Sex and the Paris Bicycle

[ALS]

Since its launch on July 15, the grey Vélib' bikes have taken over from cafes and art galleries as the best place in Paris for flirting with strangers. It should have been obvious from the start that the bicyclettes would be a good plan de drague -- pick-up wheeze. They created an instant club of mainly young people who share complicity in a new venture.

The emergence of this generally clean-cut urban tribe, classic bobos (bourgeois-bohème) in French parlance, has inevitably caused a backlash. More on that below.

A name has been invented for members of this new dating circle: vélibataires -- a play on célibataire, or single. The internet has been brought in on the act with Vélib' forums, blogs and over three dozen Vélib' groups on Facebook .

You can join outings, find mates and leave lonely heart messages.

Full story: Charles_Bremner Blog/http://timescorrespondents.typepad.com/charles_bremner/

[dan]

I thought those bikes would be a great way to see Paris. Faster than walking but a much better pace than driving.

That's a pretty good blog for keeping up with France. Thanks for the link.

[CFHollister]

Originally Posted by dan

I thought those bikes would be a great way to see Paris. Faster than walking but a much better pace than driving.

That's a pretty good blog for keeping up with France. Thanks for the link.

Yeah the bikes are nice, but the Metro+legs is still pretty convenient.

[Tye]

I like these bikes. It is convenient, and promotes alternative traveling methods. In a city like Paris, cutting back on the number of cars on the streets wouldn't be a bad thing. I read this somewhere, and I am not sure how accurate it is, that there is a plan to make parts of Paris car free by sometime in the near future. Convenient public transportation like this is a good way to promote this plan.

[RMJ]

Originally Posted by dan

I thought those bikes would be a great way to see Paris. Faster than walking but a much better pace than driving.

Who would ever explore Paris with car...

[CFHollister]

Originally Posted by RMJ

Who would ever explore Paris with car...

Only the clinically insane.

[c-dawg777]

If its in a 69 Chevelle with a throaty exhaust, then I would have to say that would be me, just to be obnoxious, but once again thats just me.