Welcome back to France

[Poppy]

Thank you so much everyone for your kind remarks and support. You have all been a fantastic help and given me the incentive to fight on.

We have changed the meeting with the gendarmes from monday to wednesday. OH has appointment with urologist monday afternoon and it will be good if we can get xrays done in the morning ready for appointment.

[Pommier]

Poppy, I can only add my horror at what's happened to you and your husband. As if it's not dreadful enough having your husband's health problems I had hoped to read that you'd got back safely to France and everything was getting better, not that you'd been physically attacked by this lunatic digger driver. As has been said, don't let the gendarmes brush your complaint aside, make sure your complaint is official and acted upon. This man could have killed you (and could kill someone else with his uncontrolled temper)

I do hope that things improve soon for you.

[Gardian]

[quote user="Chiefluvvie"]I'll be in Toulouse tomorrow evening so leave it to me to sort out the scumbag taxi drivers - be my absolute pleasure! Chiefluvvie :-)[/quote]

Oh my gawd !!

I can see the headline now in next week's papers.

"British airline pilot taken in to custody in Toulouse for verbal assault on local cabbies". [blink]

[Hoddy]

Is there a local newspaper in Toulouse ? A letter written in good French might bring some interesting responses.

A letter to an English newspaper telling them how they treat tourists there might cause an even more interesting response.

Hoddy

[PaulT]

Whilst not excusing the taxi driver I wonder if it was a case of taxis queuing in line at the rank until it is their turn for a fare. Taking a fare to just the other side of the street would mean taking a fare of a euro or two and then back to the end of the rank, i.e. another wait until getting a fare to make a profit. 

[Hoddy]

That is perfectly plausible. It used to happen to me at East Midlands Airport, but it doesn't excuse the racism.

Hoddy

[Chiefluvvie]

[quote user="PaulT"]Whilst not excusing the taxi driver I wonder if it was a case of taxis queuing in line at the rank until it is their turn for a fare. Taking a fare to just the other side of the street would mean taking a fare of a euro or two and then back to the end of the rank, i.e. another wait until getting a fare to make a profit. [/quote]

Oh didums - just like the majority of taxi drivers around the world. I suggest they get a different job if they can't take the rough with the smooth - poor darlings.

It's the overt racism I have much more of an issue with! Ignorant and shameful but sadly not at all surprising - come across it everywhere.

Chiefluvvie

[Patf]

Paul makes a good point. Also the station at Toulouse is at one side of a very busy dual carraigeway with the Canal running down the centre. So there's quite a detour to get to the other side.

No call for the racist remark though.

[Poppy]

Don't know whether I have finally lost my marbles but I can't believe the posts I have read from Paul and Patf. Their post have upset me just as much perhaps more than the racism and assaults from the french.

Patf , Yes the crossing from the station at Toulouse is very difficult which is why my OH didn't think he could make it to the other side. The detour which you descibe as quite a detour took 3 minutes.

Paul, I can assure you that the last thing on my mind while my OH crawled on his knees across the taxi rank was whether  the taxi driver was going to lose out on a few euros. In reality however he gained a lot. There were only two taxis at the stand it took him five minutes to take us to the hotel and get back to his same slot with 30 Euros in his pocket. He did not even back up so my OH did not have so far to crawl and did not help me at all with the luggage. I would think that the average fare from station to hotels etc in Toulouse is around the 10 Euro mark so taxi certainly didn't lose out.

It is possible that OH was not only on his last legs at Toulouse station but sadly forever so I hope both you Patf and Paul are never in this situation.

[mint]

Poppy, bon courage!  You have already made superhuman efforts, getting your OH home.  My heart quails just imagining if I had to achieve what you have done so well.

Let's hope that tomorrow will bring you fresh hope.  At least, you will get the x-rays done and see the specialist.  So, the bright side is that SOMETHING is being done.....keep at it, Poppy!

 

[Poppy]

Many thanks Sweet 17 and to all the others who have supported me; can never thank you all enough for keeping me going.

Sorry but Paul & Patf postings were like another one of those 'emails' from the Insurance Company.

[Patf]

Hmmm..... I was only trying to "judge favourably" - the french that is. And probably Paul was too. Thank God have never had racist reactions  like those 2 situations you describe.

Hoping your husband is feeling better soon.

[Chiefluvvie]

Poppy - my heart goes out to you and your husband and I'd urge you not to give in - after all these plonkers you've come across are but mere mortals. I'd love just 5 minutes with any of them on your behalf - I'd clean them and it would be a pleasure.

Taxi drivers are a personal 'favourite' of mine - none worse than in Paris, London and Rome - although happy to add Toulouse to the top 4. I rarely play the 'female card' but can honestly say that the some of the most 'uncomfortable' experiences of my life have been due to taxi drivers. It gives me great pleasure to assume that they all have incredibly sad lives and small pric*s!

Onwards Poppy, onwards.......

Chiefluvvie

[Russethouse]

I'd have asked the hotel to procure me a taxi, maybe the driver would have valued that business more than a one off 'request', but of course you may have done that.

I like to think that I would help out a fellow human being where ever possible, the racist remarks and lack of help were very harsh indeed

We'll be thinking of you both tomorrow, with our fingers crossed

Btw...the idea of writing to the Toulouse newspaper has some merit IMHO and I would cc the local tourist office!

If you can add a comment on Trip Advisor, all the better......don't get mad, get even!

[Gardengirl]

You'll both be in my thoughts tomorrow, Poppy.

[idun]

I am going to pm you Poppy.

[PaulT]

[quote user="Poppy"]Don't know whether I have finally lost my marbles but I can't believe the posts I have read from Paul and Patf. Their post have upset me just as much perhaps more than the racism and assaults from the french.

Paul, I can assure you that the last thing on my mind while my OH crawled on his knees across the taxi rank was whether  the taxi driver was going to lose out on a few euros. In reality however he gained a lot. There were only two taxis at the stand it took him five minutes to take us to the hotel and get back to his same slot with 30 Euros in his pocket. He did not even back up so my OH did not have so far to crawl and did not help me at all with the luggage. I would think that the average fare from station to hotels etc in Toulouse is around the 10 Euro mark so taxi certainly didn't lose out.

It is possible that OH was not only on his last legs at Toulouse station but sadly forever so I hope both you Patf and Paul are never in this situation.


[/quote]

Poppy, sorry if I have upset you but the saying 'two sides to an argument' come to mind. And I was only putting a possible reason. However, I did not condone his racism.

I am aware of taxi drivers displeasure at short journeys, in my case from Gatwick airport to where we lived which was about a 1.5 mile drive.

[Poppy]

Hospital hat on today. Detailed xrays of hubbys back show four broken vertebrae, probably similar to compression fracture that Norman suffered.. Took xrays to Urologist who said couldn't possibly be anything to do with recent hormone and radiation treatment. He has however stopped hormone treatment and bone scan last June showed no problems!!!! Never mind have to move on from that and good news is appointment with Rhumatologist on thursday.

Travel Insurance update -our Doctor has decided he doesn't understand English travel insurance and says he wants things done the french way. Proper written letter on headed paper detailing information required.

[mint]

Thanks for the update, Poppy, especially as I have been thinking of you today.

And progress and good news in the circumstances too!

Yup, onwards and upwards and keep strong for Wednesday [:D]

[Russethouse]

 What a shame the Doctor didn't let you know his stance when you were in such desperate trouble ! His doing things the French way may have been a contributory factor in all this hassle with the insurance company!

[Poppy]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

 What a shame the Doctor didn't let you know his stance when you were in such desperate trouble ! His doing things the French way may have been a contributory factor in all this hassle with the insurance company!

[/quote]Yes Russethouse, very disappointing. Not having much luck with things french at the minute. Just have to try and use it as more fodder to show policy not suitable for expats.

[minnie]

Hope things work out for you Poppy on all fronts. It is rather worrying over the travel insurance. Are you able to name them? I wonder if any other ex-pats have had similar experiences or do people take out French travel insurance.

[mint]

In answer to your question, minnie, when I went for a mountain walking holiday with a British company (a company I have known for over 40 years), they wouldn't let me have my insurance cover through them as I no longer lived in the UK.  I took out cover from a French company and had to send them the details before they'd allow me to join their organised walks.  Now, that to me, seems more honest and I understood the company's position completely.

I was thinking of going skiing but I have been hesitating as I haven't been very well.  Skiing holiday insurance in France is actually surprisingly cheap and good value and they usually give it you for the whole season and not just the one trip.

Poppy, hoping all goes well for you tomorrow.

[powerdesal]

This is a truly awful report and I think the idea of it being reported to the local press, the tourist authorities and the Gendarmerie is the way to go.

However, I would be wary of highlighting what some of you have referred to as ''racism'', whilst I have no idea of the ''race'' of Poppy and her husband, from her comments regarding the English suffering and 'go back to England' I as assuming that she and her husband are ''white English''. As such there is / was no racism involved as both English and French are the same race.

Please don't confuse Nationalism with racism, it's not the same.

[Quillan]

[quote user="powerdesal"]This is a truly awful report and I think the idea of it being reported to the local press, the tourist authorities and the Gendarmerie is the way to go. However, I would be wary of highlighting what some of you have referred to as ''racism'', whilst I have no idea of the ''race'' of Poppy and her husband, from her comments regarding the English suffering and 'go back to England' I as assuming that she and her husband are ''white English''. As such there is / was no racism involved as both English and French are the same race. Please don't confuse Nationalism with racism, it's not the same.[/quote]

The average "white" English person has 15% French DNA and the percentage gets less as you move north in the UK. This shows that there is a very slight racial difference which would be difficult in many cases to recognise. I shall ask Mrs 'Q' if she has time to dig it out but there is a precedence in UK law because many years ago a French person in the UK had a private prosecution claiming racism and won. Most people talk about racism when there is an outwardly difference like colour, eyes etc but that is not always the case. I know of a Scot living in France who claimed racism against a company opposite his house who kept parking their lorries across his drive thus blocking access and he won. His claim was that if he was French they would not have done it. I believe the maximum fine for racism in France is €40,000 although that level of fine has only been reached once or twice.

Personally I would just repeat several times in conversation to the Gendarmes what the guy said and leave it for them to decide. I might suggest the guy is racist yet not say he is.