Riding in Paris?

dwelby101

Hi there, im curious to see if anybody has any experience riding in Paris, im thinking of meeting a few friends for a long weekend there in 2 weeks and as far as i know ill only have onstreet parking which im a bit nervous of considering i currently park it outside my bedroom door. Is bike theft a big thing in Paris?

Wonda-Boy

Yes, France is notorious for bike theft. Obviously different parts are gonna be worse then others....what part are you going to?

dwelby101

Central paris, very close to Notre Dame Cathedral... i would have thought that it might be safe enough there?

Wonda-Boy

dwelby101 wrote: »

Central paris, very close to Notre Dame Cathedral... i would have thought that it might be safe enough there?

What do your friends say about the area? Close to the Cathedral = Tourists. Tourists = the worst pick pockets and thieves around mate.

dwelby101

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

What do your friends say about the area? Close to the Cathedral = Tourists. Tourists = the worst pick pockets and thieves around mate.

Good point actually, didn't think about that! There's a gang of us meeting there and renting an apartment for the week so we're not sure about the area, I'm gonna send an email to the house owner to see if there's secure off street or underground parking anywhere close by

Wonda-Boy

dwelby101 wrote: »

Good point actually, didn't think about that! There's a gang of us meeting there and renting an apartment for the week so we're not sure about the area, I'm gonna send an email to the house owner to see if there's secure off street or underground parking anywhere close by

Off street is good

Underground is Bad :mad:

BrokenArrows

Bring a cover for the bike anyway.

dwelby101

Why is underground bad?

P.C.

The French are fairly biker friendly, so I think you should be grand.

I have never been to Paris on a bike, but anytime that I have been there I have never had a problem, and have seen a fair few bikes in the city.

I would still recomend a lock or two on the bike.

Mr Sheen!

Never been to Paris on the bike but I have been there a few times on foot and as Wonda said the place is swarming with tourists and money. I was amazed at the amount of chancers over there. Some lad tried to dip my pockets while I was looking at the Mona Lisa. But I would be fairly aware of my surroundings and he failed. But I then stood back and kept an eye on him for a half hour or so while the missss was looking at the paintings. He just walked up and down the same spot loads of times waiting for the right person.

Having said that I'm sure there are plenty of pick pockets in dublin also and I ride my bike in everyday with no trouble.

Wonda-Boy

dwelby101 wrote: »

Why is underground bad?

The ease of which a bike is robbed underground is not even funny! Zascar off here had his bike stolen from a secure gated underground car park. Nobody can see them and they can take their time....

Wonda-Boy

P.C. wrote: »

The French are fairly biker friendly, so I think you should be grand.

I have never been to Paris on a bike, but anytime that I have been there I have never had a problem, and have seen a fair few bikes in the city.

I would still recomend a lock or two on the bike.

:rolleyes:

Taken from France news ageny online:

The statistics are alarming in France. 8 motorcycles are stolen every hour! A total of 69,635 motorcycles off more than 50cc were gone missing from their owners.

23% of them were stolen in Paris, while the region Bouches-du-Rhone (South) has the worst ratio; 4.4 motorcycles stolen per 10,000 inhabitants!

95% of the stolen motorcycles and scooters were taken the classic way, via a truck or van, but the bike jacking is increasing, and now represents 5% of all stolen motorcycles.

Half of the stolen vehicles were taken from a garage, so even parking them in a garage or box does not mean they are safe.

aaakev

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Taken from France news ageny online:

The statistics are alarming in France. 8 motorcycles are stolen every hour! A total of 69,635 motorcycles off more than 50cc were gone missing from their owners.

23% of them were stolen in Paris, while the region Bouches-du-Rhone (South) has the worst ratio; 4.4 motorcycles stolen per 10,000 inhabitants!

95% of the stolen motorcycles and scooters were taken the classic way, via a truck or van, but the bike jacking is increasing, and now represents 5% of all stolen motorcycles.

Half of the stolen vehicles were taken from a garage, so even parking them in a garage or box does not mean they are safe.

fook that **** :eek:

Wonda-Boy

Walking around as a tourist and being a tourist on a bike are two totally different things in any country. Just because you walk past bikes on holidays does not mean they will be still when you walk back!!!!

I know 2 lads that go to France every other year and they are still to this day worried about the bikes constantly, trial and error has led them to stay in the same places anytime they are away.

Tomohawk

Take the same precautions you'd take here when parking in the city and you'll be fine. Use your steering lock, a GripLocK and a big chain through the front wheel and try park under CCTV if parking on-street. Try park together in a group also, safety in numbers eh? Don't park way down a alley, try a medium busy side street of the main thoroughfare.

Chat to some French bikers when you're over there if you can and get the suss on the ground from them too...

MonstaMash

Paris is notorious for motorcycle theft, a foreign registered bike would be considered fair game.

There are designated motorcycle parking areas all over, I would recommend a sturdy lock & chain + disc lock + a cover.

For a comprehensive list of specific motorcylce parking zones, see below...

Bastille Saint-Antoine 16, rue Saint-Antoine

Claridge Champs-Élysées 60, rue de Ponthieu

Élit Park Nation 24/28, Avenue de Saint-Mandé

Garage d'Abbeville 5, rue d'Abbeville

Garage Poniatowski 57, Boulevard Poniatowski.

Gare Maine Montparnasse 50, Avenue du Maine

Grand Garage Saint-Laurent 52 Ter, rue des Vinaigriers and 54, boulevard
Magenta

Hôtel de Ville 3, rue de la Tâcherie

Maubert Collège des Bernardins 37, Boulevard Saint-Germain

Notre-Dame 7, Place du parvis Notre-Dame

Patriarches 4, Place Bernard Halpern

Quai d'Austerlitz 29, Quai d'Austerlitz

Rivoli-Sébastopol At the intersection of the rue Saint-Bon and the rue Pernelle

Saint-Germain Auxerrois 1, Place du Louvre 75001

Sèvres-Babylone Rue Velpeau, via rue de Babylone...

Ternes 4, Avenue des Ternes; 38, avenue des Ternes; 59, Avenue des Ternes

Vincent Auriol-Bibliothèque 21, rue Abel Gance

Beaubourg Centre Pompidou The entrance to the Centre Pompidou car park is located in rue Beaubourg, on your right just before the Centre Pompidou. An enormous panel before Beaubourg shows you the entry ramp leading to the car park.

École de Médecine 21, rue de l’École de Médecine

Forum des Halles-Rambuteau The access to Rambuteau Car park has to be done by 12 rue de Turbigo, then the tunnel.

Garage du Faubourg 33, rue de Reuilly

Garage Sully 5, rue Agrippa d’Aubigné

Grand Garage de Clignancourt 120, rue de Clignancourt

Grands Moulins 31, rue Thomas Mann

Marché Saint-Germain In front of the 6/8 rue Clément (Exit by rue Lobineau)

Méditerranée Gare de Lyon 26/44 rue de Chalon

Olivier Metra 43, rue Olivier Metra

Pyramides 14 rue des Pyramides or 29, rue des Pyramides, at the intersection
between rue des Pyramides and Avenue de l'Opéra

Rédélé-Place de Clichy 11, rue Forest

Saint-Charles 72, rue Saint-Charles

Saint-Louis Hôpital 1, Avenue Claude Vellefaux (hospital entrance)

Temple Alizés 132, rue du Temple

Tolbiac-Bibliothèque 19/21, rue Émile Durkheim et 24, rue Neuve Tolbiac

Wurtz 10, rue Wurtz

BKtje

Just to confirm what others have said. French tv constantly has documentaries regarding motorbike theft and the crimes they are used for (a portion are used in other crimes and abandoned or destroyed afterwards), particularly in and around Paris. They also showed how well prepared theses ****s are at getting around security measures, chains and locks.

dwelby101

damn... kinda worried now

Wonda-Boy

dwelby101 wrote: »

damn... kinda worried now

You should be, the bike you are riding would be the 1st one to be took. Bet you wish you had a "junker" now.

MonstaMash

This may be of some help to you...

http://www.parkingsdeparis.com/EN/