It make you wonder...

[Cathar Tours]

How peoples logic works.

Just go back from a couple of weeks holiday in Spain. There were many retired Brits living where I holidayed. Visiting the bars most evenings for a couple of beers once people see your British they start to talk to you. At one point Brexit came up and I was surprised how many had been able to vote and that they voted in favour of leaving even though they lived in Spain full time.

I asked how they felt about losing their S1 should the UK leave and many said it was not a problem as they would use their EHIC card and claim the money back. When I mentioned this was an EU based card and that may well end they sort of looked a bit blank and a couple said they didn't know that. Some got quite stroppy saying the EU wouldn't dare stop their S1's and EHIC cards because the UK would do the same in retaliation. Seems those living there didn't think it through as in how it would effect them directly before casting their vote. Fortunately not my problem but it does make you wonder how some people think at times.

[idun]

Isn't this a case of what is heard in the pub is the 'Law', the rules.

What do people think, I don't think that they do. There is a certain arrogance to believing that one is exempt or could not be touched by change.

Will this be a case of 'pride comes before a fall'? To be seen.

[NormanH]

I wonder how many of them have a carte de séjour or the Spanish equivalent in their case? I have just re-newed mine for 10 years in case it is needed, but I only know 1 British person in France apart from me who has one, and his is out of date.

Other people look as you blankly if you mention it.

[alittlebitfrench]

I had one but it expired years ago.

I bet yours did not have 'cadre' written on it.

You know two now Norman. LOL

[NormanH]

I meant 'know' in the sense of having met ...no doubt there are others, but none in my admittedly small group of British acquaintances.

As the OP wrote it makes you wonder when you hear people who have erroneous yet confidently-held views.

 

[nomoss]

[quote user="NormanH"]I wonder how many of them have a carte de séjour or the Spanish equivalent in their case? ..............................

[/quote]

The Permiso de Residencia for EU citizens in Spain was replaced some time ago by the Certificado de Residencia, after the previous document was ruled to be illegal, see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/residency-requirements-in-spain

I'm guessing that about as many chancers living there have the new Certificado as had the old Residencia when we were there.

Once I closed my business we decided to move away from the holiday crowds of Mallorca for somewhere more peaceful, and started looking at small towns and villages on the mainland, both on the coast and inland.

It seemed that we had barely arrived in a popular bar in almost any town before we were approached by Brits offering to find us a house, do building work, or just generally smooth our way in our "new" country. This is why "once people see your British they start to talk to you", as mentioned by the OP,  - they are usually just looking for an angle.

It reminded me of the ubiquitous people wanting to clean my windscreen, watch my parked car, or "show me around the best shops" when living in middle and far eastern countries.

It didn't take much inquiry to find these Brits had no resident permits and were working illegally "on the black", and we felt they had already created a bad impression of Brits in the area, even worse than their reputation as tourists in some parts of Mallorca.

This was definitely a factor in our decision to move to France, where the British scroungers and "hangers-on" are thinner on the ground, at least away from the better-known resorts.

[Gluestick]

[quote]As the OP wrote it makes you wonder when you hear people who have erroneous yet confidently-held views.[/quote]

Ah, Norman; it is the crowd psychology of "Collective Belief".

See here:

Interestingly, the first person to research and consider this deeply was a Frenchman, Gustav Le Bon, in the late 1800s.

Invariably, people stubbornly cling on to some belief since the truth frightens them: they have something to lose.

Lots of examples in history, for one example, the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

The "Hi Tech" companies then were of course automotive manufacturers and electronics corporations. They had all issued profits warnings well before the crash, since clearly, the consumer could simply not afford to consume the same volume of product.

Yet, as always, the market denied reality and fact and continued urging people to liquidate assets, take out huge mortgages and "Get rich quick!".

Precisely the same with the Dot.Bomb fiasco: everyone would be millionaires. The fact most of the early Dot.com issues hadn't actually made any money and thus profit, seemed to pass them by....

In the case of the potential aftermath of Brexit, people living in Spain and France, in many case, have convinced themselves bad things won't happen.

Mainly since they fervently do not want them to, thus clearly a case of Ostrich Syndrome!

Whereas, prudent people (and companies) use Contingency Planning, not the Mr Micawber Analysis!