[DeTomaso] NPC: Paris moto-taxis and near death experiences

[Charles McCall]

It was such a traumatic experience that today I rushed back to the moto-taxi
line to take one from the north of Paris to Orly airport, on the south! ;-)
I never would have made my flight had I gone in a car. These things really a
great, although this time was a little more expensive.  

 

Here's my moto-taxi of the day, a Harley 

http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=8456

 

That's my suitcase strapped on the back. 

 

Here's a view of Paris traffic

http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=8459

 

Sorry for the quality  - both photos snapped with my cellphone while
traveling. 

 

The Harley motor was strong, but the Honda felt like it had a truck motor
installed.. it was impressive. 

Anyway, we now return you to your regularly scheduled program. 

 

Charles McCall

1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S #9375

"Raising Pantera Awareness Across Europe"

 <http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323>
http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323

  _____  

De: Bill Lewis [mailto:lotus0005 at hotmail.com] 
Enviado el: jueves, 18 de junio de 2009 15:16
Para: charlesmccall at gmail.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Asunto: RE: [DeTomaso] NPC: Paris moto-taxis and near death experiences

 

Hey Charles,  Nice paragraphs!  ---Bill Lewis





> From: charlesmccall at gmail.com
> To: detomaso at realbig.com
> Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:40:00 +0200
> Subject: [DeTomaso] NPC: Paris moto-taxis and near death experiences
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> 
> 
> I'm in Paris this week for a big air show called Le Bourget. 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday, at the end of the show I had a 45 minute wait in the line for
> taxis, and then we sat for an hour and 15 minutes in the huge traffic jams
> heading into the center of Paris. Two hours by my watch to arrive at my
> hotel in the center of Paris.
> 
> 
> 
> Today I found a much better solution - something called "Moto-taxis". 
> 
> 
> 
> These are Honda goldwings, which are officially licensed taxis. Most of
them
> are driven by lunatic, suicidal psychopaths with death wishes :-) At least
> mine was ;-) 
> 
> 
> 
> So, suit and tie and all, I get on the back of the Gold Wing and off we
go.
> (they give you a baker's hair net thing to "protect" your hair since you
are
> sharing helmets with ???) Splitting lanes of stopped cars at 50mph - we
> clacked rear view mirrors twice with stopped cars at that speed, so the
> driver simply folded in the mirrors. Rocking back and forth, weaving in
and
> out of traffic - despite the occasional moments of my life flashing before
> my eyes it was really a neat experience. These guys use acceleration and
> mobility to slip through closing holes, squeeze between busses and 4x4's,
> and the 75 minute trip from yesterday was complete in 22 minutes. 
> 
> 
> 
> The driver was a riot - "Woah - that was a close one!! I should have
nailed
> it earlier.." 
> 
> 
> 
> I picked a middle aged driver because I figured that if he had lived that
> long, then he must be somewhat talented. It was quite an exhilarating ride
> to say the least! Paris traffic at rush hour is absolutely horrid. 
> 
> 
> 
> He dropped me off at the hotel and was late to pick up someone who had
> reserved a ride. 
> 
> 
> 
> "No problem", he said. "Now that I don't have a passenger I don't have to
> p*ssyfoot through traffic and can really DRIVE.." That thought is just
> scary!
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway, next time you are in Paris and don't want to sit in traffic for
> hours on end, the moto-taxis aren't all that much more expensive, and if
you
> figure your time into the equation are quite a bargain. 
> 
> 
> 
> And supposing you live through the experience, you'll have, well, quite
the
> experience! 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway, that was the highlight of my day (even compared to aerial displays
> by F-18s, Eurofighters, Dassaults, and seeing the A-380 flying..)
> 
> 
> 
> Charles McCall
> 
> 1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S #9375
> 
> "Raising Pantera Awareness Across Europe"
> 
> <http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323>
> http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323
> 
> 
> 
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