Getting in and around Paris
Do I take the Metro? Give Vélib a try? Download the app and test Lime? Do I get on the bus? Or rather walk? Moving in and around Paris has become quite an adventure. The collapse of Vélib and the strike of SNCF and RER have opened up the playground for new players. An adventure, an experience, a huge range of options, leading into a big challenge.
I keep discovering new options to get from A to B in Paris, see people on scooters, e-scooters, electric unicycles, I get ads from new ride-hailing providers, coupons from another taxi service. I have created a folder on my iPhone just for Mobility Apps in Paris. The continous growth of options have awaken my thirst to find THE best solution.
But how do I pick the most optimal mode of transport? Or is the optimum a combination of different modes? Sometimes I feel like I would be faster just going with the first mode of transport that comes to my mind, instead of spending forever trying to compare different options. Downloading new apps, registering, getting lost in the comparison of a pay-per-use-model to a subscription-model, finding vehicles (that actually function, have full battery, no flat tire,…), navigation through the jungle of one-way-streets and tourist crowds.
Does it rain? Am I dressed properly to ride a bike? Where do I put my bag when riding the scooter? How far away is my B? Are there any one-way streets? If I took Vélib, are there any drop-off stations? Will there be empty spaces at that particular drop-off station?
A real feast of mobility has been established in the french capital. “Make our Planet Great Again” is the slogan of the president Emmanuel Macron, encouraging an innovative hub of science, technology and progress to fight climate change. With The Grand Paris Express, the city is running one of the biggest infrastructure projects, improving its public transport system and new metro lines. The right bank of the Seine River is car-free, electric shuttles are being tested, diesel cars will be banned by 2025, bike lanes are being expanded. Paris has positioned itself as a leader in the urban mobility revolution, enabling the raise of new mobility solutions, allowing for trial, competition, being open, needs-oriented, and adaptive.
But what is the ultimate goal of the urban mobility revolution? Where will the seemingly infinite turmoil of mobility players terminate? And what is the role of public authorities in this game?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gabeklein/2018/08/01/the-revolution-will-be-electrified/#7f46e7c36c9c
