Paris: Vélo Liberté
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PBS Learning Media
Paris: Vélo Liberté
In this video, students consider how a bicycle sharing program is improving the environment and changing the way Parisians relate to their city. Paris' ambitious public-private Vélib’ bike initiative encourages residents to forgo cars for bikes and public transportation. In the process, the program has fostered a unique popular culture, complete with its own language, jokes and pick-up lines. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe has undoubtedly taken heart: Its success has inspired cities like Rome, San Francisco, and London to begin adopting similar programs of their own.