In Dieppe, the violence suffered by cyclists is “too trivialized” according to this association

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On October 15, 2024, in Paris, cyclist Paul Varry died, crushed by a SUVa larger car than normal. The driver was indicted for murder.

A petition launched

This event sparked a wave of emotion in France, particularly among cyclists. Gatherings were organized throughout the country, including one in Dieppe (Seine-Maritime) by the Dieppe & Co à vélo association on Saturday October 19.

The Fub, the French Federation of Bicycle Userson which the Dieppe association depends, launched a petition on Wednesday October 30 against “motorized violence” and invites victims to testify.

“We must list and quantify these violence “, underlines Judicaël Gasparpresident of Dieppe & Co à Vélo, who deplores that they are “too trivialized” and “tolerated by the public authorities”.

“We are close to death”

Regarding this violence, Dieppe is no exception. “It is more often women who are attacked or insulted,” says Judicaël Gaspar. When such events take place, the first thing to do “is to capture a witness”, advises the president of Dieppe & Co à Vélo.

Within the association, several members have experienced this violence. Including Aurélie Beck. Last spring, she took her two young daughters, aged 2 years and 3 months, by bike to a medical appointment in Dieppe. She goes down there rue Villatte and the rue du Château d’Eautwo winding arteries which open onto the roundabout behind the hospital center.

“I had two cars sticking behind me,” she remembers. Arriving at the roundabout, one of them tries to pass me on the right. But she can't do it, so she honks at me, then passes me on the left, making a fishtail at me and grazing. The driver of the second car, passing me, said to me: 'Haven't you finished pissing everyone off?' »

A few months after the incident, the cyclist said she was still touched: “I don’t know what they had in mind. I was afraid for my daughters. This clothes and these insults shocked me. I don't know if they realize it, but when they brush against us, we come close to death. »

Since these events, Aurélie Beck says she is “even more careful” when cycling, while saying she is “more stressed”.

“We are not against the car”

According to the president of the cycling association, if these facts are commonplace, it is partly because “cars are so used to having all the public space that they are no longer used to sharing the road “.

For mentalities and habits to change, Judicaël Gaspar believes that “we need a territorial project “. “We must work together with elected officials, civil society and road users so that there are no longer one-off, but coherent developments. We must develop desirable paths that give space to bicycles and active mobility. »

Aurélie Beck calls for awareness : “After what I experienced, I wanted to make posters. But the risk is that motorists will take it the wrong way by saying that cyclists just have to ride well. We should create moments of exchange.”

According to her, arrangements can be put in place, such as 30 km/h zones in town or “share the road” signs. “But the ideal would be for there to be cycle paths everywhere,” she says.

Dieppe & Co à Vélo calls, unsurprisingly, for people to travel more bike. “Three quarters of trips can be done by bike. We know that cars take up 70 to 75% of public space while they remain stationary for 90% of their life. But we are not against the car,” Judicaël Gaspar would like to emphasize.

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