Motorcycles are banned from parts of the Pyrenees National Park

[slowhare]

I saw this & thought it was relevant, although i might be posting it in the wrong section.

I’m quite irritated by this move, as it’s so sweeping and appears more than a little biased by i guess that’s the world we live in today.

A measure to limit noise pollution prohibits the use of motorcycles in parts of the High Pyrenees Natural Park (El Parque Natural de los Altos Pirineos). Electric vehicles and cars are not covered by the ban.

A ‘Special Noise Quality Zone’ (ZEPQA) was created, with a ban for motorcycles, quads and buggies throughout the year. This makes a large area of 80,000 hectares inaccessible to motorcyclists.

The ban excludes motorcycles from local roads and trails but does not place similar restrictions on cars. ‘Unfair discrimination’, says Moto de Campo Sostenible.

The regulations described in the ‘Action Plan for the declaration of a zone of special protection of acoustic quality in the Alt Pirineu Natural Park’ distinguishes motorcycles, mountain bikes, quads and buggies as ‘particularly noisy’ vehicles, without take into account their type approval or the level of decibels they emit.

More at, and taken from: https://www.femamotorcycling.eu/motorcy ... -pyrenees/

[Noggin]

Cue a huge amount of noisy protesting - a les fronch!!


TBF, Motorbikes are prohibited on the mountains where I live because it's a national park. Well, not on the public roads, but you are definitely not supposed to ride them actually on the mountain, off road or on the fire/4x4 tracks. Can kind of understand it. Not sure how they can bring in that ruling if they still allow cars

[slowhare]

I could understand it if it were off-road, on the trails too, but these are the regular public roads. It really grinds my gears!

[Noggin]

I could understand it if it were off-road, on the trails too, but these are the regular public roads. It really grinds my gears!

Don't worry. They WILL protest. Have you seen the number and size of protests against having an MOT equivalent??

[Bustaspoke]

I could understand it if it were off-road, on the trails too, but these are the regular public roads. It really grinds my gears!

Don't worry. They WILL protest. Have you seen the number and size of protests against having an MOT equivalent??

As I understand,it's on the Spanish side of the border,not sure if the Spanish are as volatile as Les Motards Francaise

[slowhare]

No, but today’s Paris riots are quite something. Commentators are saying it has little to do with the shooting of that teenager. I think it’s more a growing resentment directed against the government in general: the pensions reform, for example, was pushed through without going through due process, they just rammed it through, and that was never going to go down well with the French electorate.

[Noggin]

I could understand it if it were off-road, on the trails too, but these are the regular public roads. It really grinds my gears!

Don't worry. They WILL protest. Have you seen the number and size of protests against having an MOT equivalent??

As I understand,it's on the Spanish side of the border,not sure if the Spanish are as volatile as Les Motards Francaise

Aaah - geographically insensitive me!! Forgot there's another side of them!! LOL I've got French friends here that dislike the fact that the face of Mont Blanc that we can see is the Italian face, not the French

No, but today’s Paris riots are quite something. Commentators are saying it has little to do with the shooting of that teenager. I think it’s more a growing resentment directed against the government in general: the pensions reform, for example, was pushed through without going through due process, they just rammed it through, and that was never going to go down well with the French electorate.

Yup - the general feeling of the few I do talk about that sort of thing with is very angry!! Especially in this region about the unemployment benefit rules changing. It wasn't viable to continue in the old way, however now it's very difficult to find seasonal staff as they aren't guaranteed unemployment benefit after the season - but equally I don't tend to see much in the way of demonstration up here!! This year was the first time they got big and close ish (an hour away!!)!!!

[mangocrazy]

No, but today’s Paris riots are quite something. Commentators are saying it has little to do with the shooting of that teenager. I think it’s more a growing resentment directed against the government in general: the pensions reform, for example, was pushed through without going through due process, they just rammed it through, and that was never going to go down well with the French electorate.

It looks quite likely that anti-Macron resentment will let Le Pen and co in by the back door. Not a prospect I'd be comfortable with.

[slowhare]

I guess it comes down to who you regard as the lesser of two evils: a WEF puppet or Le Penn

In the UK it’s worse, because there is no choice.

[Cousin Jack]

No, but today’s Paris riots are quite something. Commentators are saying it has little to do with the shooting of that teenager. I think it’s more a growing resentment directed against the government in general: the pensions reform, for example, was pushed through without going through due process, they just rammed it through, and that was never going to go down well with the French electorate.

Yup - the general feeling of the few I do talk about that sort of thing with is very angry!! Especially in this region about the unemployment benefit rules changing. It wasn't viable to continue in the old way, however now it's very difficult to find seasonal staff as they aren't guaranteed unemployment benefit after the season - but equally I don't tend to see much in the way of demonstration up here!! This year was the first time they got big and close ish (an hour away!!)!!!

Seems to me that the general population in most western civilizations are getting pissed off with any belt-tightening by any government. Everyone wants their cake now, and to hell with the economic consequences, and then will riot again when those economic chickens come home to roost. Makes me almost glad that I am not 20 any more, the next 50 years will be 'interesting'.

[Noggin]

No, but today’s Paris riots are quite something. Commentators are saying it has little to do with the shooting of that teenager. I think it’s more a growing resentment directed against the government in general: the pensions reform, for example, was pushed through without going through due process, they just rammed it through, and that was never going to go down well with the French electorate.

Yup - the general feeling of the few I do talk about that sort of thing with is very angry!! Especially in this region about the unemployment benefit rules changing. It wasn't viable to continue in the old way, however now it's very difficult to find seasonal staff as they aren't guaranteed unemployment benefit after the season - but equally I don't tend to see much in the way of demonstration up here!! This year was the first time they got big and close ish (an hour away!!)!!!

Seems to me that the general population in most western civilizations are getting pissed off with any belt-tightening by any government. Everyone wants their cake now, and to hell with the economic consequences, and then will riot again when those economic chickens come home to roost. Makes me almost glad that I am not 20 any more, the next 50 years will be 'interesting'.

It was interesting to talk to a friend who's a similar age to me last season. When I said that I sort of understand the anger at the pension changes his response was - "I bloody don't. They should work harder and not sit on their butts with their hands out." Well, he was speaking very fast Savoie French, but that's the gist!! LOL

So, not everyone feels like they deserve a handout. But I think in the cities it is worse. Out here it's farming communities, so they've grown up working hard and now have ski seasons that are 5 months of mental work followed by the rest of the year farming. They probably deserve to retire earlier but also there are less expecting hand outs!


The reports on the 'riots' in Paris are interesting. I've seen nothing in the news on FB (usually local stuff pops up, and big stuff too). The comments I've seen on one thread on an expat page are that it's being wildly over reported and nothing like what the UK and US papers are saying.

I have no idea for sure as I'm a blooming long way away from Paris, but it seems relatively localised in Paris and has, as fairly usual, turned into breaking windows and looting over a peaceful demonstration about the killing (apparently it has been reported that the gendarme didn't follow the guidelines/rules for using a firearm).

Even my mother has asked me if it's close to me and am I ok - she's even worse at geography than I am!

[Noggin]

Turns out I'm very wrong - bonus of living up a mountain, I don't find out about this stuff!! -

As in the night from Wednesday to Thursday, clashes broke out again in our Pays de Savoie after the death of Nahel, killed by a police officer during a refusal to comply on Tuesday in Nanterre in the Paris region. In Annecy, Annemasse, Chambéry and Albertville, several people started fires.

Another restless night in the Pays de Savoie. Despite the indictment of the police officer who shot and fatally hit the young Nahel, Tuesday in Nanterre after a refusal to comply, the tension does not seem to fall. In several cities of France, Paris region, Marseille or Lyon, violence broke out again this Thursday evening.

As a reminder, following the urban violence that occurred in the territory, the Préfet de la Savoie has taken two arrests:
- temporarily prohibiting the sale, transport and use of recreational fireworks, retail fuels, as well as acids and all flammable, chemical or explosive products until July 3;
- temporarily prohibiting the wearing and transport of weapons, all mixed categories, ammunition and objects that can constitute a weapon by destination and protective measures until July 3.
The prefect calls for everyone's accountability.

[Bustaspoke]

I had planned on booking the ferry from Newhaven tomorrow for 2 or 3 weeks tour of France,but after seeing what happened in Paris the other day I thought it best to wait a while,I think I made the right decision .
Bastille day should be interesting...

[Noggin]

I had planned on booking the ferry from Newhaven tomorrow for 2 or 3 weeks tour of France, but after seeing what happened in Paris the other day I thought it best to wait a while,I think I made the right decision .
Bastille day should be interesting...

Apparently it's not particularly widespread. It's small amounts of violence in specific areas. I suspect it will slowly die down because locals will get totally fed up of having their vehicles, businesses and homes trashed - the burning of public stuff (bins, bus stops etc) just costs all the locals money as well. The various prefectures are putting in some restrictions more to show they are doing something (I think) rather than because they think it will get worse. Well, hopefully!!