More Paris Cycling - Along Southern Rim

So I finally returned Behemoth to her dealer last Friday for her
contrôle technique. This was a major project involving a trip with her
on the RER (suburban train) up to the Cité Universitaire stop (the first
stop in Paris intramuros when arriving from the South) and then a 7 km
cycling cruise westwards from there up to Auteuil. My only previous
experience of cycling Paris had been when I bought Bethie in November.
But that trip was the other way - eastward down rue de la Convention and
rue Vaugirard up to Luxembourg station. A quick look at the map revealed
that this route could not be used to return. The cycling map also
revealed a mysterious dotted line along the streets - boulevards Brune,
Lefebvre and Martial Valin, - that I wanted to take for Friday's voyage.
The key said "réseau à l'étude", cycling path nework under study. So
does that mean cycling yes or no?

An item on the local news a few weeks ago then came to mind. Mayor
Delanoe had ordered removal of a number of fine ancient trees in the
15th Arrondissement to accommodate a proposed cycling path. Inhabitants
of the neighborhood were demonstrating against cyclists, with banners
showing a barred-through bike. Motorists too were protesting that the
road was already too narrow for them without the cycling lanes and that
delivery trucks, etc. would no longer be able to stop in front of shops.
Spokespeople for the Mayor were claiming that the neighborhood would be
greener and fairer than ever when the proposed accommodations were
finished.

So I didn't really know what to expect.

First pleasant surprise: at Cité Universitaire, the RATP actually puts
its money where its mouth is about being access-friendly and provides an
_elevator_ to raise bike to sidewalk level (elevator is technically for
wheelchairs and prams, but no-one stopped me). Bethie, fully loaded,
easily tops 30 kg so that was extremely welcome, as I hate asking
passers-by for help.

On arriving above ground, I was at first disappointed. Yes, there is a
building site down the whole length of the avenues. It takes up about a
third the width of the street. No, there is no cycling path as yet. So I
desultorily wheeled Behemoth for a few blocks, then moved her out onto
the road in the bus corridor, held my breathe and kicked off.

Well, that bee-line through the 14th, 15th and 16th Arrondissements was
my best cycling experience to date. It was all straight so there was no
need to worry about signalling. There was a bus-corridor the whole way
so not much need to worry about cars. I was able to let rip in 7th gear
and max out the whole way. Behemoth comes into her own in those high
gears. Voluptuousness of silken pedals... I was so comfortably upright
that I didn't even get my usual sore wrists. Only an occasional traffic
light, spaced with considerate rarity, brought me to a halt but
restarting was easy on the level ground. I stopped twice just to check
my bearings but even this was not necessary as there was really no
opportunity for wrong turning. Just thunder along till you cross the
water and come to a giddy stop on the avenue de Versailles.

Now I'm wondering if those protesters weren't right? What need for a
specialized cycling lane on a route which already functions so well?
Granted, sharing a lane with buses is a Faustian bargain, but they make
much better companions than baby carriages. I DO NOT WANT TO SHARE MY
LANE WITH F*%^$**ING BABY-CARRIAGES!!! And having seen what happened
with the much hyped Coulée Verte, I worry about a repeat. Yes, give the
cyclists their lane; force them to share it with pedestrians,
roller-bladers and dog-walkers, simultaneously ban them from the roads
"because they have their own lane". Then let the lane rot and become
overrun with tree roots.

Up till now I have always been dumbfounded at cyclists opposing the
construction of cycling lanes, but I see the light. To top it off, we
also have the hostility of the natives who lost their trees, and the
delivery trucks who lost their stopping place, so they will presumably
be doing nothing to help us. Oh well, wait and see.

EFR
Ile de France