A French cycling organization has called for a minute’s silence on Saturday after the death of a cyclist in Paris who was runover by an SUV on Tuesday following an altercation in central Paris.
The French Cycling Federation urged people to protest in front of town halls across the country what it called the “triviliazation of violence.”
“We can no longer tolerate this trivialization of violence on the roads. Like all other road users, cyclists and pedestrians who choose sustainable and environmentally friendly modes of transport have a fundamental right to safety,” the group said on Friday.
French cyclist killed after argument with driver
The incident took place in central Paris after the 52-year-old driver of an SUV drove for some 200 meters (650 feet) along a bicycle lane, seemingly to bypass traffic.
In doing so, the car rolled over the foot of a 27-year-old cyclist. The cyclist reportedly hit the car’s bonnet, leading the driver to reverse. He then stood in front of the car to express his anger.
According to witnesses and video footage, the car then moved towards the cyclist and was seen rising up two times as the SUV wheels drove over his body.
The driver has been accused of deliberately hitting the cyclist and killing him. He was arrested on the spot and is being held in pre-trial detention.
Tensions between cyclists and motorists
Cycle lanes have spread across the French capital in recent years under the administration of Mayor Anna Hidalgo.
It has turned Paris into one of the leading cities for cyclists, but the extra space for cyclists — as well as pedestrians — has come at the expense of space for motorists.
Of the cyclist’s death, Hidalgo said “it is unacceptable to die in this day and age while cycling in Paris, at 27 years old.”
Some 226 people were killed while cycling on French roads last year.
ab/rm (AFP, dpa)
