Velib

A brief paean of praise for the wonderful new bike scheme in Paris. The capital has a record of innovative ideas that make life better and more interesting, and this is definitely one of them. We broke our Velib virginity last Sunday. I had my trusty old steed of a bike, the wife took out one of these sturdy new ponies. She'd previously signed up for the year at 29 euros, which means it's free for journeys under 30 minutes. A gentle ride down to Vavin, deposited her bike at the station there, a couple of beers, picked up a new bike, then home. Brilliant. It's going to do wonders for our social life. We might actually start going out together. For now, Velib is also a huge ice-breaker. Riding a Velib makes you the cynosure of the public eye. Tourists are especially fascinated. And envious. It's interesting that this latest initiative is -- for the first time -- a private sector one. Yes, the set-up had to be approved by City Hall, but it is JCDecaux -- the advertising hoardings people -- who are running it. An unwelcome surrender to big money, or a sensible acknowledgement of the times we live in? The latter, surely.