MM Dix-Huit: Les Manifestations des Taxis

Alright, so I know it's not really Monday, but I had the idea to write this on Monday and got too busy, so that counts right?



Since we moved here people have told us to look out for the manifestations (aka strikes and demonstrations).  While we've seen the occasional protest and seen signs posting an upcoming strike on the trains, it's never really been that bad.  So maybe a few less trains have run toward Nick's work on a strike day, but really it hasn't affected life that much.

What confuses me though is why they announce the strike ahead of time and why it only lasts a day?  I mean sure, it's nice for me to know, but doesn't that defeat the purpose?

So on Monday, I had my first experience with a strike where it actually affected me.  I flew back to Paris Monday morning from Venice (more on that later) and promptly received a text from my airline:

This "strike" has been going on for several weeks now, but they only demonstrate every once in a while.  The taxi drivers are upset because of the "15 minute rule."  In Paris, it is legal and almost always the case, that if you call for a cab ahead of time, they will rack up 15 minutes of charges before you actually get in the car  However, the court has ruled that private chauffeur companies, like Uber, do not have to wait 15 minutes to pick up customers.  They also don't have to abide by the same regulations as taxis, which is part of the debate.  The result is that more and more people are taking Uber since it's only slightly more than regular cabs (or the same when you take away the extra 15 minutes) and is a nice sedan with water and snacks waiting for you, and you can book it straight from you phone!

So back to my trip back from the airport.  Ok, no problem, I think, no need for a cab; I always just take the public airport bus anyway.  I expected the bus to be busier than normal, which it was, but what I was not expecting was that a trip that is normally 30 minutes max from airport to my apartment turned into 2 hours.  (More time than I spent on the airplane!!)

And why, you may ask?  Because when the taxis go on strike it means driving in a group and blocking every highway exit that the bus needs to use.  No joke, and they were honking and wearing Jack the Ripper masks to top it off.  The part that shocked me the most was that I saw police along the road who just kept driving by!

I read in the newspaper this morning that it apparently got much worse later in the day, and the taxis blocked all exits of all airports...yikes!  And this is compared to last month's strike where they actually attacked private services like Uber, destroyed their cars, and sometimes beat the drivers and passengers inside the cars.

And did this really accomplish anything?  I have to say, I'm not so sure...they were back to work the next day and nothing has changed.  Now part of me is more inclined to take Uber after I've seen how the taxi drivers have acted!