Parisian commuters in their thousands reacted to the Covid-19 epidemic by ditching public transport and walking or biking instead, but now they find themselves fighting each other for space on the crowded streets. Twice daily during rush hour, throngs of cyclists teem through central Paris, in many places using cycle lanes specially widened to encourage people to avoid cramming into the metro where they risk spreading the disease.
At junctions and pedestrian crossings, the flow of cyclists intersects with a flow of people on foot. On occasion, cyclists ride through red lights, or pedestrians step out into a cycle lane without looking. Accidents and near-misses are common. “Cyclists are not so careful with pedestrians. They just keep going,” said Nadine Lefebvre, a 66-year-old retiree. “This morning on the pavement, a bicycle slalomed around me, because he could no…