified, especially regarding the presence of e-bikes on the track, these types of operations « are set to intensify » in the coming months, including the distribution of 20 additional radar binoculars to the Paris police, which currently only has 10.

In the same spirit, Delphine Bürkli, the mayor of the 9th arrondissement, hopes to establish a “team of municipal police dedicated to protecting vulnerable users: pedestrians and cyclists”. This is her only way to ensure that such actions are penalized and, therefore, limited, to guarantee the safety of everyone. Cyclists, now you know, you'll need to follow the rules, or get ready to open your wallet (spoiler: if you're good folks, it's the first option or nothing).