Paris Motorcyclists Start Their Protests from Bikes in the Fast Lane

Custom Search

Paris Motorcyclists Start Their Protests

March
2005

  File under Protests News France
  Author: Mike Werner
  Location: Normandy, France

After the news that the Paris City Hall is planning to ban all motorcycles from the city center, the protests are slowly getting into place. The FFMC (the French Federation Of Angry Motorcyclists) was already on a war path, fighting the proposed mandatory Daylight Driving Lights for all cars (there's a big protest ride planned in Paris on the 10th of April). Now, they've got a bigger fight on their hands.

As mentioned earlier {link}, the $£%*@§ environmentalists who run the transportation section of the Paris City Hall have decided to start outlawing motorcycles in Paris, starting with 2-stroke motorcycles, and forbidding motorcycles during high pollution days. They'll work towards a total motorcycle ban by 2012. They started already by making what was once a motorcycle-friendly city, into one that is extremely hostile towards motorcycles.

During the year 2004, motorcycle fines have increased a whopping 230% (Source; Motomag) !!! You used to be able to park your motorcycle on sidewalks (you were even encouraged to do so) as long as you did not hinder pedestrians. Now, it's illegal, and you'll get fined, or even your motorcycle will be taken away !!

So last week, on their usual Friday night gathering at the Chateau de Vincennes (in Paris), some 3-400 motorcyclists decided to arrange a spontaneous protest ride. They drove their motorcycles via the Peripherique (the Paris ring road) via the Champs Elysee to the City Hall. They way they ride in protest rides, is slowly.... very slowly !! That will block traffic for hours to come, and the fun part is that it's legal !!

This was a warning for the Paris Mayor. 400 bikers blocking traffic in a spontaneous protest ride !! Now we all wait for the date when the FFMC will organize their protest. Paris will be paralyzed when 100,000's of bikers come and block all traffic !

I've been contacted by many of you from surrounding countries who want to know when the protest is planned (the reason: many of you don't want this to work, since it'll mean that you're next !!). Once I've got a date, I'll let you all know ! The more bikers there are, the stronger the message !

For more information, click here (French site, FFMC 75).