Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Cool bike parking


Due to the promotion of bikes in Paris, the Town hall had many many bicycle parking spaces built in the streets of Paris. But there are never enough spots! And since there are a lot of bike thefts (there is even a website where you can place an "wanted" post!) people find the most unusual ways to attach their bike to the next solid thing they can find... Needless to say this is highly forbidden, but since there is are licence plates on bikes, the risk of getting a ticket is very very limited!

27 comments:

  1. How excellent!!! You are really an unbeatable "post maker", Eric :) I've never seen that anywhere before.
    How can you always find such funny things all the time ?? Or was it your bike ? Lol

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  2. Funny. I don't understand why it is safer to hoist it up to the second tier of the handrail. Is Paris expecting a flood?

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  3. I find this photo soooo funny! I'm not sure why. Its almost like there's something anthropomorphic about it -- like the bike is sliding down the railing backward, like a kid would do!!! : ))

    Awesome framing and composition, nice spot of red, and beautiful light, Eric.

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  4. A hung bicycle right after British hung parliament? I'd love to have Cameron and Clegg's idea on this, seriously.

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  5. Pretty funny, Eric. And this looks like a woman's bike—so you go, girl!

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  6. This makes me think of the scene from E.T. when they are bicycling in front of the moon.

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  7. There is a cafe a few streets over from my home and in the window is a sign and it reads "Please do not attach your bikes to our railing." This must be a city thing -- I bet this would never be a problem in the countryside.

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  8. Pretty funny...
    But also another example of how people sometimes don't care about others:
    Let's think of the old people who do need this handrail to climb the stairs...

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  9. Two bike photos , what a treat. I am preoccupied with bikes and cycling as I am cycling from London to Paris in September. I must remember to be careful where I park it.
    I was thinking of naming my bike " BAIARD: Old French name derived from the word baiard, meaning "foolhardy." but hoping if I keep up with the training I can arrive at the Eiffel Tower on time.

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  10. Great shot !
    I think this a city phenomenon.
    When I see it here, I get so irritated by it and think, like Thib, that people ought to think of others as well.
    But when I see it in Paris it's just part of the charm ;o)
    Double standards ? Who ? Me ?

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  11. Yes, it is pretty funny!
    Like others, I really wonder why this - err girl :D - bike's owner did that way !!!
    It could also be someone else than the owner who was a bit irritated with this bike because of where it had been initially left and did it with his/her own padlocks!
    Don't know in that case what the real owner would be asked for in return to recover it!... Could it be going up all the stairs to the top like in a previous photo you lately showed Eric? ;)

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  12. Thib and Bettina - you're so right! I did't even think of that. But, once again, your thoughtfulness is another example of why I love the people on PDP!

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  13. Jaq - I never fail to learn from PDP! Your baiard just took me on a trip through the internet, with my bad French, to try to understand the meaning of the word. I've seen Norman superstitions and Occitan horse totems, among other things! I sure hope you two make it - then you can find a nickname meaning just plain 'Hardy' as a reward for your steed!

    (I remember a day on PDP where people posted all kinds of wonderful names they gave their beloved bikes. It was so much fun!)

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  14. Another clever photo! Good find and nice capture.

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  15. This is what is called "Tongue in Cheek humour"..

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  16. Isn't that the truth. There *never* is enough bike parking, period.

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  17. It certainly is an odd lock job. The lock is through the front sprocket. That would be hard to do. It lends credence to Flore's theory that somebody else locked it this way in protest.

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  18. Are you sure it isn't some sort of art exhibit? A commentary on spinning one's wheels and getting nowhere? ;-) Very cool photo.

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  19. Thank you Jeff for making it plausible ! That's an enigma but it is fun to think of it all together !

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  20. That is a great photo..merci!! When I would visit my friends in Boston [after living in SF for many years]a couple of them would have their bikes hanging from hooks on the revealed brick walls in their apartments. They were often surprised that I wouldn't even comment on their "at home" bike storage choices. It was because in SF it is also impossible to find bike storage and parking and so the hooks made perfect sense to me!!

    I hope "les bicyclistes" in Paris are more considerate while biking than the bikers here in SF!!! In SF they take too many risks and endanger the lives of pedestrians, people driving autos and themselves!!! Then again, SF is probably the epicenter of "Self Important" people in the universe...and it used to be such a delightful place!! Tant pis!!

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  21. So that's how you should do it, I had no idea!

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  22. Thanks Carrie glad you like the name . I thought a bike was kind of like a horse perhaps it is beacuse of the saddle. About three hundred miles between London an the Eiffel tower and lots of training to put in before. Will keep you posted.

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  23. Cool parking..people do it just to take picture and give us fun to wathcing.
    wusthof culinar set

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  24. This is awesome! Although I have to say that I have just been to Chicago and think that those who ride their bikes there are the bravest people I have ever met! My goodness!

    Great shot as always, Eric!

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