Cultural conundrums
Discussion
I visit France quite frequently, 3 or more times a year, but there are some things I've yet to grasp. Maybe you can enlighten me...
1) What's the deal with police state style check points you see on the outskirts of villages and towns. The ones where the Gendarmes pull loads of people and appear to check their papers or something.
2) Roundabouts. What's the crack with lane discipline? The natives seem to think it's ok to proceed all the way round in the right lane, no matter where the exit is, which has nearly caught me out on more than one occasion.
3) I recently ate in what I thought was a pretty decent restaurant until they served main courses to those who hadn't ordered starters at the same time as they served the starters to everyone else. That can't be right can it?
4) Overtaking on the motorway. Indicator on for whole manoeuvre, or just when changing lanes?
1) What's the deal with police state style check points you see on the outskirts of villages and towns. The ones where the Gendarmes pull loads of people and appear to check their papers or something.
2) Roundabouts. What's the crack with lane discipline? The natives seem to think it's ok to proceed all the way round in the right lane, no matter where the exit is, which has nearly caught me out on more than one occasion.
3) I recently ate in what I thought was a pretty decent restaurant until they served main courses to those who hadn't ordered starters at the same time as they served the starters to everyone else. That can't be right can it?
4) Overtaking on the motorway. Indicator on for whole manoeuvre, or just when changing lanes?
1. Got caught in one of those in Morzine back in May one Sunday afternoon. No idea why, maybe they were told by their senior officer to get out and do some work. Anyway, they seemed to be impressed that my wife in the rear was wearing her seatbelt?????? Plus one had a machine pistol.
2. I've noticed that on bigger roundabouts, a chance to nip in front of the locals again after they've passed you backaways.
3. No idea.
4. Just signal as you normally would but yes, it seems that some do leave their signals on...don't Citroens lack self cancelling indicators?
2. I've noticed that on bigger roundabouts, a chance to nip in front of the locals again after they've passed you backaways.
3. No idea.
4. Just signal as you normally would but yes, it seems that some do leave their signals on...don't Citroens lack self cancelling indicators?
1/ French are required by law to have an ID on them at all times IIRC. Now they also have "VIGIPIRATE" which is the plan to fight terrorism 
the Gendarmes tend to multiply controls.
2/ Lane discipline was never fantastic but everytime I come back it seems to be getting worse. To be fair, I travel in many EU countries and the more you go South the worse it gets. Just get in the grove and it'll flow
3/ It happens. As above poster, not much to say. Bad day in the kitchen maybe.
4/ That's how we're being taught when passing the driving test. I suppose it's less disconcerting on 2 lanes motorways (majority in France) where the overtaker cannot go any further.
the Gendarmes tend to multiply controls.2/ Lane discipline was never fantastic but everytime I come back it seems to be getting worse. To be fair, I travel in many EU countries and the more you go South the worse it gets. Just get in the grove and it'll flow
3/ It happens. As above poster, not much to say. Bad day in the kitchen maybe.
4/ That's how we're being taught when passing the driving test. I suppose it's less disconcerting on 2 lanes motorways (majority in France) where the overtaker cannot go any further.
1. I do not think that the Police are liked here, but they are respected, so the country seems better for it.
2. When we first arrived here, this really used to drive me mad; now I am just paranoid.
3. I cannot imagine that a group of French people would eat together without having the same number of courses. It would not be polite so a person would just pick-over the food, rather than not have the course. Perhaps “the crazy foreigners” may have caused a genuine dilemma in the kitchen.
4. The indicator thing is actually quite good; bear in mind that (probably as the roads are quiet) drivers do not look in their mirrors as often as they might on the M25 and never on trackdays, if you feel so inclined.
2. When we first arrived here, this really used to drive me mad; now I am just paranoid.
3. I cannot imagine that a group of French people would eat together without having the same number of courses. It would not be polite so a person would just pick-over the food, rather than not have the course. Perhaps “the crazy foreigners” may have caused a genuine dilemma in the kitchen.
4. The indicator thing is actually quite good; bear in mind that (probably as the roads are quiet) drivers do not look in their mirrors as often as they might on the M25 and never on trackdays, if you feel so inclined.
1) The gendarmes seem to have their 'pet subjects' which means one day they pull HGVs and another they will pull foreign cars etc. Just luck I think. I've been randomly breath tested and that seems a reasonable approach to me!
2) Its caught me out too, and they get upset when you cut in front when you want to exit (especially if you have a trailer on!).
3) Don't know. We always either all have a starter or not.
4) I think they leave indicators on when they want the person in front to get out of the way. Either way, I've started doing it as it appears to work and they don't seem to be upset when you do it...
2) Its caught me out too, and they get upset when you cut in front when you want to exit (especially if you have a trailer on!).
3) Don't know. We always either all have a starter or not.
4) I think they leave indicators on when they want the person in front to get out of the way. Either way, I've started doing it as it appears to work and they don't seem to be upset when you do it...
Le Pop said:
1)
4) I think they leave indicators on when they want the person in front to get out of the way. Either way, I've started doing it as it appears to work and they don't seem to be upset when you do it...
I've noticed they seem to leave them on when overtaking more than one vehicle at a time.4) I think they leave indicators on when they want the person in front to get out of the way. Either way, I've started doing it as it appears to work and they don't seem to be upset when you do it...
I love the French, you really have to get in the swing, I like the F**K you attitude to anything they don't like. I used to think of it as England with an accent but now I think I'd quite like to live there. Government being a pain? Not having that - blocked the ports and burn their houses that'l learn 'em!
If you want crazy traffic try India not so much crazy as proper suicidal!
If you want crazy traffic try India not so much crazy as proper suicidal!
Gnits said:
I love the French, you really have to get in the swing, I like the F**K you attitude to anything they don't like. I used to think of it as England with an accent but now I think I'd quite like to live there. Government being a pain? Not having that - blocked the ports and burn their houses that'l learn 'em!
If you want crazy traffic try India not so much crazy as proper suicidal!
That reminds me of this tale. In the area we visit there has been a bit of a running dispute, with the farmers not too happy at the price they are getting for milk. On one visit, they had blockaded a nearby village square and were thretening to empty the contents of a milk tanker onto the ground. It was a memorably hot week so the results would have been particularly unsavoury.If you want crazy traffic try India not so much crazy as proper suicidal!
blueST said:
3) I recently ate in what I thought was a pretty decent restaurant until they served main courses to those who hadn't ordered starters at the same time as they served the starters to everyone else. That can't be right can it?
Perhaps it was a menu where you choose either starter + main or main + dessert...1) Wouldn't it be great if we did that here. Maybe we wouldnt have 10% of drivers uninsured.
2) I understand there is no specific rule that says 'give way to vehicles leaving the roundabout' as there is here. Your job to find a gap.
3) Hmmm once asked that myself.... I was told the convention is that groups normally order all starters or no starters. Minor confusion when the brits arrive and do their own thing as they dont know what to do. Personaly I wasnt at all convinced by that answer but hey .... !
4) Again, wouldnt it be great if on UK motorways we had to maintain an indicator ALL the time you were in the fast lane. Impose that by law and there would be fewer people hogging the outside lane !! Personally I think it is a good thing and enhances visability of cars overtaking.
2) I understand there is no specific rule that says 'give way to vehicles leaving the roundabout' as there is here. Your job to find a gap.
3) Hmmm once asked that myself.... I was told the convention is that groups normally order all starters or no starters. Minor confusion when the brits arrive and do their own thing as they dont know what to do. Personaly I wasnt at all convinced by that answer but hey .... !
4) Again, wouldnt it be great if on UK motorways we had to maintain an indicator ALL the time you were in the fast lane. Impose that by law and there would be fewer people hogging the outside lane !! Personally I think it is a good thing and enhances visability of cars overtaking.
Don't like resurrecting an old thread, but my understanding of the indicator thing is this.
Leaving your indicator on suggests that you're simply overtaking, and will pull back in when the manoeuvre is complete.
As a result, someone coming up quickly from behind is less likely to give you a quick "I'm here" flash of the lights as they know you'll be out their way after you've finished the overtake.
Conversely, if you're in the outside lane, without indicators on, then it suggests that you're in that lane for the duration, and so will sometimes solicit a quick flash from quicker cars to let you know they're there.
With the more recent crackdown on driving offences, including speeding in France, you find fewer and fewer people sitting in the outside lane now, tho, especially as that sort of thing qualifies as a Minor Offence (4th class) "Failing to get in the right-hand lane while being overtaken" and is a €135 fine.
Interestingly, something that could do with being enforced more in the UK is "Accelerating while being overtaken" : €135 fine, 2 points and up to 3 years licence suspension
Leaving your indicator on suggests that you're simply overtaking, and will pull back in when the manoeuvre is complete.
As a result, someone coming up quickly from behind is less likely to give you a quick "I'm here" flash of the lights as they know you'll be out their way after you've finished the overtake.
Conversely, if you're in the outside lane, without indicators on, then it suggests that you're in that lane for the duration, and so will sometimes solicit a quick flash from quicker cars to let you know they're there.
With the more recent crackdown on driving offences, including speeding in France, you find fewer and fewer people sitting in the outside lane now, tho, especially as that sort of thing qualifies as a Minor Offence (4th class) "Failing to get in the right-hand lane while being overtaken" and is a €135 fine.
Interestingly, something that could do with being enforced more in the UK is "Accelerating while being overtaken" : €135 fine, 2 points and up to 3 years licence suspension
My understanding of the indicator thing is that whilst being taught to drive in France their highway code states that "Whilst overtaking another car you must use your indicators" However because of the way it's worded no one has been able to figure out if that means when changing lanes or all the way through the manouvre, obviously it becomes even more complicated when more than one lane is involved.
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