Posts by Cheechako

on the one hand, do you work for a company

But my dear Mathews, who do you think you are? Or rather, stop treating other forum members like three-week-old chicks!

Do you have any knowledge of corporate economics?

Oh no, of course not—I’ve only "expertly" handled a few hundred of them...

And you? Do you even know how to break down an income statement?

PS: Back to Total Energies—a return on equity above 10%.......

Do you know any companies or businesses that are really profitable?

Well... yeah: TotalEnergies, Nvidia, LVMH, Apple... but also some kebab shops (yes, really!!!!!) or even my village bakery....

From what I know

To find out if a business is profitable, you need to know how to read a balance sheet and, most importantly, an income statement—preferably over several years....

Hello, In "the backpacker's guide," there's mainly "routard": a person who travels with a backpack and a very small budget. Over the past 50 years, it’s obviously evolved. But it was definitely aimed at "backpackers," looking for great tips to eat on a shoestring and find the coolest youth hostels. What’s left of it now? Maybe those famous "good deals"... Personally, I think it’s always been very food-focused... and sometimes I’ve searched in vain for the restaurants they recommended. At home, while I have a good fifteen Lonely Planet guides, I only have one or two *Routard* guides left. It happened naturally... maybe because I’ve never really been a Jack Kerouac fan?

Llanfairpwll, quite simply. Prince Harry knows it... Not the most beautiful spot in Wales...

It’d really only be with people who’ve never left their backwater that I’d say Los Angeles

Funny! I have some Franco-American friends (friends for 30 years) whose son lives in Los Angeles. We talk about it often, like all parents reminiscing about their kids. Well, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard them say L-A. And I don’t think they consider me someone who’s never left my backwater. There are abbreviations used in everyday life that have entered the "public domain"—Frisco, Pondy, etc.—and then there are the same ones, sometimes, used with a lot of affectation by some people to show that they... well, of course, in front of those they think have never left their backwater, etc., etc., etc. Actually, what amuses me isn’t the abbreviations themselves but how some people use them.

it's planned for tomorrow, that means: I don't know and I don't care.

No, it means that's what he sees on his screen. He may or may not care—you don’t know.

Anyway, not to beatify Air France, but just to say there are also people who do their best, no matter the company: two years ago, while traveling in northern Sweden, I had to return urgently. In my rush, I messed up my booking for a Stockholm–Rennes flight via Amsterdam. I made a one-day mistake that would’ve had me leaving Stockholm before I even arrived! So I called Air France customer service (yes, I did say customer service at 01 48 59 20 00). The agent fixed it right away, but while I was expecting an extra fee, she told me the ticket price had simply doubled. By the time she looked for another solution, the price had gone up again! So she decided to use her discretion and kept my ticket at the original price.

Just a little positive anecdote...

Hello, Before jumping into legal action or turning to consumer associations, maybe it's worth figuring out: 4 days after, the baggage still hasn't moved. And today, how many days is it? 5, 15, 20? You mentioned picking up your boarding pass at CDG. So was your baggage checked in again in Paris, or had it been checked through to Rennes from the start? I know Rennes airport well—I've been using it regularly for over 20 years. It's true that the AF counter has been empty for years... but there *is* a baggage service right at the exit of the arrivals hall. It's a very small airport, so I assume that's the service you dealt with. Piles of stacked luggage—I've sadly seen worse, like in Geneva or Frankfurt... Last year, with AF, my baggage didn’t arrive in Spain in the evening when I flew in from... Rennes. It was delivered the next afternoon to Andújar (over 250 km away). In the meantime, I was kept updated on its journey via AF emails. Your situation is truly frustrating, but unfortunately, it’s not unique—especially during peak season, no matter the airline. Good luck...

it’s ‘Nica’ for ‘Nicaragua’.

Haha, but this country is in Central America, not "SAm"—so you’re spared that one! I mean, how else would all these insiders, these mini Nicolas Bouvier or Alexandra David-Néel types (though they mostly went to Asia) who end up in SPA (San Pedro de Atacama for the clueless) put it?

This morning, a speed check right outside my place. It’d been 15 months since they last showed up...

Actually, our truck is a heavy goods vehicle (6.5t) that was downgraded to a light vehicle (3.5T),

Really? I thought it was practically impossible, and systematically refused by the DREAL (especially since the empty weight of a 6.5t HGV is around 3.5t, ...).

Hi, What’s a shame (and not just for the forum) is that it seems more important to know the risk of getting caught than the risk of causing accidents!

Note: just to get near the boat, you’re looking at a fine of at least 270 €, points lost on your license, vehicle impoundment, or even losing your commercial license—and therefore no insurance....

French traffic laws have nothing to do with this.

But of course they do. Attila clearly said: "for France" The Vienna Convention is an international treaty that standardizes a set of rules for signatory countries (including France). For these rules to be applicable in each signatory country, it’s up to them to incorporate them into their national law. In France, that means the Highway Code.

So the legal basis for any potential offense would indeed be the Highway Code, Article 317-8).

In France, the requirement to display two plates has been part of the Highway Code long before the Vienna Convention (Article R101 from 1958, now R317-8).

those 4 or 5 pillars of this forum who are here 24/7.

Watch out, though—you’re heading that way...

2 forums to read—given the level, it’s done in 5 minutes)

😄 Well, after the nice suit aimed at the other forum, here we go with this one?

Hello, What’s with this forum being so agreeable? You’ve really piqued my curiosity.....

Sounds like a controversial mood.

😉 Yeah, of course. You know I love this, but only with you, obviously.

Okay, more seriously,

with set times and days

Not entirely: usually, you’re offered a schedule of appointment slots. I thought we were just talking about the direct cost of getting to Paris. But:

the two lost days, impossible or difficult to plan, so very hard, even impossible to negotiate with an employer,

Ah, right, sorry. Being retired myself, I stupidly thought like a retiree! Mea culpa.

So, if you’re still working. Well, it’s going to be more complicated because there are so many different situations! It’s not just employees who travel—far from it! You could be self-employed, for example, a business owner or an organized executive, and "make the most" of these trips, or even more if you’re "clever" (overhead costs), etc. And then, some employees work in professions where these "availability" days are easier to find than others... But in the toughest cases, which might not be yours... it can indeed be a real problem.

For what I’ll call the "additional" costs: Living 60 km from Rennes, for example: the slow train to Rennes costs around 12 €, otherwise the bus (meh...) or a taxi (ouch! around 120 €). Or maybe a sympathetic friend, a helpful colleague, a regular carpool... Finally, when an in-person appointment is mandatory, it’s for the visa application. Once it’s approved, most of the time you can have your passport sent to you. So the cost is then cut in half...

Is the ETA conditional on not having visited certain countries? I don’t know; do we have the list?

Roughly the same as for the ESTA (before the latest Trump-era restrictions): Afghanistan, Eritrea, Yemen... My passport has a beautiful stamp from one of them. Will I have to get a new one?

Hi,

Two round trips from the far-flung province to Paname to apply for and then pick up a visa—luckily, it doesn’t cost or even come close to 1000 euros! And even in first class... For example, from my beloved Brittany, a round trip is around 100 to 120 € (just checked for August...). It’s something I’ve had to do several times for the DRC (and I could’ve just made one trip and had my passport/visa mailed back to me).

It’s still a quirk of the United States.

Oh no—our very charming neighbor, the United Kingdom, and its ETA... simply put.

In other cases that exist or have existed, it was just a matter of stamps in the passport, and since there aren’t many left

Was it? Not sure that’s over. Because those "blacklisted" countries are also the ones that stamp passports... Plus, I know at least two people who aren’t diplomats or secret agents... who legally have two (French) passports for these reasons. So when you say the U.S. mostly has the means to *make* people believe they have the means... I kinda agree. But without absolute certainty, though...

As for undocumented immigrants, that’s another topic—I doubt most of them entered using a European tourist ESTA.

Of course. In Iceland in August, it's also... summer.

I don’t know where you’re traveling, but in the places I frequent, checks are constant and quite aggressive.

Regarding Alex76000’s route, it’s usually entering Germany via Enschede (and Osnabrück), then either heading toward Jutland via Flensburg or taking the ferry from Puttgarden to Rødby. Same spots on the way back. But my last trips were in 2024…

The fine is just a few euros,

Okay, so that probably won’t be Alex76000’s biggest issue.

and without basis, as it contradicts the 1977 Vienna Convention.

I thought that Convention, which came into force nearly 10 years after it was signed (!), mainly covered road signs.

Regardless, nothing stops a country from having its own specific rules on certain automotive matters (for example, in Spain, you need two warning triangles), or—even more annoying in my opinion—setting its own legal blood alcohol limits for driving.

But we’re getting off-topic from the thread’s original concern.

Good evening, As far as I'm concerned, I've never been checked in Germany—neither at the border nor afterward—over the past three years (or before that). However, on two occasions, I was stopped by police when entering Denmark by ferry from Puttgarden to Rødby. (Passport check only.) As for the first-aid kit, I thought it was only mandatory for vehicles registered in Germany... In any case, all this should encourage Alex 76000 to make sure they have everything they need to avoid getting into a sticky situation! !

Hi there, I think your question should be a bit broader than just about boarding in Denmark... From what I understand, you’ve applied for your "carte grise" (vehicle registration certificate) through the ANTS and now have a CPI (Provisional Registration Certificate). As far as I know, this is only valid for driving in France and for a maximum of one month. I’ve never noticed ferry companies in France or elsewhere asking for the "carte grise". However, they do ask for the registration number (they mainly use it to check the exact dimensions of your vehicle). That said, I’d be much more cautious when it comes to foreign authorities. You’ll be crossing Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and maybe Sweden... before reaching Norway. The chances of being asked to show your papers along the way are slim. But all it takes is one incident, an accident, or an unexpected road check... For example, I once witnessed a personal injury accident in a tunnel in Norway: the police, who were very polite, still kept me at the scene for nearly 2 hours after I presented all the required documents. But you can request a CPI-WW from the ANTS, which I believe is the mandatory document for your situation. I hope you receive your "carte grise" before you leave—it would make things so much simpler and less stressful!