Paris Authorizes Cyclists To Run Red Lights

The new law is already being tested in the French cities of Nantes, Bordeaux and Strasbourg and will be extended further if it is proven to make roads safer as well as more efficient. So far, the trials "have led to no rise in the number of accidents," according to Paris' Town Hall.

"On my daily bike run I go through three red lights so it saves me time," Caroline, a cyclist in Nantes, told RTL radio. "I just need to look left to see whether a car or even a bike is coming. It works very smoothly." Belgium, Germany and Scandinavia already apply the rule.

"It makes cycle traffic more fluid and avoids bunching up cyclists when the traffic lights go green for motorists," explained municipal authorities.