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Post by goldenmama on Jun 26, 2007 7:25:27 GMT -5
On the one hand I have heard how easy it is to walk in Paris, and, on the other hand, I have heard how dangerous crossing the streets can be. Are there certain areas that are known to be hazardous for pedestrians, and any tips on how to avoid those areas? Are the roads that appear to be major boulevards on the maps at all possible to cross, or am I better off sticking to the metro to get to my next location? Thanks!
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Post by Anne on Jun 26, 2007 7:58:49 GMT -5
All streets can be crossed at some places with white stripes on the floor (I don't know the name in English) . And the pedestrian has supposedly priority over cars on these stripes . Now, that was theory . Truth is, some Parisian drivers don't give a d..n about pedestrian priority . What you must do is to stick to these white stripes anyway and be careful, especially on crossroads and even if there is a pedestrian traffic light : your light will get green when the cars one will get red, but then you could get a car passing because its light has JUST turned red . And the trap at crossroads is that even if your light is green because the traffic is stopped on your street, cars may still be allowed to turn from the crossing one . Well, I have just reread what I wrote, and I must admit that it is not very clear ... Anyway, bottom line is that you must be careful , but that taking the metro in order to avoid crossing streets is really excessive .
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Post by luckyluc on Jun 26, 2007 8:10:03 GMT -5
The important part is to remember to cross buzy street at the interception where automobilists will expect a pedetrian to cross.
I just notice that you lives in NY !
In that case don't worry, Paris streets crossing will be a piece of cake for you.
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Post by arrowcapet on Jun 26, 2007 8:24:49 GMT -5
This is the perfect thread to answer a question that has plagued my conscious for many years...LOL. When there is a sign at a pedestrian crossing that says "traverser en deux fois", does that mean that one is supposed to cross the street one lane at a time and stand in the median to wait for the next light, or does in mean that you're supposed to cross the street in "double time" because it's a short light and one had better hurry??? These signs only appear at crossings where there are double streets with double crossing signs, so I've never really been certain.
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Post by luckyluc on Jun 26, 2007 8:29:24 GMT -5
En deux temps would be in double time. En trois quart de temps would be waltzing (I did that but it was really late (or early) so no traffic ! LOL
En deux fois is one lane at a time as you first suspected.
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Post by arrowcapet on Jun 26, 2007 8:39:37 GMT -5
Merci mille (pas deux) fois, Monsieur LL.
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Post by Ray(aka) tripnebraska on Jun 26, 2007 9:05:20 GMT -5
Since traffic in Nebraska is nothing like New York or Paris, crossing streets was something I worried about prior to our trip. I was impressed that Paris drivers did not run red lights. Because I'm caucius by nature, I tended to join the pack crossing busy streets by standing on the side away from the on coming traffic.
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Post by Truffaut on Jun 26, 2007 9:08:23 GMT -5
"Impresed that Paris drivers did not run red lights". I hate to tell you, Ray, but I think your travel agent may have sent you to Paris, Texas!
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Post by Shoesy on Jun 26, 2007 9:12:23 GMT -5
Why is it that I can't remember anything about drivers being careless in Paris?
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Post by Anne on Jun 26, 2007 9:12:47 GMT -5
LOL, agree with you Truffaut
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jun 26, 2007 9:18:53 GMT -5
The one thing I would say is never assume any car is going to stop! Even if they stop, they tend to come screeching up to the line and then slam on the brakes, which at best is going to make you very nervous. The other thing is that on bd St Germain (and perhaps elsewhere, although that is where I noticed it) there are multiple lanes going one direction and it seems like a one-way street, but there actually is a single lane (for the bus, and possibly used by taxis, I don't recall) going the other way -- so you are mainly looking one direction, but it's possible that there will be traffic coming the other way as well (and bus drivers often seem to be homicidal maniacs!). Really, just keep your eyes open and look out for yourself at all times. On the narrow streets (e.g., rue des Sts Peres) the traffic goes quite fast in a really small space and the sidewalks are almost nonexistent. It all works, but it can be stressful (although less so, if you're expecting it -- which is why I'm mentioning it .
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Post by goldenmama on Jun 26, 2007 10:04:45 GMT -5
Thanks for all of the help, everyone!
Luckyluc, I do live in New York, but not in New York City. Its actually a suburb of Buffalo, NY, so my traffic crossing skills aren't quite as adept as those in the eastern part of the state!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jun 26, 2007 12:12:22 GMT -5
LOL, luckyluc! I have to say, however, now that I've had time to study the archives of the webcam of that intersection, I've never seen a waltzing conga line before!
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Post by Penny on Jun 26, 2007 12:24:46 GMT -5
LOL watch out for the motorcycles! that actually was my worst traffic experience. He had turned onto a one way street, we stepped of the curb and @#@# if he didn't make a U-turn and just missed us by a hair. Also on some crossing there maybe 2-3 levels of curbing. I caught my toe (shoe) on one and almost took a header. Was very careful after that. It just the same as warning for pickpockets, etc. just be aware of your surrounding and where you are going. Don't stop in the middle of the street if you see something interesting. Just cross at the crosswalk on major steets, such as Champs. There is so much to see by walking/wandering
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Post by mez on Jun 26, 2007 20:47:33 GMT -5
I have no probs crossing busy streets, but the ting I need to be careful of is from which direction the traffic is coming! In the Uk, it's not an issue, but continental Europe or North America means I have to be extra vigilant.
The only incident I've ever had was year ago in Switzerland when I stepped out onto the road at a pedestrian crossing thinking the driver would stop the car. No such luck. Although I was much younger so I managed to react in time and jumped back up on the footpath - lesson learned. Lol.
Mez.
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Post by Ray(aka) tripnebraska on Jun 26, 2007 21:14:51 GMT -5
Mez, The direction of traffic was one of my wife's first questions before we went to France. A good friend of hers was in London last year for a legal conference, looked the wrong way, stepped into the street, and was struck by a car and killed.
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Post by Shoesy on Jun 26, 2007 22:24:46 GMT -5
How awful, Ray!
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Post by andi on Jun 27, 2007 3:11:36 GMT -5
Being from the Uk myself, it takes me a day or two to adjust to the reversed flow of traffic, but it doesn't take that long to adapt. This is one less factor for Americans to concentrate on. My advice when crossing the streets is to go with the flow of other pedestrians, bury your self in the middle of the waiting group so that should a car or bike misbehave you won't be the one to get struck (lol, ok thats the cheats way) and cross when they do
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Post by mez on Jun 27, 2007 4:48:09 GMT -5
Ray, that's terrible.
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Post by Happygoin on Jun 27, 2007 6:27:14 GMT -5
This is embarrassing to admit, but there is one particular intersection in Paris that does me in almost every time I have to negotiate it. It's more-or-less behind the Champs de Mars heading over toward rue St. Dominique. There are five or six roads intersecting, along with parking garage entrances and four zillion crosswalks. I always feel like I'm doing the hokey-pokey with false starts and then trying to fly across as a big bus or angry taxi driver bears down on us with evil in his eyes....
Ray, I'm sorry about your wife's friend. I can see how that would have made her anxious.
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