“By Toutatis, these Gauls are crazy!” A collective of local residents enjoys caricaturing elected officials from the metropolis of Lyon

For several days, in the streets of Oullins, near Lyon, local residents have put up caricatured posters of elected officials from the metropolis. Three of them, including its president, are represented as Roman figures whose names recall those from the adventures of Asterix. Behind this action is a mobilization of local residents opposed to changes in the direction of traffic.

The environmentalist president of the Lyon metropolis is no longer called Bruno Bernard, but “Ridiculix”. Its vice-president for travel, Jean-Charles Kohlhaas becomes “Sensunix”. As for the elected official in charge of mobility, Fabien Bagnon, call him from now on “Sensinterdix”.

“It makes me smile, it’s funny,” admits a local resident with a slightly mocking look as she passes in front of the posters. They were stuck in different places in the town of Oullins-Pierre-Bénite, near Lyon, overnight. They can be found on compost bins, or information panels.

“Are we in the land of the Gauls?” Our local resident has fun, but the subject is sensitive. For months, groups of local residents have been carrying out various actions of this nature. They are protesting against a traffic plan wanted by the Lyon metropolis in order to encourage cycling.

In Oullins, for several weeks, the main street has been limited only to bus and bicycle traffic in one direction. Another phase will begin at the beginning of next year, in the opposite direction. “An experiment” according to Sensinterdix, uh… Fabien Bagnon, in charge of mobility. Not (too) vengeful, the elected official considers that this new campaign “reveals a real sense of humor in their authors”. However, he regrets “the deterioration of information panels”.

This is indeed an experiment which aims to verify the advisability of partially making Grande Rue d'Oullins one-way.

fabien Bagnon, vice-president (Les Ecologistes) in charge of mobility – Métropole de Lyon

The subject is controversial in the community. Already, last September, posters had covered road signs. Street names were named after the same elected officials. Another campaign had changed the name of the commune, Oullins was called “Oullins-Byrinthe”.

At the time, the mayor, opposed to the metropolis project, Jérôme Moroge (LR), reacted by providing covert support: “certain routes have been renamed, certainly with a lot of irony.” In his press release, however, he deplored these actions, but said “understand the exasperation of a population who no longer feels listened to”. He hoped that the elected officials concerned would “hear the message sent”.

Failing to be heard, the “facetious” residents have, it seems, made passers-by smile, by Toutatis!