Paris Motorcycle Musings:
It is interesting in that the traffic rules for bikes/scooters appear to be different. Bikes can pull in their mirrors for a moment so they can squeeze in between two vehicles going in the same direction or even two vehicles passing in opposite directions. If you can?t get by on the right side of a vehicle stopped in traffic than cut in front of the vehicle you just squeezed by and go up the left hand side of the next vehicle. The continuous posts ensuring cars do not go on the sidewalks give the biker an easy clear path to his destination with sidewalk pedestrians more than willing to give way to a bike or scooter.
Although there are designated parking spots for bikes they appear to park them anywhere off the road that is big enough for them.
Lots of women are riding motorcycles as well as scooters. There are a few Kawasakis (most all newer than Pauls), a few Hondas(Goldwings), a few Grand Dinks, a couple Hogs, certainly BMWs, lots of Burgmans of different makes and many of the three wheeled Peugeots.
A lot of the Scooters/Burgmans have a cover tied/snapped in place to cover the rider?s legs and lap from the cold and rain.
Watched the local police attempt to have a UPS delivery truck towed away and I was disappointed to see their ride for the day was a set of Burgmans called XMax. However the Burgmans were easy for them to handle as they rode down the sidewalk chasing three 12 year old kids a few minutes later.
The motorbike is the best choice for getting around as you do not patiently wait like Canadians behind other cars for your turn. You go around every vehicle that is in your way, any way you can, and then you sit in front of them to be the first one away at that traffic light.
Only saw one punch-up so far. A man pulled out from a parking spot and wiped out a bicyclist. The bicyclist got up from the ground, went over and punched the driver, the driver got out of the car and punched the bicyclist, a few words of choice from both, a few gestures and then one drove away and the other rode away. The honking subsided as the traffic was now on the move again, which was more important to the annoyed drivers stopped while the altercation took place.
I am sure Steve C has seen many of these scenes before.
Shep
