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Traffic on the streets of Paris may seem chaotic and disorganized. Parisians seem to roar in a chaos of metal and grey. These are misconceptions. Traffic in Paris is actually harmonious; and Parisians feel nothing but comfort in it. Road rules in Paris are simply vastly unwritten rules.
Some of these unwritten rules regulate normal driving techniques, others define acceptable insult level, others set a social frame to the interactions between car drivers and pedestrians.
In Paris, the sidewalk belongs (mostly) to pedestrians and the road (mostly) to automobiles.
Scooters, bicycles and all other rolling objects tend to choose whichever option seems like the most convenient for them at this point given the state of traffic. Alternating is ok – but drivers of two-wheelers shall in that case be prepared to face older pedestrians’ grumblings.
When it comes to cars and pedestrians, all Parisians know that a car won’t stop for a pedestrian. Especially at a pedestrian crossing. A car which actually stops at a pedestrian crossing shall be honked at and its driver immediately suspected of homosexuality. Knowing that they don’t belong at pedestrian crossings, Parisians cross the street mostly randomly. So it’s only logically that Parisians cross the street whenever they feel like it or whenever there is a break in traffic.
The only Parisians crossing at pedestrian crossings are old ones. The rest of the crowd standing there is made up of banlieusards, provinciaux and tourists. This comforts the Parisian car driver in the conviction that stopping there to give way is a bizarre idea.
They have no fear and shall demonstrate it. By engaging on the road with brutal authority. Tourists mistake authority for insanity. Foolish!
But authority, deprived of a sense of politeness is disturbing to most Parisians. It lacks beauty. To re-enchant road crossing, Parisians unconsciously initiate an elegant dance. A dance made up of confidence in your fellow Parisian. I dominate you but I trust you. Refinement in this dance is to cross the street keeping walking pace absolutely unchanged from one side of the road to the other. As in an urban bull fight, the closer you cross to the running car and the faster the car if going, the more thrilling, the more beautiful the move. Parisians caress cars.
In this urban sensuality, the Parisian feels the thrill of full mastery of the city and its codes. He is at home. Even in the simplest act of crossing the street, the Parisian – half dancer, half bull-fighter – stays true to his blur but confident identity. Always secretly inviting others to watch, learn and admire.
Useful tip: In order to look Parisian, never stand at a red light waiting for it to turn green. There has to be a better way.
Sound like a Parisian: “Attends, viens, on traverse…”
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That’s one of your best !!
You forgot a category of people with “les provinciaux” . Parisians with children, who try to teach them to always cross a street at the right place. All that work for nothing, since these same parents never cross it right when they’re alone (and think their children didn’t notice) …
Being an Englishman living in Paris this really helped me make sense of everything! In the current economic climate, I suggest that we scrap painting any road markings at all on Parisien streets which also removes the guesing game on where the natives will cross!
Another category, worth mentioning : apprentice divers. This very special type of Parisian drivers is especially fun to watch, divided between the need to follow the flow of the other cars who actually accelerate when they see adacious pedestrian trying to bar their way (remember, they have something urgent to do, so no mere pedestrian should get in the way) and the elemental safety rules enforced on her/him by an angry instructor. Forunately, they can end the mascarade as soon as they get their precious licence.
Incidentally, I was told by English friends some years ago that this terribly Parisian habit of crossing streets wherever you like (but preferably as close as cars as you can so as to demonstrate your boldness and skill), was called “jaywalking”.
Native speakers will correct me if I’m wrong.
Personnaly, I was very impressed with the word. Naturally, as a good Parisian, I do it all the time.
Les rues comme a Paris sont pour passer de cette maniere..:) et c’est presque partout que les gens traversent comme ca.. regardez un peu ce blog: http://copopadnie.blogspot.com/ – c’est le blog en polonais mais il y a les differentes photos de Lodz..
Faire le permis de conduire a Paris, est-ce difficile?
Moktarama… Thank you very much. Very true about Parisians with children. All of a sudden, they behave!!
Andy… Beautiful suggestion!! Other idea to make Parisian streets more fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLj5zphusLw
Ash… True true… Jaywalking!! I got familiarized with this weird idea in California by some friends who looked at me like I was aterrorist for crossing outside of zebra crossings! That and the ‘open container’ policy, I just can’t get about America!!
JB… Le permis à Paris, c’est faisable: l’examen ne se passe jamais à Paris!!
Is that Bernadette crossing there?
To quote “I’m walking here!” from Midnight Cowboy. We actually hit the cars as they get too close to us. Sometimes we win and sometimes we don’t. Somehow it’s not quite as elegant here in NY.
Finally! I’ve been checking for new posts for days in need of a good laugh and you did not disappoint. Even the title made me laugh. Hilarious.
Fabulous! Poetry! Really. Now I know why I feel so cool crossing a Parisian street, even if I am holding onto the coattails of the stranger in front of me–absolute assurance that the drivers actually see us.
Merci, Olivier, vous m’avez laissé sans voix encore une fois.
Crossing the street in Paris is very similar to New York and Montréal, I’ve found – and it’s an easy habit to adopt when visiting those places. The problem for me is coming back to Vancouver where EVERYBODY crosses at the corner and waits for the light and cars almost always stop for pedestrians. Culture shock!
I love the bull-fighting analogy! and “Always secretly inviting others to watch, learn and ADMIRE”.
I invite all those matadors to Cairo, where I use the analogy of “the race for the egg”
Is there a post on bobos? The Scruffs one kind of touches upon it haha
This one is the funniest I read !
But reading it made me realize how close it is to something Parisians hate : la Corrida !
MMMMmmm maybe Parisians are the modern bold torreros and they bull fight cars…
?
Only one question remains : who gets the balls and ears after the fight…
JT… Bingo!! Bien vu!!
Amanda… But it’s yellower!
Cheryl… Merci!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Ruth… Thank you – those are lovely words to hear.
Barbra… Well… Merci beaucoup!
Pinklea… Good to know!
In & Out… Thank you – Yep, nothing on bobos at this point… if you combine ‘scruffs’, ‘riding a bicycle’, and ‘South America’, it starts to give you an idea!
Stéphan… Merci – glad you liked it. Now this is gonna cause trouble!!
Yes, as a few others have said, jaywalking is very common in NYC. In fact, it was a shock while visiting San Francisco. People would actually wait at the crosswalk until the light changed,
even if… there … were… no … cars!
Now that’s crazy insane!
Ha, I love this one! Thank you so much for the post ! My first day in Paris my boyfriend taught me Paris life 101, such as standing to the right on the stairs in the metro, no eye contact, and the art of jaywalking. If you want to blend into this city you need to learn how to cross the street when you are not suppose to. I almost die on a daily basis merely because I have to cross the street.
Thanks again. I have the biggest blog crush on this site.
Preppy… Yeah, jaywalkers are like terrorists in Cali!!
Stefanie… Talk about a welcome pack!! Thank you for your kind words – and stay safe!!
Age has some perks in Paris. La danse des voitures is best performed with a look of insanity or anger on your face. When I am in Paris and out walking alone, I make eye contact with drivers, and dress as if I come from a lower economic bracket. There is nothing like the look of enraged insanity on the face of a homeless pensioner to make a driver think twice about scraping them off their car.
When I am with my family, I preach “Maintain your pace, it is choreographed and no one gets hurt!” The occasional side-step is a flourish, like a “dip” on the dance floor. When we sit in a cafe, I watch the interplay with people and cars. As in all urban environments, the crazier one seems, the easier it is to survive with others, on foot, on the Metro, behind the wheel. It also helps to scare off beggars.
I’ve been reading this blog for awhile now and this is by far one of the most elegantly constructed posts. The poetic imagery is fantastically executed. Bravo!
It’s nice to know this Chicagoan is not alone in his jaywalking ways through the mean streets of Paris.
sidenote: have you ever been to ho chi minh city and tried crossing traffic in rush hour through the sea of motor scooters? That’ll put some hair on your chest. (2:45) –> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile&id=13708583#/video/video.php?v=1207052893591
I learned to aggressively cross the street in the proper devil-may-care way when I lived in NYC many years ago. Then I moved to Texas, where everyone is polite, and I caused (and continue to cause) no end of consternation with my jaywalking. I feel very at home crossing the street in Paris — I am among my people there.
Craigkite… Quite the masterplan!! Well I’m hopeful there is still a little bit of room for mental sanity and civilized – if not pretty – interactions in this city.
Caleb… Thank you! Poetry is a rare thing in our little world. So if you managed to find a little bit of it in these few words, well that makes me happy. Never been to Ho Chi Minh Ville, nope – but I do have a PhD in jaywalking!
Style Spy… Is jaywalking rude now?!
who knew crossing the street could be so…..sensual. But this is Paris and with your ability to expose all parts of it to us readers, anything is possible.
I think all the pedestrian-only streets in the 7th must be for the expats who can’t cross the street Parisian-style. It’s a safety thing.
Kim… Anything?!
Jess… Same for Sundays piétonniers – keeps the provinciaux visiting safe!
Reading you, i’m so proud to be Parisian ! How can anyone live aotherwise ?
Haven’t check in to read in a while but great entry! It may be the only thing Philly and Paris have in common but it sounds like the driving and walking habits here too. Every man, woman and driver for themselves. A yellow light doesn’t mean ‘yield’ here it means speed up or keep walking. At least it keeps city life exciting…and apparently sensual too.
Véronique… Thank you – I think that’s the first time I heard that one!!
Sharon… I wish we also had the cheese steak in common!
I did some serious research on the confident Parisien gait which ties in nicely with street-crossing behavior…
http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2009/03/paris-walk.html
Funny as all get out!
c’est encore mieux de lire les commentaires que l’article…
ParisBreakfast… Funny! Thx for the link!
JN… Ce blog a une audience de grande qualité…
I was raised in a city where jaywalking is the norm but I have to say I just love making the cars ans especially big trucks stop abruptly just for me
Cynthia… Good Lord, that seems to say an awful lot about you
I think as long as you get used to it, you will be fine, and understand what’s insanity versus the norm when it comes to crossing the street. Paris doesn’t seem that bad for large metro cities, goto like streets of Shanghai, for example, bus drivers literally use his bumper to nudge his way through the swarm of pedestrian. Some startled tourist was shocked and appalled when bus nudged him, then our bus driver honk his horn, and shouted in Chinese “big-nosed white demon” while rushing our tour group (mostly Americans) through traffic.
thank you parisbreakfasts for the link
AlexW…. For sure. It’s all pretty safe here after all!