Paris Skates!
Every Friday night and Sunday afternoon Parisians can take the streets and see their city on skates. And they do, by the thousands! Both mass rides, which are sponsored by different associations, started small and now are institutions of public street life in Paris.
In this video you hear from both, Tanao Terra, VP of Pari Roller, organizers of the Friday night skate and, Philippe Moulié, President of Rollers & Coquillages, sponsors of the Sunday afternoon Skate.
A little history: The Friday night skates were started by a small group of friends. After the transit strikes in 1995, which forced Parisians to find a new way to get around town, thousands of people began to show up on Friday evenings just to practice moving through the city on roller blades. The numbers inspired Pari Roller to form an official association working with Paris', and the world's, first roller blade national police unit.
Production note: I got to chase both mass rides shooting on a velib (public share bike which you will see more on soon) while Caroline Samponaro from Transportation Alternatives skated with a helmet camera.
And if it looks fun, there seems to be a ride right here in NYC.
