Touring in France

[Richard Tack]

Do the French use a similar phrase for "on the/your left?"

 

[Diablo Scott]

Richard Tack wrote:

> Do the French use a similar phrase for "on the/your left?"
I've heard "démerde-toi" on the trail, seemed to be a bit less cordial
in tone though.

--
My bike blog:
http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/

 

[S o r n i]

Richard Tack wrote:
> Do the French use a similar phrase for "on the/your left?"

Oui.

Bill "it's '****ez-vous' I believe" S.

 

[Richard Tack]

S o r n i wrote:
> Richard Tack wrote:
>
>>Do the French use a similar phrase for "on the/your left?"
>
>
> Oui.
>
> Bill "it's '****ez-vous' I believe" S.
>
>
Why would you be asking to **** the rider you are passing?

 

[S o r n i]

Richard Tack wrote:
> S o r n i wrote:
>> Richard Tack wrote:
>>
>>> Do the French use a similar phrase for "on the/your left?"
>>
>>
>> Oui.
>>
>> Bill "it's '****ez-vous' I believe" S.
>>
>>
> Why would you be asking to **** the rider you are passing?

Somehow I doubt that **** Chaney was propostioning Patrick Leahy.

Bill "je ne pas literalist" S.

 

[Bernie]

S o r n i wrote:

>Richard Tack wrote:
>
>>S o r n i wrote:
>>
>>>Richard Tack wrote:
>>>
>>>>Do the French use a similar phrase for "on the/your left?"
>>>>
>>>
>>>Oui.
>>>
>>>Bill "it's '****ez-vous' I believe" S.
>>>
>>>
>>Why would you be asking to **** the rider you are passing?
>>
>
>Somehow I doubt that **** Chaney was propostioning Patrick Leahy.
>
>Bill "je ne pas literalist" S.
>
>
Vraillemente mon cher bonhomme, try "je passe a gauche!" (I pass on
your left!)
bon chance! Bernard

 

[Jean-Pierre Jacquot]

In article <[email protected]>,
Bernie <[email protected]> wrote:

> S o r n i wrote:
>
> >Richard Tack wrote:
> >
> >>S o r n i wrote:
> >>
> >>>Richard Tack wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>Do the French use a similar phrase for "on the/your left?"
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>Oui.
> >>>
> >>>Bill "it's '****ez-vous' I believe" S.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>Why would you be asking to **** the rider you are passing?
> >>
> >
> >Somehow I doubt that **** Chaney was propostioning Patrick Leahy.
> >
> >Bill "je ne pas literalist" S.
> >
> >
> Vraillemente mon cher bonhomme, try "je passe a gauche!" (I pass on
> your left!)
> bon chance! Bernard
>

Well, I'm no definitive specialist, but I would say that the last advice
is not very good.
In France, the law is that vehicules (all of them, bicyles included)
must always ride on the rightmost practicable place. An overtaken
vehicule must keep right ; it's absolutely forbiden to pass on the
right of any vehicule. As a consequence, there is absolutely not
ambiguity as to the relative location of an overtaker and an overtakee.
So, is you pass one adult, simply signal you pass ("bonjour !", or
"ahem ", or a bell sound). For a group of youngsters (or
wanabee racers, the "serrez a droite !" (keep on right) is a
good warning.
A sentence like "je passe a gauche" (the "on your left") is highly
likely to confuse the other rider who may only notice the "a gauche"
and then ... go left.

Bonne route,

Jean-Pierre (pure French breed)