I wasn't really planning on adding anything to this discussion, as those of us who live year round in this holiday paradise known as France now have this year's fuel crisis behind us. However, I'd like to make a few comments after all. First off, I don't know what gives anyone the idea that fuel is cheaper over here as some types of petol are fast approaching the 8 French francs a litre mark and the price of domestic fuel for heating has tripled over the last few months. Now, this strike business. . . it's not something that only happens once in a blue moon. Of course I agree that people need to be able to strike for better wages, working conditions and so on. . . . but all the time?? If it's not the truck drivers and all their "road professional" chums (such as taxi, ambulance and tour bus drivers, etc., etc.) blocking fuel depots and refineries, it's the train drivers on strike and if you depend on the trains to go to work, for example, you can't go and tough if it costs you your job. If it's not the train drivers, then it's the postal workers and too bad if you don't get your tax declaration sent in on time, you end up paying 10% more as a late penalty. If it's not the postal workers, it's the trash collectors and so what if it ends up all over the streets, it stinks and there are rats everywhere? If it's not the trash collectors, then it's the hospital personnel and God help you if you happen to be in hospital right then with something serious. If it's not the hospital personnel, well then maybe it's the school teachers and the children who ought to be in class loose a couple of weeks to a month and fall way behind in their studies and have to make up time at the end of the school year. And if it's not any of the above, it's the air controllers and/or the airport personnel and everyone's grounded. . . I'm sure you get the picture This strike-at-the-drop-of-a-hat stuff and the fact that it makes hostages out of lots of people who have absolutely nothing to do with this or that social conflict (that's what they like to call it) is one of the most difficult things---after the language, of course---to deal with over here. And it isn't just once in a while, it's ALL THE TIME. There was another big fuel shortage two years ago when the truck drivers had not only blocked both fuel depots but stranded a lot of truckers from other countries in France. Remember all that? and now that they've found out how effective it is, it certainly won't be the last. On the other side of the coin, I must admit that strikers certainly aren't entirely wrong, given that the people supposedly running this country let things degenerate to the point where the folks out there trying to scratch a living in France where one's income is taxed to the tune of about 45-50% feel that the only thing left to do is put on a strike in order to be heard.

Aux