QUOTE(cigalechanta @ Apr 1 2007, 10:26 PM) 
I confess to crawling under when my card didn't work at one time. A kind French lady assisted me.
Shall we all confess? Line up here!!
13 Arrested at Gare du Nord
I confess to crawling under when my card didn't work at one time. A kind French lady assisted me.
Shall we all confess? Line up here!!
I confess to crawling under when my card didn't work at one time. A kind French lady assisted me.
QUOTE
Though tempted, I decided to wait the 5 minutes as I didn't want to set the record for the being the oldest jumper in Paris history.
Oh Sam: Bonjour Paris would have come to your rescue! In the name of journalism ....
During your next trip, how about it ???
QUOTE(Karen @ Mar 31 2007, 10:26 AM)
QUOTE
I don't see a reason to suspect police overreaction in either the Paris or London episodes I mentioned.
On the other hand, I've never jumped over a turnstile.
Karen- I almost jumped one during my recent visit. I had swiped my Navigo pass and it registered but the gate didn't let me through. I tried to swipe the pass again, but it locks you out for 5 minutes to discourage more than 1 person using a pass at a time (in New York it is longer-10 or 15 minutes). I was in a hurry and looked around to see if jumping the turnstile would be noticed. Though tempted, I decided to wait the 5 minutes as I didn't want to set the record for the being the oldest jumper in Paris history.
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I don't see a reason to suspect police overreaction in either the Paris or London episodes I mentioned.
Sam -- I agree the police has every right to stop people and ask for papers. It's a question of style. I've been stopped a few times but treated with the utmost politeness. Kids rarely are treated that way ....
On the other hand, I've never jumped over a turnstile.
Karen and Al,
I don't see a reason to suspect police overeation in either the Paris or London episodes I mentioned. At Gare du Nord, the turnstyle jumper took a swing at the (I assume) RATP control person, probably because he's in the ocuntry illegally. That should trigger policce intervention, and quick since those ticket checkers are neither armed nor ready for physical contact.
At the Borders in London, the incident was only startling to me since it was going on in a retail store with customers still browsing the aisles. I don't know what started the incident, but as you know, asking for identity and resident ID is standard upon police contact in both France and the UK. So I don't think the cop asking the kid at Borders how long he had been in the country was unusual. By the way, the kids answer was "2 Years".
I don't see a reason to suspect police overeation in either the Paris or London episodes I mentioned. At Gare du Nord, the turnstyle jumper took a swing at the (I assume) RATP control person, probably because he's in the ocuntry illegally. That should trigger policce intervention, and quick since those ticket checkers are neither armed nor ready for physical contact.
At the Borders in London, the incident was only startling to me since it was going on in a retail store with customers still browsing the aisles. I don't know what started the incident, but as you know, asking for identity and resident ID is standard upon police contact in both France and the UK. So I don't think the cop asking the kid at Borders how long he had been in the country was unusual. By the way, the kids answer was "2 Years".
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Sam: I am NO advocate of violence either on the part of the public or the police. BUT,
But I'm sorry...just like I complain in the US of the FBI over extending itself I find it hard to justify unnecessary police action.
QUOTE
"How long have you been in England"?
Sam: I am NO advocate of violence either on the part of the public or the police. BUT, cops are terrorism conscious. C'est la vie reele. Please keep in mind that strange occurrences take place during election periods. It's as if politicians are being tested as to how they'll react.
A stop for turnstyle jumping on the Metro turned ugly at Gare du Nord Tuesday:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/world/eu...amp;oref=slogin
I went though Gare du Nord last week on my way to and from London. While in London, I thought as I almost always do how much closer to the edge Paris seems, meaning episodes like the one in the article, with London seeming more civil. Having said that, I went into a Borders near Oxford Street one night around 11 pm and the London police had one young guy on the floor in handcuffs, while they quizzed another with questions like "How long have you been in England"?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/world/eu...amp;oref=slogin
I went though Gare du Nord last week on my way to and from London. While in London, I thought as I almost always do how much closer to the edge Paris seems, meaning episodes like the one in the article, with London seeming more civil. Having said that, I went into a Borders near Oxford Street one night around 11 pm and the London police had one young guy on the floor in handcuffs, while they quizzed another with questions like "How long have you been in England"?