[bertil]

> I've lived in Paris for 45+ years. The problem with bicycles is that they don't respect road signs or traffic lights, which irritate the hell out of everybody else.

Of course not! I did; and that landed me in the hospital twice. It is far safer for bikes to go through an intersection after of before the wave of cars, not when the light turns green and the cars turning right are rushing into you. The other issue is that you and most others ignore the actual rules: a bicycle is perfectly allowed to drive in the middle of the road. Try doing that once in Paris, and I'll be happy to bring you flowers after your recovery. Most streets in Paris are single-way for cars, but clearly marked as both ways for bicycle: same thing, try it once, dare to point at the signs, and you'll get honked at and ran into just to teach you how to “respect road signs”.

Has anyone ever apologised for making up rules like those? Come on; be serious: you and so many others are far too busy telling us that we are wrong to actually check the facts.

The rest of your comment proves that you do not know what you are talking about.

> Personnally I ride a motorcycle;

Now we are talking… Running red lights; parking illegally; running up one-way street… you never heard of those; have you? And my favourite: kicking bikes at the red light to stand just in front and have the biker enjoy your noxious fumes, unfiltered. You are polluting Paris dozen times more than a car does, and nothing would help both bicycles and Paris in general that you realise what a selfish prick you are.

[bambax]

>> [bicycles] don't respect road signs or traffic lights

> Of course not!

> you and so many others are far too busy telling us that we are wrong to actually check the facts

You admit to running red lights, but won't admit you're wrong? Okay...

> what a selfish prick you are

> You are polluting Paris dozen times more than a car does

I'll let go of the insult (after driving a two-wheel in Paris for over 30 years, I've heard everything), but I wonder how motorbikes could be polluting "dozen times more than a car"??

Motorbikes consume less fuel for a shorter amount of time -- since we don't get stuck in traffic and don't look for a parking spot for hours when we arrive at destination. Please explain.

[bertil]

> You admit to running red lights, but won't admit you're wrong? Okay...

I admit precisely to sticking to the rules and paying dearly for it:

>> I did; and that landed me in the hospital twice.

> I wonder how motorbikes could be polluting "dozen times more than a car"??

https://www.google.com/search?q=moped+pollution+microparticl...

[bambax]

You said you stopped observing red lights after two stays in the hospital. The reason why you stopped following the rules is irrelevant; the question is: are you following the rules?

For the record, I often ride bicycles in Paris, rain or shine, and until now, never had to be hospitalized for it. Maybe your cycling abilities are sub-par?

Also for the record, as I said, I ride a motorbike, which is very different from a moped, rendering your link irrelevant; all motorbikes have a four-stroke engine, and modern ones also have a catalytic converter (including mine).

Modern scooters in Paris, while not motorbikes, also have four-stroke engines and catalytic converters; "mopeds" are mostly found in Italian movies from the sixties.

All in all, it appears you don't quite know what you're talking about.