October 9, 2011. Paris, France. Sharing The Lanes.

It is an amazing sight.  On the drive into the city, I saw more motor cycles than I have ever seen in my whole life.  The cycles don't stay in the lane along with all the cars but drive between the lanes very close to the cars.  There were three lanes on our highway.  Our bus drove in the center lane the whole time.  I was sitting by the window looking out at the traffic.  We were in heavy traffic and driving quite slowly but the motor bike just blew past us, right beside me to the left, riding right along the paint dividing the lanes.  The vehicles in the left lane had moved over to the left side of their lane, thus leaving a small area for the motor bikes.

The motor bikes keep their lights flashing the whole time as they drive very quickly on their own lane.  Truth be told, they are very close to both vehicles but they just speed down the road.  It was constant roaring past my elbow as all those bikes sped into Paris.  It was amazing to see but evidently  common in Europe.  Freddie, who spends every summer in Switzerland and drives his moroecyle there,  tells me it is normal and very convenient to avoiding the traffic.  He tried it once in Maryland and got a ticket for not staying in his own lane.  But here in France it happens all the time.  The accidents must be many.