Reacting to the dramatic death of cyclist Paul Varry, killed by a motorist suspected of having deliberately run over him in Paris, the director of the women's Tour de France, Marion Rousse, called for a change of mentality. And hopes that respect for cyclists will be instilled in driving schools.
It is a tragedy that deeply shocked the French. On October 15 on Boulevard Malesherbes, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, Paul Varry, a 27-year-old cyclist, tragically lost his life after the driver of an SUV ran over him following a dispute. The driver was indicted for murder. This dramatic accident unfortunately highlights the difficult coexistence between bicycles and cars in big cities.
Very touched by this dramatic accident, Marion Rousse recalls that “mentalities are different” in France compared to countries like Belgium or the Netherlands where the bicycle is the preferred means of travel for city dwellers. There, “respect is automatic and cultural”, underlines the director of the Tour de France in an interview given to Le Parisien on Thursday. “In France, a lot of people now take the bike to go to work. It's very good but it's very recent in fact. There's nothing anticipated. And a lot of drivers don't even know what say: “watch out for cyclists.”
Julian Alaphilippe has altercations “almost every time out”
In order for mentalities to change, Marion Rousse has ideas: “Already, it seems essential to me that we learn respect for cyclists in all driving schools, that there be a specific course on respect for bicycles. We really need to make new drivers aware of the way cyclists ride, the rights they have at certain red lights for example. This would already be a first step to avoid annoyance.
If she also encourages cyclists to respect the highway code, Marion Rousse points out that they are more vulnerable and that they risk more than a motorist in the event of an accident. And to add that his companion, Julian Alaphilippe, “is afraid” and also has altercations “almost every time he goes out.”
On Monday, the Ministry of Transport announced the launch of a mission against violence on the roads. Entitled “against violence, protect all road users.” This mission will notably have to formulate proposals on the subject of road education, the continuous improvement of facilities, and the detection, observation and judicial response to violent behavior on the road. “My objective is clear: not to oppose modes of transport, but to think about a harmonious sharing of urban space and thus guarantee better use of our roads for all users, whether they are by car, by bike or on foot. foot”, underlined the Minister of Transport, François Durovray.
