http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Meanwhile in France.... en Mon, 18 May 2026 16:05:32 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8330#post-83321 Mon, 03 Sep 2012 18:39:31 +0000 cc 83321@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sounds a bit like Tollcross when I lived there ... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8330#post-83312 Mon, 03 Sep 2012 17:14:47 +0000 Pocopiglet 83312@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I spent many a happy time watching the parking tricks from the balcony of my flat when I worked in Paris. There was the gentle nudging back and forth to get into a space, the more severe bumping to shift the other cars which had been nudged too close and were preventing the leaving of the space, and then there was the abandoned at 45 degrees to the kerb. Best one I ever saw was the guy who changed his wheel in his space but couldn't get the jack out and so just drove off the jack in the parking space; he caused massive amounts of damage. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8330#post-83308 Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:30:09 +0000 PS 83308@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The French seem to be a lot more chilled out about their cars than we do in the UK, so maybe a new car is less of a status symbol? </p> <p>Cars seems to be kept for much longer than here. Scratches and dents are not the cause of heartache and anguish. </p> <p>The bumper is just that in France - pretty much the original parking aid: just reverse until you hit what you're reversing towards, then stick it in first gear and straighten up. Once saw a Clio driver perform just such a manoeuvre reversing into a Porsche in Paris. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8330#post-83302 Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:12:31 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 83302@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Only caught a bit of this listening to French radio at lunchtime, but it appears that car sales in France have slumped quite dramatically. Caught figures around 20% - <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120801-704597.html">English language article here</a>.</p> <p>Wasn't there something recently about new car registrations going <em>up</em> in Scotland? </p>