Paris definitely wasn’t always this way. This is all pretty recent. And the change wasn’t magic, or even all that hard. It just took a clear vision and determined leadership. Your city could choose leadership too if it actually wanted to. Great pic via @jbpssx.bsky.social - ThreadSky

brenttoderian.bsky.social • 5 days ago

Paris definitely wasn’t always this way.

This is all pretty recent.

And the change wasn’t magic, or even all that hard.

It just took a clear vision and determined leadership.

Your city could choose leadership too if it actually wanted to.

Great pic via @jbpssx.bsky.social

Comments

patoleary.bsky.social•4 days ago

I refuse to believe this is Paris! Not one of these cyclists has the de rigueur string of onions around their neck. Merde alors!
(Image copyright Paul Hampson)

vils.bsky.social•4 days ago

I lived in Paris in the early 90’s. Bicycle was not an option then. Just suicidal.

vonneudeck.com•5 days ago

2010 that was unthinkable. Just absolutely unimaginable. Like Trump making business selling vegan steak and giving university lectures on queer theory for sans-papiers unimaginable.
I was so shocked when I saw what Hidalgo accomplished. It was so different from the Paris of my childhood and youth

tomlovesdata.bsky.social•4 days ago

I’m in Copenhagen now and it’s remarkable how much bicycle traffic there is here! More bikes than cars! This is the future of urbanism.

mattfromfarnham.bsky.social•5 days ago

It helps that the French are obsessed with cars as other countries.

mattfromfarnham.bsky.social•5 days ago

Missing "not."

coo1guy.bsky.social•5 days ago

Still waiting for this level of political vision here in Switzerland. We feel like cavemen.

davethompsonvic.bsky.social•5 days ago

Victoria saw significant growth in mode share, even while trips in every other mode dropped due to pandemic. And this is with relatively gradual build out of protected bike-and-roll routes.

sv-rub-a-dub.bsky.social•3 days ago

Do you have any numbers for 2024 yet? BCT shared some really promising numbers with us at the Saanich TAC meeting.

davethompsonvic.bsky.social•2 days ago

I don't have numbers but would love to get those BCT ones. Are the meeting materials published?

sv-rub-a-dub.bsky.social•2 days ago

I believe those minutes should be up on the district website.

rru.bsky.social•5 days ago

Amazing change, and the city seems so much more livable with people and trees in the streets! Not easy, but very, very doable!

arndell.ca•5 days ago

When I see this I also see the health, productivity and longevity benifits. Imagine your population goes from seditary to doing daily activity. People will be stronger, happier and healthier. That means less stress on healthcare systems and more productive economies.

planetmoon.bsky.social•5 days ago

🎯

caro-s.bsky.social•5 days ago

Instead of removing the bike lanes from major streets in Toronto and relegating bicycle traffic to Backstreets, let’s make the major streets entirely for pedestrians and bicycles and relegate cars to side street routes.

jacquep.bsky.social•2 days ago

On top of this, rules prohibiting most polluting vehicles from entering Paris.

Plenty of parking places removed and expensive street parking.
Plenty of street chargers made available but some will sting you if you leave your car connected when fully charged, even at night time...

jacquep.bsky.social•2 days ago

Plenty of new lines of Métro, tram as well as extensions to existing ones.

amendez.bsky.social•5 days ago

I see it quite differently. Hidalgo faced huge backlash. She lost court battles and faced stiff political opposition that likely ended her presidential aspirations. They said she attacked Paris’s heritage and made traffic worse.

Paris has lessons but I don’t see how you can say it was easy.

rotterdamsedromers.bsky.social•5 days ago

Probably refers to the solution itself. The battle that’s hard is always conservative politics not wanting anything different although everything is horrible according to them.

amendez.bsky.social•5 days ago

Not sure I understand that either - for instance in SF, the plan to remove cars from JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park or the ballot measure to close the Great Highway to cars - both seem simple. But politically? Anything but! Slim margins, etc.

Same story in Amsterdam & Utrecht in the 1970s.

rotterdamsedromers.bsky.social•5 days ago

Here in Rotterdam same story. Improvement are happening but too often still with half hearted effort. Funny enough it’s often small business that block change affraid to lose their car clients. Studies show uplift for business in most of the cases. Emotion is a strong thing ;)

coffeeaddict416.bsky.social•4 days ago

I was in Paris 12 years ago. Definitely still cars everywhere

karoelynne.bsky.social•5 days ago

Plus, the proliferation of affordable electric bikes has helped. Good news, EBs will be like computers, becoming cheaper each year. 💙💙⚡️🚲

joek5.bsky.social•5 days ago

When you’re walking around Paris you need to keep your head on a swivel because those bicycle riders are unforgiving.

thomklei.bsky.social•4 days ago

It's all about: "Choose your fighter!"

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