150 euros fine for having transported … a resin badger on the Rouen-Paris train
By Adrian Filoche
Published on
The journey in form didn’t really go as planned. Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Christophe Coret goes to the station of Rouen aboard the 11:01 a.m. train to reach Paris. “I was going to do an animation with children”, indicates the president of AVES France, an association which fights for the protection of nature and wild animals. To make his presentation more didactic, Christophe has the idea of bringing resin shaving brush. He takes it with him on the train.
“I stayed at the gates. It applies below the folding seat. Voluntarily, I did not go in my place to avoid disturbing the travelers, ”he continues. A train controller then comes to meet him. “He said something like, ‘what is that, we don’t travel with that kind of thing'”
“It was impossible to discuss with him”
Christophe explains the situation, and the travelers around confirm to the controller that the badger does not bother anyone. “He didn’t want to know. The president of AVES finally receives a fine of 150 euros for “dangerous or bulky object in the train”. The dimensions of the object are as follows: 86cm by 29cm by 37cm, he says.
It was impossible to argue with him. I gave up. Anyway, I knew I was going to contest the fine.
In a publication on Twitter, Christophe Coret shares his story. He received many messages of support, and a response from the SNCF. “The SNCF contacted me. A CM [Community Manager, ndlr] sent me a link to dispute the fine. I would have appreciated at least an apology and that they were telling me that the behavior of the controller was not appropriate,” he insists.
And to add, bitterly: “It is shocking. We take the train out of ecological conviction, and that’s what happens. It’s quite sad for the image of the SNCF. Again, if they were faultless on the trains…”
SNCF indicates that the fine will be “cancelled”
Contacted by the editorial staff of 76news, the SNCF confirmed that “the report will be canceled”. “It’s good news, but I don’t know yet. I haven’t been told anything for the moment, ”says Christophe.
On the evening of June 29, after his event, the president of AVES returned from Paris by train. But he preferred to leave the badger there. “I’ll go get him by car. I didn’t want to take the risk of taking a fine of 150 euros again, ”he says.
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