Bikes are not always welcome in Paris

Following up on my last rant, here is the latest in the saga about how in the supposedly "green" 14th arrondissement things conspire against us bikers. You may recall that I was served with a notice from the "syndic" that looks after our building that I was required to move my bicycle from the courtyard and put in on the street (where it will certainly be damaged or nicked). Apparently my keeping it in the courtyard is against the rules, and they have the right to call in the "pompiers" to throw it out. I have steadfastly refused the pressure, and a few days ago we had a house meeting: all the "proprietaires" getting together to see if we could work out a compromise. Luckily it turned out that nearly all of my neighbours are reasonable people, who cannot understand what the fuss is about. My bike -- and there are a few others too -- do no harm to anyone. They just lean against the wall, making the place look agreeably like an Oxford college. Every day we cycle them to work, thereby contributing strictly zilch to global warming and the clouds of Paris car-smog. Good arguments, I thought. But of course, I had counted without Mademoiselle X, who I am now convinced is the villain of the piece. She must be the one who has been anonymous writing letters to the "syndic", even though she's never dared to confront me directly. For her, it is simply inconceivable that there be a debate about the matter. The rules are the rules, so the bikes have to go. But her sense of indignation is purely abstract. She cannot possibly mind the bikes per se. It is the fact that technically they should not be there that bothers her so. Dare I say it, it is a deeply unpleasant frame of mind, reminiscent of certain less happy periods of French history. Thank God she is a minority of one.