Join the Queue

When one lives in the middle of a forest , it's all too easy to forget that the rest of the world exists. When we go for a walk, footpaths are deserted , and vast empty vistas open up before us. Even our local town of Lodève is sleepy, apart from Saturdays, when the market sets up its stalls. So going to the city is always a bit of a culture shock. This morning, B. had an early appointment at the University hospital in Montpellier. We decided to leave well before 7a.m. to avoid any possible delays. All went well. The roads were fairly empty. That is until we reached the city outskirts. At that point we ground to a complete halt. From then on we could only edge forward, petit à petit, a little at a time . Even the tram terminus, on the edge of the metropolis still seemed like a life-time away. In spite of our early start, B. feared that he could miss his appointment.

As we inched along, cars wove in and out of the lanes, hoping to score an advantage. As they did so, my attention turned to the drivers. There were many , many cars, and every one was heading into Montpellier. Almost all were occupied by one sole driver . Most drivers were young, and over half were women. Montpellier is a big city, and inevitably it must rely on commuters to work there. But what was going on? This city has worked hard to introduce measures to combat climate control. As I have already described, trams are cheap, and even free to city residents, and large car parks are provided for commuters on the edge of town, where they may pick up a tram into the centre. However, most of the cars that passed us, seemed to peel off before they reached that point, in order to head directly for the city. What's more, at every motorway junction there are free car parks in which car- sharers may leave their cars. I have noticed that the 'covoiturage' (car-sharing) car park in Lodève is barely used. The government even offered a reward of up to 100€ to new car sharers in 2023. After all, one car shared is at least one car less, blocking the road, and polluting our environment. So, why was almost every car in that serious traffic jam , under-occupied? As I have already observed, these were mostly young people, who must surely be aware of the risks of climate change. This is their own future that they are gambling with.

We barely reached the hospital in time for B.'s appointment. Unlike our little cottage hospital in Lodève , this one caters for an enormous population. Would B. be delayed further by long queues ? No! Here, things are organised to a 'T.' On arrival one slots one's health card into the terminal, registers one's arrival, and is immediately directed to the appropriate clinic with all relevant documents. . The wait there was brief, and we were soon able to return home. But by this time the roads were flowing easily in both directions. There is a point on the busy road between Montpellier and the A75 motorway, when one comes to the top of a rise. Behind, lies the city, with its multi-storey administrative buildings, blocks of apartments , and busy streets. Ahead is a vast empty vista of mountain peaks , and hillsides topped with pretty villages. And in the plains below lie endless acres of vines, now turning orange and brown after the vendange(harvest.) Whilst the city provides us with a vital life-line, it is always good to return here, to enjoy uncrowded roads, and the peace of our forest.

P.S...

Of course, we ourselves were taking up space on the crowded road in our single vehicle, but what's to be done when the public transport is inadequate to get one there in time? Here is a possible solution. France has a wonderful system of 'ambulance taxis' which transport incapacitated patients, or patients who are simply unable to drive themselves, to outpatient or longer appointments. Consequently one often sees these taxi cabs, marked with a blue cross, plying the busy road between Montpelier and other parts of Hérault. Indeed, we ourselves have had to make occasional use of them. But here's the thing. The government has recently decreed that, wherever possible, these taxis should attempt to carry two or even more patients at one time. Maybe it would be justified if all , day-patients were to leave their cars at home, and join in a mass 'taxi share.'