rbaz

iTrader: (1)

I live in France in a fairly remote place only a few houses around and no direct neighbors at all.
Just had a knock on the door (8.30pm here) opened it to find 2 scruffy blokes (possible farther and son) They started rabbiting on about something I couldn't understand a word of it the older one had no front teeth and had clearly been drinking and my French is very basic.
The younger one could speak clearer and I worked out they had got stick in the snow (no fresh snow for 24 hrs mind ) and wanted me to drive them 5km to get a tractor.
Its pitch black outside and no sign of them giving up.
Theirs not another house for about a KM its about freezing and the wife is sat on the sofa trying to get our 8month old to sleep.
I just want rid of them so start to put my boots on.
The wife isn't happy leaving them on there own and me going off with 2 strangers. Young lad says you have a Subaru (in French) my brain is clicking away who the f*ck is he
His phone rings but they dont answer it
The the older one then falls over almost taking the other one down too
Both pissed and probably put it in the ditch after a good drink
I ask the old bloke if its his car and he was driving? Yes he said
I ask again to make sure he understands me Yes the reply.
You drink alcohol and crash? No no alcohol.
Sorry No way Bye.

The old boy was not happy no idea what he was shouting at me but he was seriously pi**ed off screaming all the way up the road.

Hope I got it right and they had got stuck because he was pissed
The French hold grudges forever if you upset them

Strange world we live in

David_Dickson

Having seemingly sunk 9 bottles of pastis between 7 guys on new years eve, some guy left the party and spanked his car into a tree pretty close to where I live.
Nobody in the town is surprised or shocked.
Despite what the latest crackdowns may state, drink driving is par for the course in rural France, especialy in heavily agricultural areas like where I am.

As for shifty types hanging around the houses - I came out today to find several sets of footprints in the snow doing the rounds of all the buildings, up to each door and ground level window.

I used to have a big, pointy, angry looking, black dog, which despite being a soppy mutt, kept visitors away. Time to get another, I think. Rural france is often is not the bucolic idyl that many assume it to be.

Jamz3k

I think this can be said for most rural areas, i know where i live. drink driving, not taxing/MOTing and just general car swapping is rife(I live beside the local pub). I sometimes think i'm the only insured driver in the village.

rbaz

iTrader: (1)

It is very normal and just the way of life around here (central Brittany)
I dont laugh about it tho like the locals do.
Where are you from David?

dpb

So long as it wasnt the marie i reckon youll be allright

- Some vine maintainence geezer ( frighteningly developed hands ) decided to pick an 'arguement' with us when we were in a bar ( at lunch time ) down south - some **** about Tony Blair , i had to argee

Aparently he was a bit of a nutter anyway

rbaz

iTrader: (1)

Nah our Maire is a little bloke well in with the Chasse people
I got trouble down south a few years back same argument

billyray911

iTrader: (4)

Thought this sounds familiar

YouTube - Straw Dogs - Trailer

rbaz

iTrader: (1)

Jesus where did you find that?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

You've never see that film?

Drink-driving in France is endemic. Sunday afternoons and the very early hours of the morning are good times to stay off the roads, when sunday-lunchers and disco departures are on the road.

And several years ago, the government ordered a crackdown, to which the police responded by telling drivers there WOULD BE a crackdown............except not on sunday afternoons

FAR easier to invest in a thousand speed cameras anyway, (as they have done, and continue to do), THEY can catch drunks.............oh, wait............

I was at a bar once, in rural France, at lunch, and a road work-crew rolled in. They all drank beer and ate huge sandwiches, except for one bearded bloke who ate nothing, but sank SIX Pastis and waters.

When they left I was shocked to see HIM get into the truck cab and drive off.

I mentioned it to the bar owner, who agreed that yes, he was the driver, but no, it wasn't the bar owner's resposibility