# French fuel price traffic protest



## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Picked this up from a FB group.

https://www.connexionfrance.com/Fre...with-protests-and-petitions-gathering-support

Terry


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks Terry. I didn't know.

Ray.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

It is not only on the roads that the French are feeling the effects of high fuel costs. 
"Refuelling a 42-metre yacht in Italy (instead of France) gives a saving of nearly €21,000 (£18,800) a week because of the difference in tax"

"Complaining that the EU is allowing Italy and Spain to undercut the Côte d'Azur, they called for the "urgent harmonisation of tax and social regulations at the European level"." Now who would have believed that.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...sinking-feeling-number-yachts-marina-plunges/


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks ray. I will take my yacht to the supermarket to fill up.

Ray.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Not much saving if any on fuel prices compared to England 

Except Luxembourg of course 

Sandra


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I filled up in UK at £1.327 per litre before coming back it is 1.439€ locally so very little in it. 
Of course the 17th November is a Saturday so it would give the HGV drivers a weekend off 😏


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## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

A French friend has told us that protesters are calling for a complete stop on all commerce throughout France - a boycott of all shops and banks to send Macron a message. They also say that the protest would continue once a week after unless things improve. They suggest showing support for the protests by displaying a high vis jacket on the dashboard.
Best be prepared.


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## bc109 (Sep 17, 2016)

Two people were able to govern France since the storming of the Bastille: Napoleon
and De Gaulle. No-one else has had an 'ope in 'ell. I am surprised Macron hasn't been thwarted sooner !

Bill


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

In general the French are either fickle or gullible. When their chosen politician doesn't deliver all those promises, change him.

Ray.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

raynipper said:


> In general the French are either fickle or gullible. When their chosen politician doesn't deliver all those promises, change him.
> 
> Ray.


Interesting that the Guardian thinks Trump is more popular than Macron. They say "A little over a year after coming to power, Emmanuel Macron is turning out to be just another run-of-the-mill disappointing French president." 
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/05/trump-poll-ratings-macron-globalisation


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Agreed ray. Macron had good ideas of curbing the pensions and perks of the 'functionaries' but not the backing to carry it out.

Ray.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Give ‘em their due. When the French decide to have a protest they certainly know how to go about having the maximum impact possible, and the Police do nothing!

Andy


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

I did see the CRS break up a HGV blockade on an autoroute on TV. I think the authorities give the plebs some leeway as the Republic was built on protest but when the CRS are told to act then act they do with everything at their disposal.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Demonstration as a word came from Latin via old French around 1300 so Macron has 700 years of experience to negate and that is very unlikely. 👎

The CRS are not renowned for their bedside manner (mind you neither are many nurses ! 🤢 ). so they tend to act first and ignore later.

All we can do is wait and see and not rely on moving shopping or any other act on 17th November treat it as yet another Jour du Fete.....👀 🍷 🥂


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Penquin said:


> All we can do is wait and see and not rely on moving shopping or any other act on 17th November treat it as yet another Jour du Fete.....👀 🍷 🥂


How very sensible Dave!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Much the same as a national holiday as yesterday.

Ray.


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## baldlygo (Sep 19, 2006)

This is what it was like near us -


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

One dead, hundreds injured.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46254566


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The blockages are going on for the whole week and will be targeting ports, refineries, stations and airports...

Soooo don't try flying in with your MH to an airport with a station beside a refinery and shipping port 'cos you may get delayed.

Or just ignore it and drive sensibly and if you encounter a blockage try offering them a _"tasse du cafe"_, if you put your "_gilet jaune" _on the dashboard you are unliely to be delayed but if there is no evidence of one you are likely to be slowed down...... so ftb put it on the dashboard.

There are many reports of the benefits of doing that.... 😊🤗


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

An interesting article on the protests from the BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46265136


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Looks like it could be starting to turn nasty. It was always going to end in tears. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46328439


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have encountered demos on four recent journeys being delayed perhaps by 5 minutes by good natured demonstrators. The cause is just - fuel prices have risen by around 25% this year and another hike is planned for January 1st. That causes the price of every article to rise but Macron ignores that.

France is now a VERY expensive place to live and much of that is laid at Macron's feet. It is unlikely that he will get re-elected sadly by his actions he appears to be enhancing Marine La Penn's chances.

As we do not live near or in a city we have no access to ANY public transport - each of the normal choices are at least 50km away; bus, train or airport so a car is the only answer and until this year diesel has been the field coated by the Government. So we have been slowed down and charged 25% more for the privilege of living in a rural area - if rail users were faced with a 25% hike in prices and their journey being slowed by 12% adding an extra 6 minutes per hour for every journey they would be complaining.

Good natured demos are OK BUT do not give the French riot police a centimetre they will take a kilometre...... and they react with a high level of force.....


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

It all seems a bit sporadic here in La Manche. Friends tried to get to hospital and had to employ the services of an ambulance. But others who also went to hospitals in Caen only had slight delays. But Saturdays seems to be when it's easy to join in and not lose pay. But we are hoping to get to Bordeaux on Sat.15th.Dec. and might meet trouble. 
So high viz jackets and biscuits as bribes at the ready.

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Keep the high viz jacket on the dashboard, wave in a friendly manner with 👍 Being used, hoot your horn to show support and smile.

Do NOT ARGUE with them - they do not seem to like British registered vehicles particularly for some reason and have banged on roofs and windows. There has been some damage to cars so be aware.

It appears autoroutes may not charge tolls as many have been blocked by protesters and some entrances cannot be used due to lorries being stopped. The transition from Spain to France near Biarritz seems particularly blocked according to friends who had to stay in Spain for an extra day and then return via Andorra.... Many small crossing points are simply closed by vehicles.

Those are points I heard this morning (over breakfast) and I have no reason to doubt them. They used the autoroute but were unable to get off into Perpignan or Agen (I know Agen was blocked as we saw it on Tuesday).

How long will it last ? Suggestions are weeks at least - there is no central info or organisation that I am aware of but FB seems to be quoted often but there are many closed groups that cannot be accessed.

Avoid central Paris is obviously central BUT many large cities are adversely affected including Toulouse and Bordeaux (sorry Ray).


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Penquin said:


> Do NOT ARGUE with them - they do not seem to like British registered vehicles particularly for some reason and have banged on roofs and windows. There has been some damage to cars so be aware.


Why is that, don't they like us? There have been reports in the papers such as "Reports also emerged from many different parts of the country of protesters making racist, homophobic or Islamophobic insults to motorists.".
Perhaps they are not such a nice group of people or maybe their cause is being hi jacked by groups who are not so nice.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...s-block-roads-third-day-amid-injuries-racist/


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Thanks Dave or maybe not.??
It's just the first day to Bordeaux south where we have a hotel booked. I'm happy to do a few diversions and delays as long as we get there eventually. I had assumed the Autoroutes would be passable once you get onto them. Bordeaux is a pain as you have to navigate some horrible dual carriageways to get back on the main autoroute south of the city.

Ray.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

A bit of information regarding the French protests : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46822472


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Sadly as often happens when people are brought onto the streets a criminal/anarchist element uses it as cover to cause maximum disruption and damage. Such behaviour often forces decent peaceful protesters to take a step back.

Terry


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Oh I dunno, knocking out 60% of the countries speed cameras is some top work! Nice one.

This is me setting up my own mobile speed camera to get my own back on the Rozzers (not thought through).

https://tinyurl.com/ya8jw36j


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

dghr272 said:


> Sadly as often happens when people are brought onto the streets a criminal/anarchist element uses it as cover to cause maximum disruption and damage. Such behaviour often forces decent peaceful protesters to take a step back.
> 
> Terry


Of course there are criminal/anarchist elements but the majority are not but believe they are not listened to by the political elite. I could happen in the UK. The UK Government make sure at each budget that we are made aware that they have frozen fuel duty since coming into power. They also know the threat they would be under if they had continued with the fuel duty escalator and fuel was now at £2+ a litre. There is talk on forums that cameras on UK SMART motorways are being set at the speed limit and there is no 10% + 2mph over the limit before enforcement. If so and there were thousands upon thousands more prosecutions then I could see it going the same way as the French. The motorist feels under threat and the way Politicians have caused the collapse of the diesel car market without any thought to manufacturers or owners shows how out of touch they are. I personally admire the French who have been forced to leave the safest roads due to high tolls and to use the unsafest ones where the national speed limit has been reduced and heavy speed enforcement taking place.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The _Gilet Jaune _have apparently sorted one of those problems;



rayc said:


> ....... the French who have been forced to leave the safest roads due to high tolls and to use the unsafest ones where the national speed limit has been reduced and heavy speed enforcement taking place.


They have reportedly destroyed speed cameras by spraying them or breaking them and as fast as they are repaired they are destroyed again, allegedly.....

That may influence others to expeed the seed limit - or similar....:surprise:

Just sayin' like not trying to make any suggestions of course... :smile2:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Only ever had two radar speeding fines in my whole life and both in France. Luckily the penalties or light in comparison to UK. €45 and a 6 month point.


Ray.


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