"They Didn't Say Anything at First"... Fined 350,000 Won for Carrying a TV on the Subway

Fine Increased to 350,000 Won After Refusal to Pay
"It's Not Like It's a Movie Screen," Says Mathieu

In Paris, France, a man was fined several hundred thousand won for carrying a television on the subway.

According to Le Parisien on the 28th (local time), that afternoon, Matthieu (27) was stopped by Paris Transport Authority (RATP) staff while transferring a flat-screen TV in a box through a transfer passage in the subway.

The RATP staff fined Matthieu 150 euros (260,000 won) on the grounds that he was “carrying an item that is dangerous or could inconvenience other passengers.” When Matthieu and his friend first boarded the subway with the TV, the ticket booth staff did not stop them. They refused to pay the fine, at which point it was increased to 200 euros (about 350,000 won). In the end, the two had to leave the station and call a car.

TV stopped by RATP staff. X (formerly Twitter)

Matthieu told Le Parisien, “The RATP staff said, ‘You can’t use ignorance of the rules as an excuse,’” adding, “It’s ironic to take such action while encouraging Parisians to use public transportation. Of course, the TV is big, but it’s not the size of a movie theater screen.” The TV box Matthieu was carrying measured 150cm in length, 90cm in width, and 15cm in depth.

The RATP website states that “parcels, bags, or luggage that can be carried by one person and do not hinder other passengers or their movement” are permitted. On the other hand, it also states that “the carrying and transport of items that, due to their nature, size, or packaging, may be dangerous or cause inconvenience or discomfort to passengers” is prohibited, citing furniture, household appliances, and large suitcases as examples.

Through Le Parisien, the RATP explained that the “dangerous or inconvenient items” referred to in the regulations include not only hazardous materials but also large items. It added that “posters explaining proper usage rules are displayed in all stations.” However, Matthieu plans to contest the fine.

This is not the first such case. In May last year, a woman who bought a plant at a large plant sale was fined 150 euros for carrying a plant 130cm tall on the subway.

At the time, the woman objected to the fine, saying, “I’ve seen people with items much larger than a plant on the subway. I even saw someone carrying a washing machine once,” and she was refunded the 150 euros.

Meanwhile, just like with French National Railway (SNCF), it is known that RATP staff receive a 10% commission from the fines they collect on-site.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.