In Lyon, teenagers are clinging to the back of buses traveling at 70 km/h, mimicking “bus surfing”. A dangerous practice that concerns drivers and authorities, previously responsible for serious accidents, and now punishable by six months in prison and a fine of 3,750 euros.
Young people, clinging to the back of a bus, traveling at 70 km/h on the Lyon ring road (Rhône). Their balance is precarious. They are standing on tiptoe, on a very narrow edge.
This scene was filmed last Friday by a shocked motorist. He testifies: “I just saw a dark mass at the back of the bus. That’s when I slowed down a bit, looked more closely, and saw two men. I was extremely afraid for them. I feared they would fall in front of me. I hesitated to stop the bus, but there were many motorists, and I think it would have been much more dangerous to stop everyone in the end.”
This practice is reminiscent of train surfing: balancing on the back or roof of a train. A few days ago, a young man filmed himself on a regional train traveling at over 150 km/h. Similar behaviors have also been observed on trams, such as a teenager in Caen last June.
In Lyon, these actions worry drivers, who feel helpless. Riad Chérif, a bus driver and CGT union delegate, explains: “At the back of the bus, there is neither a camera nor any kind of technology, I mean something electronic that could tell us, roughly, if someone is clinging to the back. It creates a lot of stress and unfortunately, at some point, drivers are alerted by passengers. This can create a danger for colleagues.”
In the Lyon metropolitan area, a teenager was killed in 2021 after falling from the back of a tram. Authorities issue a warning message against these dangerous acts. Antoine Guérin, the prefect in charge of security in Lyon, warns: “It’s occasional. Well, it doesn’t happen every day, all the time, but it happens. There will be young people who may find it fun when it’s not. These are dangerous practices. By doing this, we endanger the safety of bus or tram passengers.”
Since the new transport law voted in February, bus or tram surfing is a crime punishable by six months in prison and a fine of 3,750 euros.
