Out of a fleet of 20,600 bikes, more than 18,000 Vélibs have been stolen or vandalized, meaning that almost all of the bicycles have been replaced at least once since the service was started July 15th 2007.

A vandalized “free” bicycle in the Vélib stand at place Marguerite de Navarre. The bikes are often vandalized by “working class” youths from the suburbs outside of Paris who are frustrated and irritated seeing all the taxpayer’s money the city of Paris is spending on its residents.

See the photographs I have taken on trips to Italy

Take a look at the pictures I’ve taken in the United States

See the pictures I’ve taken in Canada

Go to the index page of pictures of odd and quirky Paris.