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‘It is my right to work beyond retirement age - but France says no’
Age discrimination in the workplace is real but hidden, says (soon to be forcibly retired) English teacher Nick Inman
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‘Ponds in rural France are beautifully maintained but no longer used’
Columnist Peter Wyeth laments that these large, impressive sites, once the fresh-aired setting for family picnics, barbecues and fun, now fail to attract people
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‘New French speeding rule encourages aggressive drivers’
The change has enabled reckless motorists to drive even more wildly without fear of losing points, argues columnist Samantha David
Kill speed... but not for profit
The Ministry of the Interior’s latest initiative to discourage speeding by deploying civilian drivers involves some worrying logic.
We’re promised that subcontractors won’t be paid according to the number of fines issued but their employment will depend on it. If the scheme reduces speeding by deterrence it will quickly become uneconomical for private enterprise to be involved in it and the ministry will be back where it started.
There are other reasons for concern. An over-reliance on atomisation fudges the chain of responsibility. Radar cars will transmit data back to a central control point and it may become almost impossible to challenge the circumstances of a fine if a mistake is made.
Then there is the potential for entrapment. Who’s to say that a radar car operator won’t cruise down a straight, clear stretch of main road at an infuriatingly constant 87kph encouraging a tail of motorists behind him to overtake.
We need to do something drastic about speeding but there are some services the state cannot outsource. Law and order has to be a monopoly exercised by police personnel, in the interests of all.