Metro Stories
After visiting the marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen we walked over to Metro station Porte de Clignancourt. There were people hanging around the turnstyles. After inserting my carnet ticket I entered the turnstyle – which didn’t move properly. Turns-out a lady had entered the turn-style immediately behind me piggy-back. When I looked over my shoulder, she excused herself.
We were a little shaken, both that someone would try that and that I hardly noticed it. And imaged how someone could have taken my wallet during such an encounter. I also hear how someone could snatch your ticket, before you have a chance to retrieve it. (I was more ready when someone tried to do this later in my trip) I inserted an expired ticket, so when I pushed against the turn-style bar, it didn’t move, and the man behind me bumped into me, anticipating a swift passage through the turn-style.
Another time, there was a lady with stroller and bags and lots of kids. I went out of my way to help her lift the stroller up the stairs, but quickly realized that I was severely compromised and exposed, bent-over, holding the stroller with child (I could not let go) and in this group of children, I imagined what could have happened.
Paris for the Holidays 