Paris, I love you, but you need to get a Rudy Giuliani
 

Not debating culture, architecture, etc. -- we're all agreed that Paris is beautiful, incomparable, etc, etc

What it has to fix:

1) The dog $hit smearing the sidewalks, such that you can't walk around without looking down and constantly be watching your step

2) Subway turnstile farejumpers. Why am I paying my metro and RER fares like a schmuck while every other person jumps over? This doesn't speak well of the rule of law in Paris, and actually makes me kind of mad...

I can't believe you haven't been lambasted by the Paris apologists on this. I mentioned the dog poo years ago and was basically told it wasn't so.

They do have inspection teams, that (on rare:D occasion) check for tickets (generally at metro exists)--I don't know if they are fined on the spot if they don't have a valid ticket, or are they given a "summons" to pay a fine at a future date.:confused:

No, they'll stick with Bertrand Delanoe, a much better mayor (and person)!

I guess there is always something someone can complain about, but really, most Parisians also pick up after their dogs, and if there is someone inconsiderate the Green Team will get it overnight. There is not the prevalence of dog poo as was years back...

What you also fail to realize is that in Paris, like most of Europe, most folks have monthly passes and do not pay their RATP fare with a single ticket like you do. So what looks like fare-beating to you is NOT! And, they have very diligent Controle agents that go around checking tickets. (Unlike in NY).

P.S. Fare beating remains a problem in New York, BTW...

Thanks for the information. However, I think the dog poo problem unfortunately remains prevalent enough that it makes you have to watch every step you take.

But on the farejumping, really? You've got to be kidding yourself if you cannot see this happening constantly.

Every time I would go through a turnstile at the metro or RER, there would inevitably be someone jumping over one nearby, pushing through one that someone else previously just went through, or just blatantly pulling opening the exit gates to enter illegally.

You're saying that because they have monthly passes, they jump over turnstiles? Doesn't make sense, does it?

By comparison, and I am not from NYC but visit there quite a lot, I have seen perhaps only a handful of incidents of farejumping in 10 years of visiting.

Maybe I'm just lucky but I have seen no more dog poo in Paris than I have in NYC, Philly or DC and I have been to Paris countless times.

Bobette

There is still a fair amount of dog poo on the sidewalks, though not as much as in years past.

I think turnstile jumpers and people who board through the back door of the bus without paying are more prevalent in certain areas than in others--I see lots of them in the 18th and 10th arrondissements, for example, and hardly any in the 7th.

To my eye, the dog poop problem in Paris is about 5% of what it was 10 years ago.

Not so the turnstile jumping, and this one really stumps me. I just don't understand why Paris doesn't crack down on jumpers. The comment that jumpers have monthly passes is laughable, and while there are enforcement teams in action from time to time, they just can't cover almost 250 stations. Most stations already have video cameras rolling and also humans in the ticket booths. It wouldn't take much to put these together, perhaps with re-designed entry areas, to collect more fares.

NYC has long cracked down on fare jumpers in the believe that serious crimes may be prevented by busting low level criminals. The cops tend to move to locations as needed, but can be in some major transit points every day; Grand Central Station, Port Authority, Penn Station. They try to be inconspicuous or go undercover.
Article here about a major arrest a couple days ago. What an idiot! The fare beater has a “Me against the world” tattoo on his neck.

The dog poo problem seems to come and go. Perhaps it's worse Sunday afternoons, when the gardiens and street sweepers aren't out cleaning the sidewalks.

As for farebeaters, they do seem more frequent at certain stations and at certain times--you can often anticipate when someone plans to push through the turnstile with you. The inspection teams occasionally target the most likely combinations of time and place, but not always.

I think I agree with the OP. Paris is wonderful but the dog poo thing is an interesting problem. I honestly do not remember it being a huge problem in previous visits, but during our visit last fall it did seem like we had to watch every step. It may have just been that we stayed in an area we dont normally stay in etc. We did have a gross experience during check in at CDG. Lady walking her dog, it doing its business in check in area as she is dragging it and guy with luggage cart immediately behind her not seeing what is going on.....you get the picture. That sums up that trip pretty well.

I live in Paris for years, in a western district where there are lots of dogs. The dog poo problem is IMO the number 1 issue for Paris peddestrians (way before noise, anarchic parking etc...). As we also have kids, navigating with a stroller is a real challenge.

I have not noticed any improvement since years in my district. However, I found 7th and 8th ones to be the cleanest, probably because there a lots of tourists there and they are showcased by the local authorities.

I would say that the dog poo issue has really improved with the years, it is still a problem but far less than before.

Fare jumpers are a problem in France, they estimate at around 7-10% the number of people who fraud on the public transportation. You can even find some associations where people share information on how to defraud the system and self-insure themselves against the fines. They see this as a way of protesting the fact one should pay for public transportation. Then you have the cost of the controls that sometimes is higher than the fraud and the fact that enforcing the payment of fines is very difficult in France.

Come to the 16th district here. Dog poo capital of France (and therefore the world of course).

Ewwwww! The 16eme? I avoided it when I lived there and will avoid it even more as a tourist :D