There are those who wear a fluorescent vest with an inscription. “1 meter” and two arrows, to encourage motorists to keep their distance. The one with a GoPro camera on her helmet to record everything, because “you never know”. The one who smiles frantically at all the cars: “It destabilizes them, then they don’t dare to insult me”. In the Place de la République in Paris, as in other cities in France, several hundred cyclists gathered on Saturday, October 19, to pay tribute to Paul Varry, crushed on Tuesday by an SUV driver after an altercation in the west of the capital. And each one bears witness to his ” strategy “ to avoid getting on the road.
Corentin Lack explains his: “a mix between education and direct action. » The 22-year-old biotechnology student tried his hand at teaching, when a motorist parked in the middle of the bike lane explained to him that “It’s only two minutes” is very tempted by “a little stop” in your rearview mirror. “When I realize that he doesn’t even realize that he’s putting me in danger, I don’t know what to do anymore. »
He says that a year ago a taxi cut him off and flew over the hood. Shortly before, another, parked in the bike lane that the young man was taking, had gotten out of his car for him. “hit one” . So Paul Varry’s death made him “mirror effect” : “It gives me chills to think that he could have died that day. And even several times. » One, two, ten protesters stop to photograph the “it could have been you, me” written on his sign. From the folding bike to the cargo bike, from the commuter cyclist to the outdoor foray enthusiast, everyone has an anecdote that could be “go wrong” say.
“You have to move now.”
Alexandre Loco too “spoiled” last June. A motorist turned around to walk back toward him and get out of his car. If a girl in blue hadn’t intervened, “Who knows how it would have ended”. He insists: “What happened to Paul is not an isolated case, it happens every day. » So the 33-year-old artistic director came, like the others, to show his support, to mobilize for “stick”pay tribute… “But that won’t be enough, things have to move now. » Sylvie Aebischer agrees, brandishing a piece of cardboard at the tricolor scarves in front of her. Up, three words “very simple” are registered there: “Prohibition of off-road vehicles”. “At one point enough is enough, we have to rethink public space”decides this 44-year-old CGT educational activist.
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