Europe Becomes more like America everyday

[Strider]

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,68809,00.html

PARIS -- A band of eco-vigilantes is taking a firm but gentle stand against fast-growing SUV sales in France and Europe, deflating the tires on gas guzzlers in a protest against conspicuous waste.

Members of a group called Les Dégonflés say they recently let the air out of tires on about half a dozen SUVs parked in the upscale VI arrondissement using bicycle pumps -- a technique that they say causes no lasting damage -- and plastered windshields with leaflets proclaiming that "nearly everyone needs an oxygen mask." A spokesman for the group said they hope to recruit new foot soldiers to the cause by demonstrating their technique in an internet broadcast next month.

Les Dégonflés say they use part of a bicycle pump to deflate tires on SUVs parked in Parisian streets without setting off their alarms. The tire deflates by itself in about 10 seconds once the device is attached. A flyer with Les Dégonflés' manifesto is left on the SUV's window.

"We have to stigmatize SUVs by initiating a debate that will allow scientists and experts to publicly (declare) their hazards," said the spokesman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We don't want SUVs to be seen as a sign of wealth, but something that is associated with an imbecile."

The spokesman told Wired News that deflating SUV tires does not constitute a criminal act under the French penal code, according to legal advice the group obtained from eco-friendly attorneys who back Greenpeace and other environmental activist groups. The only legal risk they face are civil lawsuits by the SUV owners, who would have to prove property damage in a French civil court, the spokesman said.

The attacks come as SUV sales are rising in Europe. According to the Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles, Europe's leading car and truck trade association, the share of SUV registrations in European Union countries has more than doubled, from 3.2 percent in 1998 to 6.5 percent at the end of last year.

Sales are flourishing amid gas prices that would shock most Americans. In France, for example, before prices began to go up last week in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, you could easily pay $6.60 per gallon of gas. At that rate, it would cost more than $210 to fill up a Hummer H2 SUV and drive it 310 miles, based on the manufacturer's published range at 30 to 40 miles per hour on a hard surface and rolling terrain.

Les Dégonflés organize events by traditional mail, sending out letters to "friends of friends" with instructions to consult an online forum in which the next rendezvous is communicated, the spokesman said. The group's manifesto and communications are also listed on different Francophone forums, including those of La Brigade Antipub and Antibagnole.com.

The group's message has not been universally endorsed by environmental activists. A lawyer who represents Greenpeace and other environmental groups said he was "appalled" by the popularity of SUVs in France and Europe. But he criticized Les Dégonflés for its narrow target.

"I don't like the destruction of property, and I don't find this movement positive," Alexandre Faro said. "SUVs are not the only vehicles that pollute."

 

[Masquerouge]

Actually they operate in Paris only.The Mayor of Paris, Delanoe, wanted to restrict SUVs from entering Paris but backed up because of lobbyists

My wish is that only taxis and buses would be allowed intra muros. That would rock. You would need more Taxis, and more parkings though.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

PARIS -- A band of eco-vigilantes is taking a firm but gentle stand against fast-growing SUV sales in France and Europe, deflating the tires on gas guzzlers in a protest against conspicuous waste.

These guys are just asking to get beat down.

 

[Urederra]

I don`t like SUVs but I hate ecoterrorists. They are dictators wanna-bes. If they were head of the government they would dictate what we have to do with our money, with our time and with our life.


Edit: Eco-vigilantes, puag.... It reminds me of the mobs that burned jew´s houses in the 1940´s germany. Ecoterrorists is the proper word.

 

[Rik Meleet]

They do that in the US as well ?
If not; I don't see how this makes "Europe Becomes more like America everyday".

 

[Masquerouge]

These guys are just asking to get beat down.

Actually SUVs in cramped, medieval European cities are kind of a nuisance. They take too much parking space, streets are too narrow for them... SUVs are ok when the cities can accomodate them, and Paris is not one of these cities.

 

[Urederra]

They do that in the US as well ?
If not; I don't see how this makes "Europe Becomes more like America everyday".

I recall reading a piece of news similar to that one but in California. Ecoterrorists painting and-or scrapping SUVs

 

[Marla_Singer]

Actually they operate in Paris only.The Mayor of Paris, Delanoe, wanted to restrict SUVs from entering Paris but backed up because of lobbyists

My wish is that only taxis and buses would be allowed intra muros. That would rock. You would need more Taxis, and more parkings though.

Cool ! Paris would become a ghost city once midnight would ring. Another awesome idea from Masquerouge.

Masquerouge, I'm sure you have never noticed that 75% of cars in Paris intra muros come from the neighbouring departments (77, 78, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95). Those who drive in Paris are those who cannot come so easily in the city through public transports. You may believe that YOUR subway is terrific... but it stops at the gates of Paris. There are more than 10 million people in Paris area, not 2 million.

Furthermore, I will tell you that I'm an evil banlieusard. The kind of people you're glad they aren't allowed to vote for the mayor of the city. YES ! I love to drive by night in Paris. It's a real pleasure for me. I love to watch the city by night, to drive on the Voie George Pompidou, to get from Bastille to Montparnasse and to take the tunnels from Chatelet. I love to see the Rue de Rivoli or the Boulevard Sebastopol at 3am, filled with people.

If you want your city to be calmer, go away from the center and join the banlieue. And stop to annoy me about your story of banning cars from the city.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Anyway, Paris belongs to the past. Parisians want that city to become a museum. The real future of the metropolis belongs to the 92. The most prosperous and fast growing district in the region.

Hauts-de-Seine en FORCE !

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Actually SUVs in cramped, medieval European cities are kind of a nuisance. They take too much parking space, streets are too narrow for them... SUVs are ok when the cities can accomodate them, and Paris is not one of these cities.

Thats the price of having cramped medival streets. Now that you mentioned it you made the vandals sound even dumber. If you don't want an SUV to take up a parking spot then why on earth would you deflate the tires so its stuck there? Thats a bigger nuissance to the driver and everyone else who uses the streets. Is there buses in Paris or not because if there is then thats not even a good excuse. Unless SUVs actually are banned then there is no excuse for this childish behavior.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Actually SUVs in cramped, medieval European cities are kind of a nuisance. They take too much parking space, streets are too narrow for them... SUVs are ok when the cities can accomodate them, and Paris is not one of these cities.

Paris isn't a medieval city what are you talking about ? The Street layout has been planned in the late 19th century !

Moreover, I don't believe the SUV's will ever have a true success in Paris itself. Indeed, they are too large and impossible to park. However, SUV's could have a tremendous success in the rest of the country, where most people have their own garage and take their car mostly to reach another parking (hypermarket, multiplex cinema theatres, Ikea, Leroy Merlin, etc...).

The only strong limitation is their gas consumption. I believe Europeans will enjoy better a least consuming monospace than an SUV. The success of SUV's in Europe will never be as strong as in the US exactly because gas isn't free over here.

 

[SonicX]

*Looking at my tax bills*
*Looking at my gasoline expenses*
*Looking at one of the many obligatory insurrance bills*
*Looking at the governement plans*

Euhm, no we ain't ... unfortenately for my wallet, but we ain't.

 

[vbraun]

Paris isn't a medieval city what are you talking about ? The Street layout has been planned in the late 19th century !

Some cities look like that Cars live in the city instead of people. :shakehead

I'm not trying to imply that Paris is one of them, rather I think the opposite.

 

[h4ppy]

They do that in the US as well ?
If not; I don't see how this makes "Europe Becomes more like America everyday".

No they just slash the tires here.

 

[kryszcztov]

Anyway, Paris belongs to the past. Parisians want that city to become a museum. The real future of the metropolis belongs to the 92. The most prosperous and fast growing district in the region.

Hauts-de-Seine en FORCE !

That latest comment is funny ! I've been living in the "neuf-deux" for 25 years (apart from a year in Bordeaux at school), and I now only want to live in Paris itself. Erk, I dislike the banlieues. And I don't want Paris to become a museum.

What does "SUV" stand for ? It took me some time to realize what they are. But I think the real problem is about cars in general. More than traffic, what bothers me is the relative lack of parking place. That is what I hate with cars in town. I never pay my parking place in the street BTW. Don't know what needs to be done, really, this would need a long debate... I prefer walking over driving in Paris anyway.

About those stupid ecoguys, I hate them. Greenpeace, I sheet on them. They don't have any clue about what to do, and yet annoy everyone and pretend to have the "higher moral ground".

 

[The Last Conformist]

The only new thing here seems to be the alleged motive. Deflating tires has been a popular entertainment here since, well, about when they invented inflatable tires.

 

[h4ppy]

SUV stands for Sport Utility Vehicle since it is supposed to be able to carry sporting equipment and go off road and stuff, basically a pickup with a four seats and a roof. Unfortunantly people are buying them when they really have no use for them.

 

[Steph]

Moreover, I don't believe the SUV's will ever have a true success in Paris itself. Indeed, they are too large and impossible to park.

That's not completly true. I know someone who claim having a SUV in Paris is almost mandatory. Because with a small car you have a lot of bumps from parking, etc., and since he had a SUV, he no longer has this kind of problem

SUV are useless. They are here only as a sign of pride from their owner. I suspect they can actually damage the brain of the driver (it happened to my former boss : he bought a SUV, started to play golf, his head started to get swollen, and he almost destroyed the company).

Beside, as men are said to buy big cars to compensate the size of a certain part of their anatomy, what should we thought of the Americans ?

 

[GenMarshall]

I think its the other way around. The Americans are becoming like Europe everyday, just look at the outragious gas prices .

 

[Akka]

I don`t like SUVs but I hate ecoterrorists. They are dictators wanna-bes. If they were head of the government they would dictate what we have to do with our money, with our time and with our life.


Edit: Eco-vigilantes, puag.... It reminds me of the mobs that burned jew´s houses in the 1940´s germany. Ecoterrorists is the proper word.

Comparing deflating tires without even damaging them, to terrorism and burning jew houses, is so stupid I don't understand how I can even bother to answer that -_-