What a silly change

License plates in France always indicate the department of France where the car is registered. Sure I've been flipped off and cursed at while driving in the south, but maybe that's because they know me and not due to the "75" on the plates. Either way it never bothered me and was always a funny topic of discussion. ("Hey, how many times did you get the finger or randomly screamed at while on vacation?") Now the government is about to officially change to the new system which identifies the driver's department and make it neutral though provide the option of inserting an identifying something or other if they wish. How boring is that?

Living in Paris, it's always been a helpful indicator so you know how bad the driver is going to be. Parisian drivers get a bad and undeserved reputation but the real problem drivers are those from the suburbs. The drivers with 77,78, 91, 94 are the problems. They're not used to driving in town so they race the engine, race down the streets, blare the music and try and act tough when inside Paris. Beyond the suburban numbers you can be sure the driver will be even more confused and probably drive as though they are ready for cows or possibly sheep to jump out into the street at any given moment.

While crossing the street it is 99% certain (OK, let's say 90% and leave it at that) that a Parisian driver will follow the signs and let you cross without harassment. When I say "without harassment" I mean they leave you enough room to pass without feeling the air of the car go by. Meanwhile, the suburban drivers are in their usual panicked state so they will be worried about something and not paying attention. They don't even know there's a cross walk because they are trying so hard to get back out of town to the 'burbs. Consistently they are the drivers that are the problem. They are the drivers that visitors see and think are Parisian drivers because they drive like idiots. Well, they are idiots...they live in the god-awful suburbs of Paris after all. (And yes, of course they are all envious and wish they lived *in* Paris.) Next time in Paris and you see a bad driver, check those plates but do it fast because it's all going away.