BICLOU, EPISODE 8 - Charlotte Mansuelle belongs to the commuter tribe, this is how we designate the French who work in a town different from the one where they live.
Since the deconfinement, the young woman has just joined a second community, that of the bikers, in other words the workers who cycle between their home and their work. Like many RATP and SNCF users, Charlotte did not want to return to public transport to get to work after the epidemic. Like other former RER passengers, she chose another option: the bicycle.
A daring bet for this thirty-something who says he is not very sporty. At the end of her work day, Charlotte will have indeed driven 22 km between her home, located in Alfortville, in the Val-de-Marne, and the 7th arrondissement of Paris where she works.
We accompanied her on her third journey, still uncertain on her mount. To allow him to put the turbo in his learning, we organized a meeting with Jérôme Sorrel, author of "Vélotaf, Mode d'Useau du vélo auaily".
"I'm afraid of dying"
One of the anxieties of this neo-bike-rider is the puncture.
Having to abandon a bike or walk for miles dragging it and arriving late for work. A very bad way to start your day.
"Dying is a bit of everyone's phobia and repairing a flat tire when you know how to do it, it takes 5 minutes if you are equipped" relativizes Jérôme Sorrel. And this equipment is simple and light: tire changer, pump and an emergency air chamber.
On the mechanical side, Charlotte also learned to shift gears, which she did not do until she met the specialist in urban biking. Even if she opted for an e-bike, shifting gears improves pedaling comfort and also relieves the e-bike.
Blind spots, M12 signs and small gestures
Charlotte's other major concern is to drive down the bus corridor.
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On her journey the accountant is lucky, she benefits from many secure cycle paths.
But RATP behemoths sometimes get impatient behind it. Jérôme Sorrel takes a few useful little steps. The arm stretched out on the side where you want to turn or the gesture of the hand to signal to the bus driver that you have seen it and avoid the horn blow which can be destabilizing by bicycle.
The young woman had never yet perceived the danger of the blind spot of heavy vehicles, this famous visual field in which two-wheelers or pedestrians are completely invisible to drivers of motorized vehicles.
"A heavy vehicle and a bus you only overtake them if you are absolutely sure that by the time you exceed it, it will not move" specifies the pro of the velotaf.
"Yes, but cyclists burn out fires ..."
"Yes, but cyclists burn out fires ...", we often hear. Yes, but the vast majority of them do so legally. Yet many people, including fierce opponents of cycling ignore it.
Thus, since 2012, a sign, the M12 authorizes the crossing of red lights to go in the direction indicated.
This on one condition, do not disturb other users at the green light.
Charlotte takes note and will save a few precious minutes on her journey time. A time that she has already shortened compared to her life before confinement.
At that time, Charlotte took the RER between Alfortville and Paris. It took 40 minutes at best and 1½ hours at worst.
Today she is mistress of her time and can even take the leisure to stroll on the quays. U
n change in the mode of transport that suits Charlotte perfectly, saving time, sport, contemplating the landscapes, a new daily life awaits her.
Bad weather and small mechanical problems will sometimes tarnish the picture, but Charlotte leaves this day with her bag filled with good advice for these more difficult times.
