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By the way, Rozenn, the Brits call them conkers, not horse-chestnuts
Using the terms "conkers" and "highway" in the same sentence wouldn't be considered a faux pas?
Had to go to someplace near La Rochelle today. Journey there cost about €40 only in motorway tolls, so I decided to shunpike on the way back. I lost the count of roundabouts after the first few kilometers. Not to mention I had to cross Paris' suburbs on side roads because of motorway roadworks. Took 7 hours and a half.
Ok. Let's sum up: I hate trachycarpus fortunei, horse-chestnut leaf miners, double-decker trains, tolled highways, roadworks and, above all, roundabouts.
Had to go to someplace near La Rochelle today. Journey there cost about €40 only in motorway tolls, so I decided to shunpike on the way back. I lost the count of roundabouts after the first few kilometers. Not to mention I had to cross Paris' suburbs on side roads because of motorway roadworks. Took 7 hours and a half.
Good gosh, that's insane! How do people afford to do road trips over there, then? As much traveling as I do here in the US, I'd go broke really quickly paying such exorbitant tolls.
Makes me glad I live in America...lol.
Sure wish we'd adopt Canada's style of healthcare though, which is free to the end-user - not like our joke of "Obamacare" which costs way more than most people can afford...grrrr.
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Sure wish we'd adopt Canada's style of healthcare though, which is free to the end-user -
Nothing is free, and there are definitely limitations. All tax payers would pay higher taxes. I say "all tax payers" because 49% of US households do not pay a federal income tax.
Here is a infamous rant from the athlete Brock Lesnar, about his experience with the Canadian health care system
Good gosh, that's insane! How do people afford to do road trips over there, then? As much traveling as I do here in the US, I'd go broke really quickly paying such exorbitant tolls.
Makes me glad I live in America...lol.
Sure wish we'd adopt Canada's style of healthcare though, which is free to the end-user - not like our joke of "Obamacare" which costs way more than most people can afford...grrrr.
People wouldn't do road trips on highways in France. Country roads are much more interesting, not to mention the much better restaurants. The Paris-La Rochelle highway (and most others) is a very dull drive. Don't know how anyone could enjoy driving on it. Some are free and scenic though, like this one: http://www.city-data.com/forum/31418761-post54.html
As for the last part, I guess you wouldn't agree with this post:
Quote:
Originally Posted by sadgirl80
Don't be silly..healthcare and college are never free, even for lazy Euros. They pay for it every year dutifully through sky high mandatory taxes, all that money going into some commie pool which those who die peacefully in their sleep with no health problems don't use at all after paying for it for 40 years lol.
Apparently healthcare is a service like any other. Don't use it, don't pay for it!
Btw you Americans are a buncha commies. Why should the state take care of highways? Here it doesn't, for the most part.
Good gosh, that's insane! How do people afford to do road trips over there, then? As much traveling as I do here in the US, I'd go broke really quickly paying such exorbitant tolls.
Makes me glad I live in America...lol.
Sure wish we'd adopt Canada's style of healthcare though, which is free to the end-user - not like our joke of "Obamacare" which costs way more than most people can afford...grrrr.
And I thought the tolls on some of our freeways here were bad!!!
I'm fine with higher taxes if it means better returns. Our health service has a ton of issues like any other, since it previously had little to no involvement from the private sector, but I'll take it over costly health insurance. And as Rozenn said, don't like it? Don't use it. Take out private health insurance if you hate national healthcare.
Nothing is free, and there are definitely limitations. All tax payers would pay higher taxes. I say "all tax payers" because 49% of US households do not pay a federal income tax.
Here is a infamous rant from the athlete Brock Lesnar, about his experience with the Canadian health care system
I have a friend that lives in Ontario and he can't say enough good things about his health care plan. It's funded by a sales and services tax, which comes up to 13% - income tax is really quite similar to that of the US - alcohol and cig taxes are higher, but those are at least optional..lol. But I'd much rather be paying 13% than having to pay hundreds in premiums and then a two to five thousand dollar deductible even before coverage kicks in! My friend pays precisely zero whenever he goes to the doctor or needs medical attention. How is that not a better deal?!?
Rozenn - despite the impression that we Americans love capitalism and laissez-faire economics, deep down, we're socialists at heart. We value our (mostly) free highway network, Social Security is a program that will never, ever go away, and yes, we are moving ever so slowly towards universal care, despite the problems of "Obamacare." There is simply no other way for the poorer people to pay for their medical care without some sort of redistribution of costs - the math just doesn't work out. I just wish we'd get there sooner rather than later, and yes, I'm ready to pay the 13% rather than the 7% I'm paying now- sounds like a bargain to me.
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How do people afford to do road trips over there, then? As much traveling as I do here in the US, I'd go broke really quickly paying such exorbitant tolls. 
