"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
12/01/2018 at 14:41 • Filed to: None
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"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
12/01/2018 at 14:41 • Filed to: None | 2
| 20 |
I had the brilliant idea of stopping off for a long weekend in Paris after a trip to Luxembourg. I booked an apartment in the lovely 1st
arrondissement - which is kind of fancy. I’ve never been to Paris, so it was a good idea at the time. Except the city is rioting with anarchists setting fire to police cars.
270 people were arrested, a bunch of people were hurt (including police), teargas was used, and I can’t really find a silver lining or even a reason.
Luckily, I have an acquaintance here who has been keeping me up to date on WhatsApp about where the protests are so I can avoid them. I’ve been staying in the 1st (where the protests have been most intense) and it’s been non-stop sirens. I took a walk along the Seine this afternoon and could hear things going absolutely bonkers above me (police seem to be pretty used to this so they keep them hemmed in and generally out of the way of tourists).
Everyone keeps saying these protests are over the cost of gas. To my calculation, the cost of gas us $6-7 USD per US gallon (about 1.45 euros per liter). According to this chart that I found, it doesn’t actually seem that crazy. I mean, it sucks, but it’s Europe. On a percentage basis, we have it worse in California (when compared to the US average) than they do in France vs the Europe average. California average is currently over 3.60/gal.
However, I don’t think this is about gas prices. I think it’s how the young people here are getting off. I saw a couple in their high vis jackets leaving a protest and they literally couldn’t wait to get home. They threw each other up on a wall and started smashing faces. That seems to kind of be the norm with the people I’ve seen. It’s your typical anarchist crowd, rioting for riot sake. Given the news today about politicians using this to put pressure on Macron, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone is lighting the fuse on this. Gas prices, my ass.
ttyymmnn
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 14:54 |
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I paid $2/gal US this morning. I’d be upset at $7/gal gas, but not enough to burn police cars. Sorry this is happening. My wife and I went to Paris about 20 years ago and had an absolutely lovely time.
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Nick Has an Exocet
> ttyymmnn
12/01/2018 at 14:56 |
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I’m still having a good time - it’s just not quite as good as it could be.
Dang, that’s some sweet sweet dino juice. I wonder what year it was when gas was last $2 in CA.
Blunion05 drives a pink S2000 (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST)
> ttyymmnn
12/01/2018 at 14:57 |
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Paid the same $2/gal here earlier this week, feels good man. But I can’t even get excited about gas prices because I don’t drive much lol
Alfalfa
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 14:59 |
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The French just like to riot, as far as I can tell. It’s a long-standing tradition.
Also gas has been around $2.90 here lately, but Thursday I was a little outside of my usual neighborhood and regular was $2.76.
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ttyymmnn
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 14:59 |
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It’s been a very, very long time since $2 gas in TX.
facw
> ttyymmnn
12/01/2018 at 15:04 |
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Gas in Austin is strangely cheaper than in Houston. You’d think right on top of the refineries would be about as cheap as you can get.
The place where I got gas in Austin was sometimes
$1.89 for regular (cash/debit). I got premium but that was still cheap when you tack on a grocery store discount (gas station at a Randall
s)
Svend
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 15:06 |
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It is about Macron putting up the price of fuel.
It used to be a lot worse in the old days. Farmers would blockade ports and intimidate truck drivers into leaving their truck where they’d turn them over, or empty the contents and/or set the truck a light. The police were no help and would stand back and watch.
These days it’s more peaceful but there have still been the odd death. Police do a lot more these days to stop them or just go right in and brake it up, where it becomes more sporadic.
You’ll be fine just keep your head down and aware of your surroundings.
E90M3
> ttyymmnn
12/01/2018 at 15:06 |
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Early 2016 diesel was $1.51 in Karnes City.
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ttyymmnn
> facw
12/01/2018 at 15:06 |
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I never understood that price difference either.
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Nick Has an Exocet
> Svend
12/01/2018 at 15:16 |
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That’s great background. Let’s still not tell my mother ;)
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Svend
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 15:43 |
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The farmers protests were the worst.
French wine producer protests pouring Spanish wine over the road.
As I say. Be aware of your surroundings.
Watch the news, don’t be a part of the news.
Yes, don’t tell your mother. Not until afterwards. Lol.
fintail
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 15:44 |
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Wasn’t it not long ago when 100 cars were burning every night in France? I’d just look at this as a slightly hotter than average weekend. The French love to protest, but not much seems to come of it.
Cé hé sin
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 15:53 |
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One issue is that the government has been raising diesel prices (by taxation) when the French have been accustomed to having cheaper diesel than petrol and have chosen cars accordingly. They now see the government as punishing them for making choices that they had previously been encouraged to make. Also, Macron is seen as aloof and uninterested in the problems of the little people.
In many cases though it’s just an excuse
for a riot.
For Sweden
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 15:57 |
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or...OR...you could become a Vanguard of the Revolution and make your mother proud, comrade.
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For Sweden
> Cé hé sin
12/01/2018 at 15:58 |
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Maybe the little people should have gone to an École!
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Cé hé sin
> For Sweden
12/01/2018 at 16:00 |
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Or eaten brioche.
ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 16:05 |
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Visited Paris while on a European trip in college some years ago. Among the cities we toured, Paris was the least impressive. I found it to be grimy, dirty, crowded, dingy, and nothing at all like I had imagined. Sure the light are pretty at night, but otherwise, I was just not impressed.
For reference, our trip included stops in Amsterdam, Cologne
, Brussels, Paris, and London. In 8 days. I enjoyed all the other cities. Paris was a huge let down. Le Louvre, Versailles, Notre Dam, and the Eiffel Tower are all neat enough tourist traps. Paris just kinda sucks.
farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 16:36 |
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eh... its the french... they’ll riot over anything
:p
DipodomysDeserti
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/01/2018 at 17:46 |
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Americans take being shit on by politicians for granted , so we only riot for really important reasons, like when our favorite sportsball team wins/loses a championship. Plus, we can just drill for oil in a nature preserve or invade another country if fuel prices get too high.
All you’re missing on the Champ Elysee is Russians trying to get young girls in their rented supercars, and smoking hot Persian women ignoring them.
pip bip - choose Corrour
> Nick Has an Exocet
12/02/2018 at 05:46 |
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if i were you, i’d be joining in the riots!
:)