Jonzjob Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I wonder if any of you have one of these groups in your area and if so have you joined?http://www.voisinsvigilants.org/In English it's Neighbourhood Watch and seems to be taking off here at last. Been going for a while but now seems to be accelerating. We have joined the one that has just started in our bit of the village, the only one so far. It's been a very good idea in the U.K. and can't be but good here too if it makes thugs think twice and move on. Another thing is that here at least it seems to be able to bring neighbours, who will quite often sit behind their gates, to talk to each other. That can't be a bad idea.Some, at the bottom of our road are asking the mairie to organise it and they have said no, that it isn't possible for them to look over peoples fences/walls/hedges/gates and that it's a neighbourhood thing. They would probably be accused of 'big brother' if they tried? Afeter all can the mairie know who owns what car/dog/children and when they come and go. The neighbours notice those things and if they cooperate they can really help to stop these thugs in their tracks!If you look at the site above you can find if there is one where you are, if you don't already know, and make a difference. Plus meet neighbours who are normally hidden away. Got to be worth it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Good idea, Jonz.One wonders why the old rural French commune tradition of gardes-champêtres seemed to fall into disuse?Many of the small agricultural communes around us in Northern France used to have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 We need to be careful here; many French villages still have professional nosey parkers who go round peeping over hedges and the like to see what folks are up to, and then report to the mayor or gendarmerie. There has to be some sort of trust filter here, for if the mairie starts using citizens, say, to report illegal swimming pools or other illegalities, then all trust will be destroyed. The intelligence gathering services have to manage this in some way and to be able to filter out what they don't want, in a country where people seem to love to drop other people in it.It also means that the minority, Muslim, community or any other foreign community, will feel spied on contunually, not just by the official services but by other citizens. Not the best recipe for harmony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 [quote]to report illegal swimming pools or other illegalities,[/quote]Are you therefore condoning illegal activities, then, Woolley?In recent years, I have noticed the absence of local Gendarmes in our area. Same as the UK, probably: all too busy filling forms......An enhanced awareness of one's civil duties is surely not a bad thing? Quite the reverse, IMHO.[quote]It also means that the minority, Muslim, community or any other foreign community, will feel spied on contunually,[/quote]That's a bit of a leap and also, conflation of concept!The epidemic growth of local anarchy and accelerating aberrant social behaviour in Western society has been mainly since an increasing majority are too self-focused to realise the critical importance of minimum acceptable behavioural standards: as well as apathy.Surely, that was and could be the benefit of Garde Champêtres? Since such quasi-official citizens are subject to certain controls, which prevent (or should) motivation by long standing vendettas....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 WB has a point. With the French traditions of 'dilation' and 'collaboration' this scheme doesn't have the same ring to it as Neighbourhood Watch ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Gluey, to answer your question, yes, I do believe in a degree of 'illegality' as withiout it society would crack. It would be like trying to drive a car without shock absorbers. The question of course is one of degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Good grief Wooly! You can't drive a car without shockers, that illegal and you may get reported [:-))]The groups are quite small for the VV here and ours has a max of 21 homes, of which 17 have signed up so far. It has a 'controller' or whatever she is called. If you are going to drag the problems of vendetters into it then you would find here that if one side of one was in a group then the other side wouldn't touch it with a long pole.As far as I am concerned, until it goes toes up it is a bleedin good thing. As it stands at the moment it sounds as if some are trying to drown it before it even proves what it can do and if it prompts thugs to do their dirty work somewhere else then I hope it isn't landed on the door step of those who doubt it and don't join? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 [quote user="woolybanana"]Gluey, to answer your question, yes, I do believe in a degree of 'illegality' as withiout it society would crack. It would be like trying to drive a car without shock absorbers. The question of course is one of degree.[/quote]Do I detect a student of Mikhail Bukanin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 What is an illegal swimming pool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Built without planning permission, or without the regulation barriers etc?.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 An illegal swimming pool?One that in't legal [8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Oh you mean un taxed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 [quote user="Théière"]What is an illegal swimming pool?[/quote]I presumed that it was one where those banned from swimming had been caught (swimming while under the influence, without due care and attention, without insurance, with an expired medical certificate, furious swimming, or using a banned swimming style).Or is it the swimming equivalent of a speakeasy - ie all the above practices are permitted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Well, this is about as far away from the original VV as it can get I suppose, but nobody has yet mentioned the silent p in swimming? It's not illegal, but not really good either.[:(]One point about VV. Would you pronounce it W or VV?[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I have noticed that when a bunch of Gypsies pitch up on the edge of the village as they do during the summer months . Without an organised group of watchers the word goes round to keep an eye on your "stuff " like wildfire . Personally I have never had any problems from them but I think some are a bit scared of them. Given the close contact our friendly postmen and women have with the population and the amount of chatting they do they must know everything even down to who's cat had kittens last ... Best spy network in France the Post . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 [quote user="Jonzjob"]...nobody has yet mentioned the silent p in swimming? I...[/quote]That's cos there's no silent P in piscine, Jon!!Angel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Quote form I "but nobody has yet mentioned the silent p in swimming?" Not piscine Loiseau and if you have a p whilst swimming you don't hear a single splash or anyfing init [6] Therefore it's silent [8-|] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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