Paliseul and Bouillon blocked by the snow, a shame!

[Christophe]

The Belgium of the Ardennes and snow management ...

Episode 1

Like several a week, we will send the parcels from the store to France. For a few days now, the snow has been there, logical we are in the Ardennes, the snow "we know". And the quantities are not that important: there is between 20 and 30 cm on the ground ... but only about 5 cm have fallen during the last 24 hours ... in other words: nothing at all!

What is less logical is that on the Belgian side, nothing is done to remove snow from the ROUTES !! Even the main roads equivalent to French motorways !!

This morning (between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.), there was simply NOTHING that had been done: the 4-way N89 Libramont-Sedan (which is part of the Liege-Reims-Paris axis is not nothing !!) n is simply neither salty nor clear!

On the French side, the small departmental ones are better clear than the 4 Belgian belts, who cares who in Belgium? Where is the Belgian public service which should be at the SERVICE OF THE POPULATION?

Does Belgium care about its citizens? Belgium, which I remind you, has a higher average tax rate than France and taxes are also higher!

Ah no sorry, the public service is there ... The cops are there ... to stop the trucks that are stuck in the ascent or descent of Bouillon. There are lines of trucks 3 to 4 km long ... accumulated in only 2 or 3 hours ... Tomorrow what will it be? 30 km? 40 km?

We are not in a Mediterranean region, our municipalities are equipped with snow removal equipment! Last year the snow plows passed at 4 am in our street (village of less than 100 inhabitants). This year nothing ... So what's the problem? Where did the snow removal credits go? Evaporated in anticipation of warming? And nobody is surprised?

On the French side I saw 3 snow plows working on the motorway ... The Sedan region is, I remember, economically stricken, while Bouillon is a rich tourist town which pays for itself every year 2 or 3 big fire d tricks of several tens of thousands of euros each!

I therefore openly and publicly accuse the municipalities of Bouillon and Paliseul, their respective bourgmestre and aldermen for their lack of competence with regard to the maintenance of snow removal on the main roads in early February 2010. Where are the Belgian snowblowers of the municipalities of Bouillon and Paliseul?

Edit: apparently, after verification, the situation is more or less the same in all of Wallonia hit by snow ...

If legal action can be taken, well, I would be ... I think the media will cover the case (Radio RTBF was already talking about truck blockages ...).

I did not have a camera with me but, if the situation is the same in the coming days (most likely because the weather will get worse), well, we will do a photo report showing this state of affairs and the blatant contrast between the Belgian side (big snowy national and blocked trucks) and French (small plowed departmental).

Somewhere such inaction is simply contempt for its people by local Belgian politicians!

So if political heads can fall because of this, I would be happy! I will call the town of Paliseul this afternoon to ask them for explanations ... I think I already know the answer: either contempt or the classic "we are overwhelmed, we lack the means" ...

ps: I hope that some officials of the municipalities in question will see this message and respond publicly ... but I am probably dreaming ... otherwise you know where to contact me for a private response!

[Christophe]

I just called TV Lux, the local TV located in Libramont (a little further north) to suggest that they talk about the problem as part of one of their programs or reports.

Indeed, they have a program "Confluence" which periodically compares aspects of everyday life between the French side and the Belgian side.

We'll see if they report ...

In any case, they told me that in Libramont it was not so much better ... so it may not be that the communes of Bouillon and Paliseul which do nothing ... but that would mean that the problem would come from "higher" ...

Confluence is your monthly Franco-Belgian cross-border magazine co-produced with France 3 Lorraine Champagne Ardenne.

Valérie Odile, journalist at France 3 Lorraine, and Christelle Collin, journalist at TV Lux, take you on a journey across borders, taking you from one country to another, in the company of a Belgian guest of choice, French or Luxembourgish.

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Here, part of the answer, no longer enough salt: http://www.televesdre.eu/site/index.php ... r&id_menu=

That there is a lack of salt, I am willing, but that we paralyze the main lines of communication, which must be treated with high priority! No but who do we care?

Nothing has been put on our street, for 20 inhabitants, I don't mind but for there to be a shortage, there must be use ... otherwise it is that there have been serious mistakes in clerical management!

I think that we have not exceeded the 20 days of snowfall commuted since the beginning of winter ... that is to say nothing for the Ardennes!

There is obviously a SERIOUS management problem ...

ps: sorry for this subject, it is not too econological but this situation of injustice and difference in treatment between the Belgian and French citizen annoys me at the highest point ...

[Did67]

What is funny is that in the French media (JT) at each "orange alert" (vace blocking of trucks to prevent them from blocking the highways in their turn) we are entitled to the verse: "it is crazy, you just have to see the Nordic countries, never seen anything like it, there is only here ... "

We could not exchange complainers ???

PS: I'm not saying that there is not obvious; I'm just saying that the French are convinced that it's better elsewhere!

PS 2: I am not repeating my verse on "all this has a cost, each society makes its arbitrations - or the elected representatives make the arbitrations for the citizens ...

PS 3: I would not do either the one on our company sick of its technology, victim of the "just in time" ... The snow is first of all a problem whereas it can be funny, but you should not be stressed by delays , arrive on time, etc ...

[Christophe]

Yes did we can always moan in both directions but there believe me when you see 2km of queue of trucks accumulated in 3 hours because of 2 cm of snow, it is that there is a BIG management problem.

1) Cost problem:

The contrast after crossing the border is mind-blowing. This is what I denounce, France and Belgium are both developed countries! I would remind you that the GDP per capita is higher in Belgium than in France. So money is not what is missing ...

2) Better in the North?

As for the "best elsewhere", here are some pictures of what remains of our "street" and that I have just taken ... She saw a single snowplow this winter I believe ... and without salt I guess.

I am almost certain that the streets of Tignes or Val d'Isère are clearer than that ...

But as I said: our street not cleared it does not bother me too ... what bothers me are the main axes!

In addition, we are not dealing with a SNOW STORM ... these are regular small falls ...

[Rabbit]

It would mean that the problem would come from "higher" ...

You put your finger on the real problem.
Two more days of snow and there won't be any left
that an excellent memory to tell your children.
A chance that you do not live in Quebec. I have known
storms that offered 50 cm of snow in 24 hours.
it was even better.
You have to learn how to adapt to the climate. In 7 months it will slow down because
it's too hot.
By the way, I went to Libramont at 8 a.m. and 13 p.m.
it's a little snowy on the roads, but with snow tires
no worries. I do not have a 4X4 but a Renault Megane.
with snow tires at the front and summer (new) at the rear.

[Alain G]

Ha yes it's better elsewhere!

LOL! Here we go with 2 or 3 snow plows wide at 50 km / h on the highway by blocking all traffic and this, for only 2 to 3 cm of accumulation because our good official decided that it was not be careful to pass a snow plow when it clears the road.

There is zeal and inaction!

[Christophe]

I have known storms that offered 50 cm of snow in 24 hours. In the past it was even better.

In the event of a "storm", nobody can do anything, I agree but here it is not a sudden storm: these are small regular falls and there is a (serious) management problem!

Indeed it is a little snowy on the roads, but with snow tires no worries.

Yes we have 4 snow tires (4 season in fact) and I also "passed" without any problem, I just took twice as long ... Without a snow tire, in these conditions, I do not even start .. .that is to be suicidal.

There is zeal and inaction!

Ah ah ah you made an Alsatian plague without knowing it there!

[Alain G]

Christophe!

Worst! Last week they did it for barely 1 cm these idiots!

For the joke, it was not wanted but if it makes you laugh so much the better!

[Rabbit]

I've been in Belgium for 20 years (basically).
to say without being mistaken that the roads there are very dirty.
Even too much. Until this recent shortage of salt (which seems
European) they passed the salt and 3 hours later the scraper.
Another 3 hours, followed by the scraper. This may explain
that there is a shortage of salt.
From an objective point of view this shortage is much better for
ecology. Less salt and less car (on the roads).
Each car in the pit is one less that will pollute.

And the roads covered with snow it has a certain beauty.
well. In addition it is an opportunity to be wild in small paths
The field scared to crash and the snow shovel
in the trunk to get by. I just offered me a good
dose of adrenaline when coming back from Arlon. Another expedition or two
and I will have my dose of adrenaline for the year.

By the way, watch out for the wild boars, turn the roadsides around,
they have the slab. From 7 to 8 a.m. there is one that turns the edge of the
way home. He didn't even take care of cars that
pass 1 m from him. To stuff a wild boar is like paying
a strain, the car rarely gets away with it cheaply.
experience.

[Christophe]

Until this recent shortage of salt (which seems
European) they passed the salt and 3 hours later the scraper.
Another 3 hours, followed by the scraper. This may explain
that there is a shortage of salt.

OK in this case if European shortage, ok but then:

a) How is it explained? Please don't tell me, "China's fault" or "the crisis" ...

b) Pkoi on the French side, they still manage to find some and not just a little since all the small departments are impeccable while in Belgium the main axes are not treated?

c) But especially: the lack of salt does not prevent to pass with the snow plowing and / or to put some sand !! Is there scarcity on the sand or what?

In any case there is no shortage of incompetence and lazyness on the Belgian side! I just saw the news, a priori this fact concerns + or - all of Wallonia ... so yes it is a global problem.

From an objective point of view this shortage is much better for the ecology. Less salt and less car (on the roads). Each car in the pit is one less that will pollute.

Yes the "over-salting" is not good for the underground and surface water nor for the flora and the fauna BUT there is a "nuance" between too salty and not salty at all and doing nothing at all! (I speak of the main axes, our street I hide in a pinch ...)

As for the car in the ditch, it will be above all a new car purchased: therefore to pay (energy, CO2) and to manufacture (energy, CO2) so I doubt that the eco-balance is "positive" ... then I'm not talking about possible injuries!

Worse snow covered roads it has a certain beauty. I like it.

Me too but this is not the debate, we are talking here about public service not rendered ...

He didn't even deal with cars that
pass 1 m from him. To stuff a wild boar is like paying
a strain, the car rarely gets away with it cheaply.
experience.

A rabbit stuffing a boar, the beefy cow the rabbit!