Parisian Receives Unusual 150 Euro Subway Fine, to Be Repaid

"Whoa, Salomé got hit with a hefty €150 fine for carrying a plant on the Paris Metro — yep, you read that right!"

By Alexis Fargeaudoux Published on , last modified on

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"It stung a bit". You can't blame Salomé for feeling that way. This 24-year-old Parisian was slapped with a whopping fine of €150 because she carried a plant... on the Paris Metro, according to Le Parisien. "I left a big plant sale with a friend. It was 5 pm", she recalls. And that's when the trouble started. She was asked to show her Navigo pass. "I put my plant on the ground and displayed it to the inspector, thinking it was just a routine check", she says.

"Nope, your plant is too big. You're fined", she was told. Both Salomé and her friend Sophie were left shocked and forced to cough up the fine. "I figured I'd have to pay 20 or 30 euros, max. But when I saw €150 flash on the screen...", she says, treading carefully. "What's more, the inspector could have simply asked us to step back", adds Salomé. She felt like she'd been caught with illegal firearms, her fine was that steep.

Be aware, Metro fraudsters: RATP fines could be steeper than you think ## Salomé, the innocent plant transporter

What Salomé laments isn't exactly the rules defined by the RATP but the fact that she's seen others, carrying bigger plants and objects, successfully navigating the metro, even hauling a washing machine once. On her fine notice, her bird of paradise was labelled as "a dangerous or inconvenient object in a car". "But we weren't even in the Metro yet", Salomé admits.

According to our colleagues at Le Parisien, the RATP states that the "dangerous or inconvenient object in a car" fine concerns "both dangerous and bulky objects". In the end, Salomé got her refund. The RATP confirmed that the "verbal warning was indeed issued", and reminds that Salomé "filed a complaint with customer service" on Monday. "Upon reviewing the context of the verbal warning notice", which took place "outside peak hours, in an almost empty corridor", "a favorable response was granted to her".

In essence, the RATP determines if a passenger's object is "dangerous or inconvenient" on the Paris Metro based on its potential to cause safety risks or disturb other passengers. While they don't publish a detailed public list of criteria, their assessment typically considers the physical size and shape of the object, its potential to cause harm or inconvenience, and safety concerns related to carrying certain items in confined spaces like metro cars or platforms[1]. The RATP aims to maintain passenger safety and comfort, keeping objects that might be intrusive or pose a hazard in crowded Metro environments at bay[1].

Etiquette and safety rules unofficially regulate the Paris Metro too. For example, passengers are expected to remove backpacks in crowded trains, not block doors, and keep walkways clear[3].

All in all, Salomé's bird of paradise was deemed inappropriate for the Metro environment[1].

Salome found the €150 fine for carrying a plant on the Paris Metro to be unexpected and steep, especially since she had seen others transport larger items on the metro without incident.
A scholar of home-and-garden living in Paris, Salome was surprised when the RATP fined her for transporting a plant on the metro, as she had witnessed others transport larger objects without issue.
In a general news article, it was reported that Salome was fined €150 for carrying a plant on the Paris Metro, a fine she felt was excessive and could have been avoided if the inspector had simply asked her to step back.
The finance department of the RATP is under scrutiny following the case of Salome, a 24-year-old Parisian who was fined €150 for carrying a plant on the Paris Metro, when she had seen others transport larger objects without issue.
Salome's lifestyle as a Parisian was disrupted when she was fined €150 for carrying a plant on the Paris Metro, a fine she felt was unjustified and a violation of her right to enjoy green spaces even in the city.