How are you coping, in your neck of the woods… ??
I have to admit that, as a protest, it does not hit the government as far as I can see - unless Macron & his ministers are delayed in the traffic!
I had to sit in traffic for about 20 minutes today while the yellow vests milled around stopping their fellow suffering citizens from going about their business.
Why choose an action that only pisses off others just like yourself & who are equally affected by the increase in taxes? Government ministers can take helicopters or whatever & can watch the general public turn against each other at leisure! Frustration can quickly turn to anger which can result in behaviour that can lead to headlines like the above.
It seems to be the nature of protests & disputes against governments & corporations which end up affecting the innocent public more that the people that the protest is really aimed at.
If the protest is about increased taxes then how about not paying your tax fonciere en mass? Now that would hit the treasury!
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They are following the example of all other strikers concerned with transport.
How can we cause the maximum amount of upset to as many people as possible.
To continue your idea, perhaps if we all stopped buying petrol for a set number of days that would have more of an effect on the government, although I am sure that they would come back and say that the higher price is for environmental issues.
How can anybody claim that the action was arranged to cause the maximum amount of upset tonas many people as possible? It was arranged for a Ssturday and the points of disruption were well publicised. Anybody who spent time delayed in their car yesterday has only themselfdps to blame. At least they can blame their political outlook on Mrs Thatcher.
We stayed at home and I was opposed to Mrs Thatcher.
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Not all the points of disruption were publicised & in smaller towns the protesters targetted principle access roads to cause maximum inconvenience. Blocking a minor road would not get the publicity.
Yes, it was my fault for getting stuck in the traffic. I was wasting my Saturday doing an urgent repair on a customer’s car who needs it to get her weekly cancer treatment. I needed a part from a motor factors that closes at midday on a Saturday & only discovered the fault shortly before. Not the sort of part that Norauto stock!
Funny how people can determine whose journey is necessary & whose is not AND guess their political allegience from a small comment on a forum!
I am a tax payer too & the hikes affect me as much as the next man. I am not, therefore, unsympathetic to the protesters but like many of these types of protests they seem to affect the victims more than the perpetrators. I’m suggesting that perhaps protests ought to be more targetted. Rather than rail workers stopping trains, how about letting the service continue but not collect the fares? That would adversly affect the business but not the users. And it would be popular too!
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This demonstration was to show the government that ‘the little people’ have had enough.
If you followed the French news and interviews you will see that there were many first time ‘mafs’. These included young mothers and fathers, retired folk and working people. Their point was to stand up and be counted, that they had been ignored for too long and that the price hikes are having a real detrimental effect on their lives.
Unlike a lot of others who moan and do nothing these people had the courage of their convictions.
For information, those who needed to be somewhere urgently were let through !
Sadly the political paries jumped on the bandwaggon with their usual blah blah afterwards.
Mr Macron should take note…
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Like that idea.
At my pinch point the queues were quite extensive so that those who needed to be somewhere urgently still had quite a wait until they were close enough to put their case. Nurses & home carers often have standard cars so from 30 cars away in a queue they cannot be recognised & singled out. Once they get to the front & can explain their case they (as I eventually was) were allowed through.
I totally agree with the right to protest but perhaps more thought should go in to the methods used.
Out of interest, Ann, which pinch point were you on to witness the urgent cases being let through?
La Châtre !
Took part in the 80 kmph protests too, but they were more ‘mobile’ !
Also took part in protests several years ago about bringing nuclear waste through our small town.
Mobilise for change, of course didn’t happen with the 80 kmph issue, but for the nuclear waste we won, for the fuel hike, will have to wait and see. Will be prepared to be out again !
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Around one of the other towns not far from here …
I did not realize that my local town would be blocked today, Sunday… they obviously enjoyed themselves so much yesterday… and it is nice and sunny. (I would have stayed home if I had known…)
Anyway, spent 25 minutes trying to get across a 4-way roundabout… phew… at one point I tried to turn around, but it was impossible… just had to wait it out…
Thankfully, when my Sunday duties had been done and I was ready to come home… I went “the long way”… no problems and no traffic…
My local town is NOT on the list… so I had no way of knowing… drat…
How so?
Those who didn’t buy petrol/diesel or whatever on the day will surely buy it another day when the same tax/duty/TVA will be collected and paid over to Government.
Given that TVA is collected per transaction but held by the merchant and then paid over to Government per temestre, will government loose any sleep over it?
Very doubtful.
At the end of the day, I agree with the Prime Minister Édouard Philippe when he said that the Government would rather raise tax on motor fuel than general taxation.
Like it or lump it, the machinery of government has to go on and it costs money which has to be found from somewhere.
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How about from all the millions of euros taken in fines for speeding ?
surely any income from speeding… would/could disappear… if folk “lifted their foot” 
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With the 80 kmph limit needlesly applied on a lot of straight stretches of road there are bound to be those who pass it 
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